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Crypto Press Releases are Manipulating Markets, Study Shows

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Crypto Press Releases are Manipulating Markets, Study Shows

A growing share of information driving crypto markets comes not from journalists, but from paid press releases.

A Chainstory analysis of 2,893 crypto press releases published between June and November 2025 shows that these distribution networks operate as a parallel news market, capable of shaping sentiment and temporarily moving prices, even before verification occurs.

Over 60% of Releases Come from High-Risk Projects

The study found that 62% of releases originated from high-risk (35.6%) or outright scam (26.9%)projects. Meanwhile, 27% were low risk, and 10% were medium risk.

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Unlike editorial coverage, where journalists assess credibility, press-release wires publish client content with minimal review. This allows misleading or exaggerated claims to reach audiences quickly, influencing asset prices.

Only 2% of releases (58 total) covered substantive events such as funding rounds, mergers, or research. Nearly 50% were product or feature updates, and 24% were related to trading and exchange listings, often flooding the market with repetitive content ignored by credible newsrooms.

Tone analysis revealed that only 10% of releases were neutral, while 54% were overstated and 19% overtly promotional.

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In total, around 70% contained blatant marketing spin, with words like “revolutionary,” “game-changing,” or “leading the Web3 future.”

Category % Of Total
Product / Feature Updates 48.98%
Trading, Listings, Exchanges 23.99%
Token Launches / Tokenomics 14.00%
Events, Conferences, Sponsorships 6.01%
Metrics, Research, Reports 3.01%
Funding / VC / Corporate Finance 2.00%
Vanity, Awards, Community Fluff 2.00%

Market Impact and Manipulation Risk

Syndication practices amplify these effects. Many platforms guarantee placement across dozens of sites, including crypto media outlets and mainstream sidebar feeds. This allows projects to showcase “as seen on” signals.

Small or overlooked disclaimers may lead casual investors to treat promotional content as independent reporting.

The hype-laden content can trigger retail investor activity and even algorithmic trading bots, generating short-term price moves based on perception rather than fundamentals.

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This mirrors traditional pump-and-dump tactics in penny stocks, where press releases have historically created artificial demand before insiders sell.

Therefore, the study presents a crucial takeaway for investors: visibility does not equal validation. Press releases, especially from high-risk or scam-adjacent projects, should be treated first as promotional material and second as potential market-moving signals—with skepticism applied at every step.

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Crypto World

Balancer Labs Shuts Down, Protocol to Continue

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Balancer Labs Shuts Down, Protocol to Continue

Balancer Labs, the team behind the decentralized finance protocol Balancer, is shutting down after mounting financial pressure and a $116 million hack in November, with executives proposing continuation of the protocol under a leaner, more cost-effective structure.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to wind down Balancer Labs. This is not a decision I take lightly,” one of Balancer Protocol’s founders, Fernando Martinelli, said on Monday, adding that Balancer Labs has become a “liability rather than an asset to the protocol,” as it has been operating without revenue.

Balancer Labs CEO Marcus Hardt added that it was spending too much to attract liquidity relative to the revenue the protocol is making, a strategy that came at the cost of diluting Balancer (BAL) token holders.

Source: Marcus Hardt

Balancer was one of the more notable DeFi protocols during the 2020–2021 bull market, reaching a peak of $3.3 billion in total value locked (TVL) in November 2021.

However, that figure fell to $800 million by October 2025, with the hack leading to another $500 million TVL drop over the next two weeks. Balancer’s TVL has since fallen to $158 million, showing how challenging it is for DeFi protocols to recover from large-scale hacks.

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Martinelli said the November exploit “created real and ongoing legal exposure” and that maintaining a corporate entity that carries the liability of past security incidents wasn’t sustainable.

Balancer Labs executives outline restructuring plan

Moving forward, Hardt and Martinelli are pushing for Balancer’s future to be managed by the Balancer Foundation and the protocol’s decentralized autonomous organization.

Martinelli advocated for Balancer to adopt a more “lean continuation path,” which involves cutting BAL emissions to zero, restructuring fees to enable Balancer’s DAO to capture more revenue, reducing the team as much as possible and targeting lower operating costs.