About OBOL

OBOL was founded on a simple bet: that crypto readers are tired of being marketed to. Most outlets in this industry are either funded by the exchanges they cover, running undisclosed advisory relationships with the projects they profile, or quietly monetising access through paid coverage. We took the opposite route. OBOL carries no sponsored token listings, no paid press releases dressed up as news, and no advisory seats on the protocols we report on.

What we cover

Our beat spans on-chain markets, DeFi protocol mechanics, exchange and custody infrastructure, regulatory developments across major jurisdictions, and the security incidents that keep happening because the industry keeps making the same mistakes. We write for people who already hold or trade digital assets and want analysis that assumes competence rather than explaining what a blockchain is for the hundredth time.

The name OBOL comes from the ancient Greek coin — a small unit of value, historically placed on the tongues of the dead as fare for the ferryman. We liked the idea of a currency that was also a passage fee: crypto journalism ought to be the toll you pay for clearer sight, not a marketing brochure with a paywall.

Who writes it

OBOL's newsroom is small by design: three editors, each on a beat, and every story and guide carries its author's byline. Dario Fenn is DeFi & Markets Lead, covering DeFi protocols, yield, market structure and on-chain data. Nadia Okoro is Policy & Consumer Editor, covering regulation, tax, stablecoins and the products retail users hold. Selin Aydin is Security Editor, covering crypto security, custody, exploits and smart-contract risk. Each editor's page lists everything they have written.

How we're funded

OBOL runs on reader subscriptions and a small amount of display advertising that is sold without any influence over editorial content, subject to the same firewall described in our editorial policy. We do not accept payment from any project, exchange or fund in exchange for coverage, and staff are barred from holding positions in any asset they report on directly. Full disclosure standards are set out in our editorial policy document.

Get in touch

Tips, corrections and story pitches go to [email protected]. For anything requiring confidentiality, our security desk maintains a separate encrypted contact at [email protected], listed with fingerprint verification on our contact page. General enquiries can be sent to [email protected], and press requests to [email protected]. We read everything that comes in, even if we can't reply to all of it.