Code of
Ethics

The foundational obligation of every CryptoFox journalist is to serve the reader — not the industry, not advertisers, not their own financial interests. This obligation is not aspirational. It is an operational requirement embedded in every editorial decision.

Independence means more than avoiding obvious conflicts. It means being vigilant about subtle ones: the conference organiser who gives you a speaker slot, the PR firm whose contact you rely on, the project founder who has become a friend. All of these relationships carry influence, and influence shapes coverage even when it is not intended to.

These standards apply to all full-time staff, part-time employees, and regular contributors. Freelancers commissioned for specific assignments are required to declare any relevant interests before accepting a commission. Guest contributors who submit op-eds must disclose all relevant financial interests in their byline. Failure to disclose is treated as a serious breach regardless of intent.

Because CryptoFox covers the cryptocurrency and digital asset industry, financial conflicts of interest are uniquely difficult to manage. Staff who hold crypto assets are not disqualified from journalism — but they are required to be transparent and disciplined.

Disclosure requirements

All editorial staff must submit a complete financial disclosure to the Managing Editor within 14 days of joining. This disclosure must list every cryptocurrency, token, NFT, DeFi position, or equity stake in a blockchain company held by the journalist or any person in their immediate household. Disclosures are updated whenever a new holding is acquired and reviewed in full every quarter.

Coverage restrictions by holding type

Trading restrictions

• Do not buy or sell any asset based on non-public information obtained through reporting — this is illegal in many jurisdictions and a terminable offence at CryptoFox.
• Do not buy an asset in the 48 hours before or after publishing a story likely to affect its price.
• Do not short an asset you are covering negatively.
• Do not participate in pre-sale or whitelist allocations for any project you cover.

The cryptocurrency industry spends heavily on journalist relations — conference invitations, hotel stays, product launches at expensive venues, and branded merchandise. Accepting these things creates real or perceived obligations. Our policy is conservative by design.

When a journalist has accepted permitted travel or access, this must be disclosed at the bottom of any article arising from that trip using the standard disclosure note: "[Name] travelled to [event] with costs covered by [company]. CryptoFox maintained editorial control."

The crypto industry is small and social. Journalists who cover it regularly develop genuine friendships, professional mentorships, and sometimes romantic relationships with people who work in the space. These relationships are not disqualifying — but they must be managed carefully.

Disclosure obligations

Journalists must disclose to their editor any personal relationship — friendship, romantic partnership, or close family connection — with a source, company founder, investor, or spokesperson they are assigned to cover. The editor will decide whether recusal, a disclosure note in the article, or additional editorial oversight is appropriate on a case-by-case basis.

A "close friendship" for these purposes means a relationship where the journalist socialises with the individual outside of professional contexts. Acquaintance-level relationships with sources — the kind common in any beat — do not require disclosure but do require self-awareness.

Family and household members

• A journalist must not cover a company where a household member is employed without full disclosure and editor approval.
• A journalist must not cover a project where a household member holds a significant financial stake.
• The same financial disclosure rules that apply to staff holdings apply to household members' holdings.

Social media is part of the editorial work of a CryptoFox journalist — for distributing stories, engaging with sources, and monitoring breaking developments. It is also a space where poor judgment can cause genuine harm and undermine our credibility.

Everything you post on any platform where you identify yourself — even implicitly — as a CryptoFox journalist is part of your professional conduct. The same editorial standards that apply to published articles apply to your public posts, threads, and replies.

What you may not do on personal accounts

• Post price predictions or "buy/sell" opinions on specific crypto assets.
• Promote, endorse, or express excitement about a project you cover or are about to cover.
• Retweet, boost, or amplify promotional content from projects without comment.
• Reveal unpublished story information, source identities, or embargoed material.
• Attack or mock subjects of your stories.
• Express partisan political views likely to undermine trust in your impartiality on regulatory or policy stories.

Breaking news and social media

Publishing breaking news on personal accounts before it appears on CryptoFox.news is not permitted without editor approval. If you are the first to a story, the story goes on the site first.

Sharing verified developments on social media after publication, including your own analysis and commentary, is encouraged — it is part of building a trusted public presence as a journalist.

Full-time staff must obtain written approval from the Editor-in-Chief before engaging in any paid outside work, public speaking engagement with compensation, board membership, or advisory role at any company in the cryptocurrency or financial technology sector.

• Do not accept paid advisory or consulting roles at companies you cover.
• Do not accept paid speaking slots at conferences organised by companies you are in a position to cover, unless the engagement is purely journalistic (a panel on press coverage, journalism awards, etc.).
• Do not write for publications competing directly with CryptoFox without prior written approval.
• Do not use CryptoFox's platform, relationships, or editorial resources to develop personal commercial ventures in the crypto space.

Teaching, academic writing, non-competing freelance journalism, and civic activities do not require approval but should be disclosed to your editor so they can flag any potential conflicts as they arise.

The use of AI tools in journalism raises specific ethical questions relevant to CryptoFox's Code of Ethics, including accuracy, attribution, transparency, and the risk of bias introduced by training data.

Articles where AI played a significant drafting or structural role must include a brief disclosure note at the foot of the article. The exact wording is: "This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools. All factual claims were independently verified by the author."

Ethics breaches are investigated by the Managing Editor and, where the Editor-in-Chief is involved, by an independent reviewer designated by the publication's ownership. Investigations are conducted confidentially. The journalist under review has the right to respond in full before any decision is reached.

Breach classification