This is TheWeal’s ethics policy. It is the policy by which every reporter, editor, and contributor operates. It is a working document, reviewed quarterly and updated in public when material changes are made (changes are listed in the version log at the bottom). The current version was last reviewed in May 2026.
Independence
TheWeal’s editorial team is independent. Coverage decisions are made by editorial leadership — what to cover, how to frame it, what to publish or hold. Advertising, affiliate, and partnership relationships do not influence editorial decisions. Commercial and editorial operate under separate reporting lines.
If a commercial relationship would change a story’s framing, the story changes — the relationship doesn’t.
Holdings disclosure
Every reporter and editor discloses personal cryptocurrency positions in writing on joining TheWeal, on any acquisition or disposal of a material position, and on a quarterly audit basis. “Material” means a position above $2,000 USD-equivalent or more than 5% of the reporter’s individual portfolio.
Disclosure is recorded internally. A summary appears on each staff member’s team profile page and at the foot of each article (when relevant to the article’s subject).
Reporters do not cover projects in which they hold or have held a material position in the preceding twelve months. If a project they hold becomes material to a broader story (e.g., an industry roundup), the article is reassigned or the holding is disclosed inline in the story body.
Trading rules for staff
Editorial staff are subject to the following trading restrictions:
- No trading of any token in the 48 hours before or after publishing an article materially relevant to that token’s price.
- No short-term trading (intent to sell within 30 days) of any token under TheWeal’s active coverage.
- No participation in IDO, ICO, or pre-sale offerings of tokens under coverage.
- No accepting equity or token grants from companies covered.
Long-term positions (12+ month horizons) in major assets (BTC, ETH, and large-cap stablecoins) are permitted with disclosure. Holdings of any other category require editor-in-chief approval.
Gifts & events
TheWeal staff do not accept gifts from companies covered. “Gifts” includes:
- Cash, tokens, NFTs, or anything of monetary value
- Discounted access to products, services, or events
- Conference junkets — including travel, accommodation, meals — paid by a company or project covered
- Speaker fees from companies or projects under TheWeal coverage
We pay our own way to conferences. Where a conference offers complimentary press accreditation that is offered to all credentialed press equally, we accept the accreditation but not paid travel or accommodation. Speaker fees received for industry events where no specific project is being promoted are permitted with disclosure to the editor-in-chief.
Modest hospitality at an interview (coffee, a meal during an extended interview) is acceptable. Anything beyond that is declined or reimbursed.
Sponsored content boundaries
TheWeal publishes display advertising and labelled affiliate links to regulated exchanges. We do not publish “sponsored articles” that mimic editorial. Any commercially-sponsored content is presented in a clearly differentiated container, labelled SPONSORED in the byline and tagged sponsored in the article meta, and is not written by reporters who cover the sponsor.
The full affiliate breakdown is on the affiliate disclosure page.
Conflicts of interest beyond holdings
Beyond crypto holdings, the following are disclosed and may require recusal from specific coverage:
- Immediate-family employment at a company or project covered
- Prior employment (within 24 months) at a company or project covered
- Personal friendships or familial relationships with sources or company executives
- Active financial or advisory relationships with covered projects
Disclosed conflicts are tracked centrally. A reporter is recused from any specific story where the conflict is material; broader sector coverage may continue with appropriate disclosure.
Anonymous sources
Anonymous sources are used only when the information is materially newsworthy and the source’s identity would expose them to retaliation or legal risk for sharing it. Use of anonymous sources requires editor approval in writing, corroboration by at least one other independent source, and a public-facing description of why anonymity was granted.
Verification & on-chain claims
Every factual claim is sourced to a primary document, a named interview, an on-chain transaction the reader can verify, or another credible secondary source. Anonymous claims must be independently corroborated before publication.
Corrections
Material errors are corrected on the record. The full corrections policy explains the process.
Privacy
We do not publish personal information about individuals without consent, public interest, or material newsworthiness justifying the disclosure. The privacy policy covers what we collect from readers.
Tips & sensitive coverage
If you believe we have published something that violates this policy, email ethics@theweal.com. The editor on duty reviews every email within 48 hours and responds in writing.
Version log
- May 2026 — Current version. Holdings disclosure threshold lowered to $2,000 USD-equivalent.
- March 2026 — Trading rules for staff extended to 48 hours before and after publication.
- January 2026 — Initial version published with TheWeal launch.