Concerns Over Discord in DeFi
In recent developments, multiple decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols are reconsidering their use of Discord due to increasing incidences of scams and security breaches, including phishing attacks and a significant data leak connected to Zendesk. Scams targeting users have surged, leading platform executives and community members to voice concerns regarding the safety of the popular chat application.
Morpho’s Transition to Read-Only
Morpho, a well-known DeFi lending protocol, recently announced its decision to transition its public Discord server to read-only status starting February 1, 2026. The protocol will redirect its users to a dedicated help page and a chat support system designed to enhance security. This strategic shift underscores the growing belief among DeFi projects that Discord can facilitate scam attempts, particularly against users seeking help.
Paul Frambot, one of Morpho’s co-founders, expressed that the experience on Discord has become increasingly detrimental when it comes to user support, citing ongoing scams and the relentless clutter of irrelevant chatter that has evaded moderation efforts.
His counterpart, Merlin Egalite, added that the way Discord is structured makes it challenging to completely shield users from direct-message scams, emphasizing that they are exploring other communication tools like Intercom, which could lead to a more secure support system with features such as ticketing and automated assistance.
DefiLlama’s Hybrid Support Model
DefiLlama, a prominent platform in the DeFi landscape, has also made moves away from Discord. Its founder, identified as 0xngmi, stated that the platform’s structure is not conducive to protecting users from scammers. DefiLlama has adopted a hybrid support model, retaining Discord for some interactions but encouraging users to utilize more secure alternatives like live support chats and email tickets.
Marc Zeller, the founder of the Aavechan Initiative, labeled Discord as “full of scammers,” asserting that the experiences at Morpho should serve as a wake-up call for other DeFi operations relying on the platform.
Meanwhile, Duncan Cock Foster, co-founder of Nifty Gateway, described the effort of moderating Discord as one of the most taxing tasks in his business, noting that Morpho’s pivot is a reasonable response to current challenges.
Debate Within the DeFi Community
The recent changes have sparked a debate within the DeFi community regarding the pros and cons of moving away from open community forums like Discord. Some members argue that, despite its security pitfalls, Discord has been invaluable for real-time discussions and collaboration among users. Others believe that implementing stronger verification processes and disabling direct messaging could significantly alleviate the threat of scam activity, given the right kind of enforcement.
Security Breaches and Data Management
Adding to the security concerns was a breach revealed in October, where it came to light that unauthorized access to Zendesk’s support platform led to the exposure of sensitive data, including over two million images of identification documents. This incident has raised alarms over the data management practices employed by Discord and accentuated the urgency for DeFi projects to protect their users more effectively.
