A new study shows that more than 60% of press releases about cryptocurrency offerings are purchased for distribution on media sites without editorial review. Conducted by Chainstory, the research highlights risks from high-risk projects and promotional content flooding news outlets. The findings raise concerns about the blurring lines between journalism and advertising.
A study released on February 3, 2026, by Chainstory examined 2,893 press releases related to cryptocurrency offerings, gathered over a four-month period. It found that approximately 62% of these releases originated from projects classified as "high risk" or "scam." This figure rises to about 90% in the cloud mining sector.
Many of these announcements lack newsworthiness, with over half focusing on mundane updates such as product adjustments, exchange listings, or token sales—topics that traditional newsrooms would typically overlook. In contrast, only 58 releases, or roughly 2%, addressed significant developments like funding rounds, mergers, acquisitions, or in-depth research.
The study also critiqued the tone of the releases: 54% were labeled "overstated," 19% as "promotional," and just 10% used neutral language.
"When paid releases that would never pass an editor’s sniff test appear on news sites, the line between journalism and advertising blurs," the report warns. It further notes, "That may boost short-term PR reach, but it raises real ethical and legal risk for media organizations that help promote high-risk or scam-adjacent offers."
This practice of buying distribution allows questionable content to reach wider audiences, potentially misleading readers and undermining media credibility in the fast-evolving crypto space.