Crypto news stories are vanishing without a trace. Articles questioning the influence of paid press releases have quietly disappeared from major crypto websites, leaving little evidence they were ever published.

At the same time, thousands of promotional announcements continue to flood the industry, shaping narratives, moving markets, and blurring the line between journalism and advertising.

The Shadow Pipeline That Fuels FOMO

Chainstory analyzed 2,893 press releases distributed between June 16 and November 1, 2025. Using AI-driven sentiment tagging and risk classification, cross-referenced with blacklists like CryptoLegal.uk, Trustpilot, and scam alert feeds, the report found that:

• 62% originated from high-risk (35.6%) or confirmed scam projects (26.9%).
• Low-risk issuers accounted for only 27% of releases.
• In certain niches, such as cloud mining, scam, or high-risk content, dominated ~90% of releases.

The tone of the content was heavily promotional:

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• Neutral: 10%
• Overstated: 54%
• Overtly promotional: 19%

Content type breakdown further highlighted the triviality of much coverage:

• Product tweaks or minor feature updates: 49%
• Exchange listing announcements (spam): 24%
• Substantive corporate events (funding, M&A): 2% (58 releases)

Based on this, the researchers concluded that these dynamics create a “manufactured legitimacy loop.” Dubious projects buy guaranteed placements across dozens of outlets, including mainstream financial portals, sidebars, and niche crypto aggregators.

Placement allows these projects to populate “As Seen On” sections, leveraging recognition to drive retail FOMO.

Headlines are deliberately loaded with marketing buzzwords like “AI-Powered Revolution,” “RWA Game-Changer,” terms editorial desks would likely reject if scrutinized.

PR Dollars Speak Louder Than Facts

The ecosystem echoes TradFi abuses. SEC data shows press releases fueled 73% of OTC penny-stock pump-and-dump schemes from 2002–2015.

In crypto, the effect is amplified, with algorithmic trading bots that scrape keywords such as “partnership” or “listing,” automatically triggering buy orders.

The result is a short-term price pump, often followed by unexpected declines once the underlying project fails to meet expectations.

Complicating matters, FTC rules for native advertising require clear disclosure. In practice, many crypto “Press Release” sections appear neutral, erasing the sponsored stigma and conferring the illusion of independent validation.

Retail investors often interpret the placement of content on recognized domains as evidence of legitimacy.

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Who Pulls the Strings Behind Crypto Coverage?

Chainstory’s findings initially gained traction across crypto media, with coverage appearing on TradingView, KuCoin, MEXC, and other outlets. Yet, key articles disappeared without explanation on several outlets.

• Investing.com – formerly titled “Crypto press releases dominated by high-risk projects, Chainstory study finds.”
• CryptoPotato, which had described wire services turning placement into a “paid commodity.”

There were no 404 errors or notices. Posts were simply erased from search and archive.

As seen by BeInCrypto via email, sources indicate that an executive from a company implicated in the pay-to-play ecosystem contacted these outlets, citing alleged data faults or bias.

Some editorial teams complied, suggesting a broader vulnerability: advertiser leverage over editorial independence.

It is imperative to note that most crypto outlets rely heavily on PR distribution revenue, particularly during bear markets or when ad budgets are tight.

Therefore, it may be safe to assume that critical reports threatening that revenue stream can prompt quiet removals or editorial self-censorship.

“I’m not involved in the day-to-day of the site/ editorial. I need to ask about this,” CryptoPotato’s Yuval Gov responded to BeInCrypto’s request for comments.

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The Man at the Center: Nadav Dakner and Chainwire

At the core of the paid-PR ecosystem is Nadav Dakner, co-founder and CEO of Chainwire (MediaFuse Ltd.), which markets “guaranteed coverage” across crypto and TradFi sites.

“Broadcast your crypto & blockchain news with guaranteed coverage, in industry-leading publications,” read an excerpt on the Chainwire website.

A source close to the matter told BeInCrypto that Nadav is the force behind the article takedowns.

Chainwire mirrors the practices highlighted by Chainstory: syndication to dozens of outlets in exchange for visibility, often leveraged to influence retail behavior.

Despite scrutiny, Chainwire remains influential:

• Named “Best PR Wire” at the 2026 CoinGape Awards (February 2, 2026).

• Maintains strong G2 ratings for 2025 campaigns.

Meanwhile, Dakner’s past ventures provide further context. He co-founded MarketAcross and InboundJunction and was involved in the 2017 Gladius Network ICO, which raised approximately $12.7 million in ETH.

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The SEC settled with Gladius in February 2019 for unregistered securities violations, requiring refunds and registration, but no fines due to self-reporting.

Gladius dissolved later that year without full compliance, leaving investors uncompensated.

Court documents from Gladius v. Krypton Blockchain Holdings (2018) describe Dakner introducing Gladius to Krypton Capital (founded by Ilan Tzorya). InboundJunction appeared in the whitepaper as a marketing/PR partner.

Some reports frame Dakner as the de facto CMO and investor. Investigative reporting by FinTelegram and CryptoTicker (October 2025) notes proximity to funding conduits linked to broader fraud networks involving figures such as Gery Shalon, Vladimir Smirnov, and Gal Barak.

Importantly, these connections are indirect, as no charges were filed against Dakner.

Chainwire also faced separate 2025 allegations of exploitative practices, including unpaid “test” campaigns and ghosting publishers.

Notably, no direct link exists between Dakner or Chainwire and Chainstory takedowns.

However, overlap in ecosystems and timing raises questions about whether commercial relationships suppress critical reporting.

The Quiet Amplifiers That Shape Crypto Markets

Chainstory’s research exposes a market where credibility can be bought, manipulated, or quietly erased. When critical reports vanish from archives, it reinforces the opacity and manufactured legitimacy that fueled the original concerns.

For retail participants within crypto’s hype-driven environment, skepticism is essential. Verification via on-chain data, independent sources, and awareness of PR revenue dependence is crucial to avoid falling prey to the pay-to-play cycle.

In crypto’s ongoing information wars, the quietest edits—deleted posts, altered archives, and erased analysis—may speak loudest, revealing the subtle levers that shape perception, sentiment, and ultimately, market outcomes.

Chainwire did not immediately respond to BeInCrypto’s request for comment.

This on-chain metric turning negative has repeatedly meant seller exhaustion and the transition from bear markets to bull cycles.

The cryptocurrency market remained subdued amidst short-term nerves, mixed signals, and no clear direction. Bitcoin also showed limited conviction and was visibly under pressure after shedding over 1% of its value in the last 24 hours.

Data shows BTC’s strongest rallies start only after long-term investors absorb unrealized losses and selling pressure fully exhausts itself.

Bitcoin Bulls Await

Joao Wedson, co-founder of Alphractal, said Bitcoin’s next major bull cycle has historically begun only after long-term holders move into unrealized losses. According to Wedson, the Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL) metric for long-term holders, which tracks the average unrealized gains or losses of the most resilient market participants, currently stands at 0.36. Such a trend indicates that these investors remain in profit.

However, Wedson explained that the important signal appears when this metric turns negative. A negative NUPL means even long-term holders are underwater, a condition that has consistently coincided with periods of extreme market pessimism.

In past cycles, such phases pointed to seller exhaustion and a redistribution of coins toward stronger hands. Wedson noted that this environment has historically represented the final stage of bear markets and preceded the start of a new bull run, which means that major opportunities tend to emerge during periods of market depression rather than at cycle highs.

Low MVRV

Similar conditions are now being flagged by Bitcoin’s valuation indicators. CryptoQuant, for one, found that Bitcoin’s Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) ratio has entered its “Accumulation Zone” for the first time in four years, a move last seen in May 2022.

According to the analytics firm, the previous instance of MVRV falling into this range was followed by a sharp price correction, as Bitcoin declined roughly 50% from around $30,000 to $15,000. CryptoQuant explained that the Accumulation Zone is defined by MVRV remaining below 1.44 and potentially falling as low as 0.90, levels that historically indicate periods when the crypto asset is undervalued relative to its realized price.

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These conditions typically coincide with high market pessimism and reduced speculative activity. The firm also added that, based on historical patterns, continued periods with MVRV below 1.44 have offered favorable phases for long-term accumulation, even as price volatility and downside risk remain quite high in the short term.