TLDR
- DefiLlama held back its mobile app launch until Apple removed fake apps impersonating the platform
- Founder 0xngmi says Apple took months to act on reports, but removed one fake app within days after a test wallet was drained
- The real DefiLlama app is now live on iOS and Android
- Apple rejected over 320,000 copycat or misleading app submissions in 2024
- Fake crypto apps have caused millions in losses, including a lawsuit over $1.835 million in Bitcoin stolen via fake Sparrow Wallet apps
DefiLlama, a popular DeFi analytics platform, deliberately delayed the launch of its mobile app because fake apps were impersonating it on Apple’s App Store. The company’s pseudonymous founder, 0xngmi, shared the details in an X post on August 15.
We had been trying to take down a fake DefiLlama app on apple’s store for months, telling Apple about trademark violations, impersonation…
Then we loaded a small wallet, downloaded the app, got drained as expected and reported it to Apple.
App was taken down in days after that
— 0xngmi (@0xngmi) August 15, 2026
The team spent months trying to get Apple to remove at least one malicious app. Reports based on trademark and impersonation concerns did not lead to action.
How DefiLlama Got Apple to Act
The team eventually changed their approach. They funded a small test wallet, downloaded the fake app, and recorded the funds being drained. Apple removed the app within days of seeing that evidence.
“We waited ’till all the fake apps were taken down before we launched ours to avoid any user getting scammed,” 0xngmi wrote.
The exact amount taken from the test wallet was not disclosed. The attacker’s wallet addresses were also not shared publicly.
The official DefiLlama app is now live. It is listed on Apple’s App Store as “DefiLlama: DeFi Tracker,” with DEFILLAMA LIMITED named as the provider. Version 1.0.5 is currently available, and the developer website is listed as defillama.com.
A Wider Problem With Fake Crypto Apps
DefiLlama is not the only crypto brand to have faced this issue. Fake apps impersonating Rabby Wallet and Curve Finance appeared on the App Store in 2024.
In April, a fraudulent Ledger Live app drained 5.9 BTC, worth around $420,000, from musician Garrett Dutton. On-chain researcher ZachXBT linked the stolen Bitcoin to addresses tied to KuCoin.
Apple is currently facing a U.S. lawsuit from three users who claim fake Sparrow Wallet apps caused $1.835 million in Bitcoin losses. Those claims have not been tested in court.
In a separate case, a fake Phantom Wallet app also reached the App Store before being pulled after users reported fund losses.
Apple’s App Review guidelines ban apps that impersonate other services or use another developer’s branding without permission. Developers who repeatedly break these rules can be removed from the Apple Developer Program.
Apple reported rejecting more than 320,000 app submissions in 2024 for copying other apps, spam, or misleading users.
Apple has not publicly responded to 0xngmi’s specific account of events. Cointelegraph reported it approached Apple for comment but received no response at the time of publishing.
Users looking to download the legitimate DefiLlama app are advised to access it directly through defillama.com and verify the listed developer and provider before installing.
