Last updated: 20 October 2026 Are fake trading libraries a real risk? We searched the OpenSSF malicious-packages database, published through OSV, for packages whose names copy exchanges, brokers or trading tools, then checked each name by hand to remove false matches.
228 malicious packages pretending to be trading or exchange tools. After checking every name by hand, we count 183 on npm (JavaScript) and 45 on PyPI (Python) in the OpenSSF malicious-packages database, reported from 2022 to 20 October 2026.
Polymarket is the new favourite target. 50 packages use Polymarket or prediction-market names, 48 of them reported in 2026, many posing as copies of Polymarket’s official CLOB trading client or as trading-bot “Kelly stake” calculators.
2025 and 2026 are the busiest years. 92 were reported in 2025 and 76 so far in 2026. Coinbase (35) and Binance (32) names are the next most copied.
The usual goal is your keys. Reports describe packages that run code on install and send off environment variables, .env files and API keys, or download remote malware. A trading bot’s exchange or broker API keys are exactly what they look for.
Malicious trading packages by year
| Year reported | PyPI | npm | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 15 | 15 |
| 2023 | 27 | 6 | 33 |
| 2024 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| 2025 | 5 | 87 | 92 |
| 2026 | 9 | 67 | 76 |
Years are when the OSV record was published, which is usually within days of the package appearing. Most of these packages were removed by npm or PyPI soon after being reported, so the risk is mainly to anyone who installed them during that window.
Which names they copy
| Name targets | Packages |
|---|---|
| Polymarket / prediction markets | 50 |
| Coinbase | 35 |
| Binance | 32 |
| Generic trading tools | 19 |
| Huobi / HTX | 13 |
| Kraken | 10 |
| MEXC | 8 |
| KuCoin | 8 |
| Bitget | 8 |
| Hyperliquid | 6 |
| CCXT (trading library) | 6 |
| OKX | 5 |
| Bybit | 5 |
| Bitstamp | 4 |
| Bitfinex | 4 |
| Freqtrade (trading bot) | 4 |
| TradingView | 3 |
| BitMEX | 3 |
| Deribit | 2 |
| yfinance (market data) | 2 |
| Robinhood | 1 |
Recent examples (non-Polymarket, since June 2026)
| Reported | Registry | Package | OSV record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-22 | PyPI | crypto-trader-py | MAL-2026-16406 |
| 2026-09-09 | npm | gmgn-trading-kit | MAL-2026-16094 |
| 2026-09-05 | npm | trading-bot-utils | MAL-2026-16003 |
| 2026-08-31 | npm | hyperliquid-composer | MAL-2026-15627 |
| 2026-08-14 | npm | @mexc/shared-utils | MAL-2026-14049 |
| 2026-08-14 | npm | @devmikets/hyperliquid-sdk | MAL-2026-14042 |
| 2026-08-05 | npm | gekko-trading-bot | MAL-2026-12388 |
| 2026-08-05 | npm | ccxt-trading | MAL-2026-12347 |
| 2026-08-05 | PyPI | crypto-trading-toolkit | MAL-2026-12082 |
| 2026-07-13 | npm | gamified-trading-system | MAL-2026-10502 |
| 2026-07-09 | npm | @wagni_bot/binance-sdk | MAL-2026-10022 |
| 2026-07-09 | npm | @wagni_bot/hyperliquid-sdk | MAL-2026-10026 |
| 2026-07-09 | npm | @wagni_bot/hyperliquid | MAL-2026-11111 |
| 2026-06-29 | npm | @huobi-ui/activity-components | MAL-2026-6627 |
| 2026-06-10 | npm | coinbase-wallet-utils | MAL-2026-5499 |
All records are in the full CSV with links. A package name here does not mean the real company, exchange or library was involved; these are lookalikes published by unrelated accounts.
How the attacks work
- Typosquats. Names one letter off from real libraries, such as
pyhton-binanceforpython-binanceorcccxtforccxt. - Lookalike SDKs. Unscoped copies of official packages, such as
polymarket-clob-clientinstead of@polymarket/clob-client. - Dependency confusion. Names that look like a company’s internal packages, such as
coinbase-internalorkraken-production, hoping a build system pulls the public one. - Fake tools. Packages sold as trading bots, copy-trading tools or AI trading agents that run hidden code on install.
How to protect your trading setup
- Install exchange and broker SDKs only under the exact name in the official documentation, and check the publisher.
- Keep API keys out of the folder where you install packages, and give keys trade-only permissions with no withdrawals.
- Pin versions with a lock file and review new dependencies before installing.
- If you installed any package on this list, revoke your API keys and wallet keys first, then clean the machine.
For the legitimate libraries traders use and how popular they are, see our Python algo trading package downloads and JavaScript trading library npm downloads pages.
Sources
- OSV database, MAL- (malicious package) records, bulk exports for PyPI and npm, downloaded 20 October 2026.
- OpenSSF Malicious Packages, Open Source Security Foundation (Apache-2.0).
Method
We took every MAL- record in the OSV PyPI and npm exports and matched package names against exchange, broker and trading terms (for example binance, coinbase, kraken, polymarket, hyperliquid, ccxt, freqtrade, tradingview, trader, trading).
That gave 359 matches. We reviewed each by hand and removed 128 that only matched by accident, such as random strings containing “okx” or “mt4”, a spam campaign of names containing “alpaca” the animal, and “kraken” names unrelated to the exchange. We also set aside 3 packages labelled as security-research proofs of concept. 228 remain.
Caveats
OSV only includes packages someone reported, so the real number is higher. Name matching misses malicious packages with unrelated names that still target traders.
Records are reports by security firms and researchers listed in the CSV. We haven’t analysed the code ourselves.
How to cite this
Prop Data Lab, “Malicious Trading Packages on PyPI and npm (OSV)”, updated 20 October 2026, https://propdatalab.com/malicious-trading-packages-pypi-npm/
The table and the CSV are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: copy, chart or republish them, commercial use included, as long as you link back to this page. Data: OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV (Apache-2.0).
Common questions
Are there malicious Python trading libraries?
Yes. We found 45 malicious PyPI packages with names copying trading tools or exchanges, such as typosquats of python-binance and ccxt, reported to the OSV database from 2023 to October 2026.
Is there a fake Polymarket npm package?
The OSV database lists 50 malicious packages with Polymarket or prediction-market names, including lookalikes of Polymarket's official CLOB client. The official package is published under the @polymarket scope.
What do malicious trading packages steal?
Reports describe packages that collect environment variables, .env files and API keys on install, or download and run remote malware.
How do I check if a package is malicious?
Search the package name on osv.dev, confirm the publisher matches the official documentation, and avoid new packages with few downloads that copy a well-known name.