The viral open-source AI assistant Clawdbot has officially **rebranded to Moltbot following a trademark dispute with Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude models. While the rename was amicable on the surface, the transition quickly spiraled into confusion as crypto scammers hijacked the project’s old social accounts and launch fake tokens, forcing the founder to issue public warnings.
Why the Name Change Happened
Developer Peter Steinberger — known for building tools like PSPDFKit — said the rebrand was prompted by Anthropic’s trademark concerns over the name “Clawdbot,” which was deemed too similar to its “Claude” branding. Steinberger explained that he was “forced” to rename the project, and chose Moltbot — inspired by the molting process lobsters undergo to grow — as a fitting new identity.
Scammers Strike During Transition
In the brief gap when Clawdbot’s old handles were vacated, crypto scammers seized on the opportunity, taking over the old GitHub and X accounts linked to the project. They quickly began promoting unauthorized tokens tied to the Clawdbot name. One such token, known as $CLAWD, briefly soared to around $16 million in market cap before collapsing once the founder publicly denounced it.
Founder Denounces Crypto Tokens
Steinberger took to social media to strongly reject any association with crypto tokens, writing that he would never launch a token and that any project claiming he owns or supports one is a scam. He also urged crypto enthusiasts to stop harassing him over the matter, saying the scams were “actively damaging the project.”
Security Concerns Exposed
The chaotic rename also highlighted security risks within the project’s infrastructure. Researchers flagged exposed API keys and misconfigured servers, warning that unsecured installations could be exploited to steal credentials or execute remote attacks. The scam incident underscores how viral tech projects can quickly attract malicious actorswhen administrative controls lag behind popularity.
Moltbot’s Future
Despite the turbulence, Moltbot — the renamed version of Clawdbot — continues to attract interest for its open-source AI capabilities, allowing users to run a personal assistant locally across platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram and Discord. The project’s core mission remains intact, but the recent events serve as a cautionary tale about the intersection of open-source tech hype and speculative crypto activity.
