Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols are abandoning public Discord servers, arguing that the platform has become more of a liability than a community hub.
The shift drew attention on Wednesday after DeFi lending protocol Morpho said it had moved its public Discord server into read-only mode, directing users instead to alternative support channels. The move reflects growing concern that Discord has become a favored hunting ground for scammers targeting crypto users.
The concern is not limited to Morpho. DeFi data platform DefiLlama’s pseudonymous founder 0xngmi said they have been quietly reducing their reliance on Discord, favoring more controlled communication tools.
Several builders say the goal is to move away from always-on chat rooms toward structured support systems designed to protect users rather than maximize engagement.
Why DeFi teams are stepping back from Discord
A major issue cited by builders and data providers is that Discord has become nearly impossible to secure, and phishing remains a core problem.
Morpho co-founder Merlin Egalite said the move away from Discord was “not an easy choice,” but added that users were being phished while seeking help, despite heavy monitoring and safeguards.
Morpho said the protocol had been testing tools like Intercom, which Egalite said made support easier through its features like ticket management and AI responses.
Similar concerns were raised by 0xngmi. In a post, the DefiLlama founder said their platform shifted toward live support chat and email tickets, arguing that Discord makes it impossible to protect users.
“Even if you ban scammers instantly, they still DM users directly to scam them,” he said.
Community leaders rally behind Discord exit
Industry operators and community members have also weighed in on the issue. Richard Rodairos, a talent partner at Dragonfly, said public Discord servers have become “one of the lowest signal surfaces in the space.”
He argued that users and builders would benefit more from clear documentation, asynchronous support and reliable communications. “Get rid of most discords in crypto. It would actually do the industry good long term,” Rodairos wrote.
Aavechan Initiative founder Marc Zeller said Discord is “full of scammers,” adding that users asking questions are often targeted by fake administrators. He called Morpho’s decision positive and urged Aave Labs to consider stepping away from the social platform.
Nifty Gateway co-founder Duncan Cock Foster shared that moderating Discord was the worst part of running his former company and was a major drain on his mental health. He called Morpho’s move “smart.”
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Not everyone wants to leave Discord behind
While some are convinced there’s limited upside to Discord, other community members argued that abandoning Discord risks undermining one of the sector’s most defining features: open, peer-to-peer collaboration.
X user Llamaonthebrink said one of DeFi’s core appeals was the ability to “pop into a project’s Discord” to share experiences, provide feedback and follow development discussions. The community member expressed hope that the Discord exit would not become a trend.
Others say the issue lies in execution rather than the platform itself. X user nft_dreww argued that all platforms attract scammers and that well-run Discord servers with proper security can remain safe and vibrant.
A similar view was expressed by X user Walter_Su11ivan, who said that giving up on Discord was an issue with the platform’s skills, as many projects continued to operate healthy and well-moderated communities.
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