On October 2, 2025, Germany’s BaFin issued a securities fraud warning against DAO1 and its associated products from Apertum Holding Limited, per . BaFin states that DAO1 offers automated crypto trading via AI bots without a license, promoted through German-language webinars, social media, and local events, per . This constitutes unlicensed crypto-asset services under the Crypto Markets Supervision Act, violating German financial law, per . BaFin advises caution for online investments, per .
DAO1 is a fraudulent investment scheme centered on Apertum Foundation’s APTM token, operated by Josip Heit, per . Heit, originally from Croatia and believed to hold a German passport, launched DAO1 and Apertum after GSPartners collapsed, per . GSPartners, built around the G999 token, defrauded investors of over $1B, leading to regulatory actions in North America, per . DAO1 and Apertum are continuations of this fraud, with Heit settling GSPartners charges in September 2024, agreeing to refunds, per .
Heit uses ex-parte injunctions via Irle Moser law firm to suppress reporting, filing in Hamburg and Frankfurt courts based on false sworn statements, per . Judges often grant these without scrutiny, but denials lead to abandonment, per . Promotion in Germany is led by Dennis Loos and Dirc Zahlmann, per . Traffic to DAO1’s site as of August 2025 shows Dominican Republic (35%), U.S. (18%), and Germany (16%), per .
DAO1 and Apertum face warnings from Australia’s ASIC (February 2025, unlicensed services), New Zealand’s FMA (January 2025, unrealistic returns), and Texas TSSB (March 2025, cease-and-desist for fraud), per . These link DAO1 to GSPartners’ securities violations, per . Heit excludes U.S. residents from DAO1, per .
