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Good Morning Crypto Enthusiasts!

Glad to have you back for another edition of the UseTheBitcoin.com newsletter.

1. OpenClaw Bans Crypto Talk: OpenClaw has banned all crypto discussions from its Discord after a fake Solana-based $CLAWD token scam briefly hit a $16M valuation before collapsing.

2. Trump Imposes 10% Tariff: President Trump announced a 10% global tariff after the Supreme Court limited his prior trade powers. While critics warn of economic strain, Bitcoin rose 3% on the news, reinforcing its narrative as a hedge against geopolitical and trade instability.

3. $4.3M IoTeX Hack Probed: IoTeX is investigating a suspected private key compromise that led to a $4.3M exploit. Stolen USDC, USDT, and WBTC were swapped and bridged, complicating recovery.

4. 💡Feature of the Day - Uniswap Phishing Scam Alert: Uniswap’s founder warned users after a trader lost a mid-six-figure portfolio to a fake sponsored search ad.

   
   All this and more in today’s headlines!

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📰 News Highlights:

OpenClaw Crypto Ban [Source][Source][Source]

OpenClaw has officially banned all cryptocurrency discussions from its community Discord, with users reportedly removed for even mentioning Bitcoin in technical contexts.

The strict policy follows a painful 2025 incident in which scammers launched a fake Solana-based $CLAWD token during a rebranding window, briefly pushing it to a $16 million valuation before it collapsed. Creator Peter Steinberger has since distanced the project entirely from crypto, citing security risks and reputational damage.

The move comes at a time when much of the tech industry is accelerating AI–crypto integration. Major firms are building infrastructure that allows autonomous AI agents to hold wallets, execute trades, and pay for services on-chain.

While OpenClaw remains a leading open-source AI agent framework, its hard stance against crypto creates a sharp contrast with broader industry momentum toward blockchain-based financial rails for AI systems.

10% Global Tariff [Source][Source][Source][Source]

President Trump announced a new 10% across-the-board global tariff after the Supreme Court limited his previous use of emergency powers for trade measures.

The new tariff stacks on top of existing duties, drawing bipartisan criticism from lawmakers who argue it effectively acts as a tax on American consumers and small businesses. Legal analysts also note that the statutory tools being used may face limits tied to trade deficits, percentage caps, and time restrictions.

Despite fears of economic disruption and supply chain uncertainty, Bitcoin rose roughly 3% following the announcement, diverging from traditional market reactions.

The move reinforces a growing narrative that crypto is increasingly viewed as a hedge against geopolitical tension, inflation, and trade instability, signaling a potential decoupling from conventional risk-on and risk-off dynamics.

$4.3M IoTeX Exploit [Source][Source][Source]

IoTeX confirmed it is investigating a security breach involving suspicious activity tied to one of its token safes. Analysts suspect a compromised private key allowed an attacker to drain approximately $4.3 million in assets, including USDC, USDT, and WBTC.

The funds were quickly swapped for Ether and bridged to Bitcoin, complicating recovery efforts and triggering an immediate drop in the IOTX token price.

While the team has coordinated with exchanges and security partners to contain the damage, the larger challenge may be reputational.

Industry data suggests that nearly 80% of projects hit by major exploits struggle to fully recover, largely due to lost user trust. Transparent communication and structural security reforms will be critical if IoTeX hopes to avoid long-term erosion of confidence.

💡 Feature of the Day: 

Uniswap Scam Warning [Source][Source][Source][Source]

Uniswap’s founder issued a public warning after a trader lost his entire mid-six-figure portfolio to a malicious search engine ad impersonating the official platform.

Scammers are purchasing sponsored ad placements that closely mimic legitimate Uniswap links, directing users to wallet-draining websites. Even experienced traders have fallen victim after unknowingly connecting wallets to fraudulent interfaces.

The broader trend highlights the rise of social engineering over smart contract exploits. January 2026 alone saw roughly $370 million stolen in crypto-related scams, with most losses tied to phishing and deceptive interfaces rather than protocol flaws.

As fake ads and clone sites proliferate, responsibility for security is increasingly shifting toward user vigilance in an environment where top search results are no longer inherently trustworthy.

😂 Crypto Meme of the Day: 

Meme of the day provided by @GainsAssociates

And that’s it for this today.

See you all tomorrow’s edition!

Jonathan Gibson
UseTheBitcoin.com