Sharp analyst-written crypto research, but note that the protocols it covers can pay Messari to commission their own coverage, a relationship Messari discloses on the reports.
What it's really for A crypto research firm; some 'Hub' reports are commissioned by the projects covered, under disclosure.
What our grade covers The grade on this page is about its analyst research and diligence reports on crypto, not everything the site does.
High Scoring Confidence Checked against primary sources. We are confident in the facts and the grade here.
Paid subscribers and the crypto projects that buy Protocol Services/Hub coverage pay it most; by Messari's own disclosure, paying funds coverage and distribution but is said not to dictate the editorial conclusions or buy a ranking slot.
Source →- Operating since
- 2018 (8 years) · source
- What it costs you
- Free to read The reviews are free to read.
- How they make money
- Makes money mainly from Pro/Enterprise subscriptions and data APIs, plus Protocol Services/Hub fees where crypto projects pay Messari to fund research and distribution about themselves.
- What they do
- Provides crypto market data, asset profiles, and analyst-written research and diligence reports on tokens and protocols for retail and institutional investors.
- What to watch for
- Much of its protocol coverage is commissioned and paid for by the projects being covered, so it is not the same as unsolicited, fully independent analysis even though Messari labels it as such.
- Composite score
- 3.30 / 5.00 → grade B
How the grade was reached
Does the site take money from the very entities it ranks? Pay-for-placement, vendor-funded data, and affiliate commissions all pull this down. The less the ranking can be bought, the higher the score.
What is the ranking actually built on? Hands-on testing scores highest, then verified first-hand reviews, then opinion or popularity surveys and self-reported figures, then pay-to-rank, which scores lowest.
Is the methodology published, specific, and reproducible? Can a reader see how a given rank was reached, or is it a black box?
Are commercial relationships, sponsorships, and affiliate arrangements disclosed clearly and near the rankings themselves, rather than buried?
How hard is it to game? Controls against fake reviews, solicited reviews, and vendor gaming raise this; an open box anyone can stuff lowers it.
Evidence
- Messari was founded in 2018 by Ryan Selkis and sought to become the crypto industry's equivalent of Crunchbase and the SEC's EDGAR database, providing crypto market intelligence products. Source: CoinDesk Learn: Messari →
- The 1inch DAO proposal commissions Messari to write quarterly research reports about 1inch with a total funding value of 80,000 USDC (20,000 USDC per report), with reports distributed across Messari's newsletter and institutional platforms; Messari is framed as 'independent analysts' despite 1inch funding the work. Source: 1inch governance: Commission Quarterly Research Reports with Messari Protocol Services →
- Messari Hub reports are 'commissioned by organizations who are paid members of Messari Hub'; Messari states all content is 'produced independently' through a 'fully independent editorial process' and that 'paid membership in the Hub does not influence editorial decisions or content,' and requires content-producing employees to disclose crypto holdings quarterly. Source: Messari: Introducing Messari Hub →