How Do You Get Covered by Cointelegraph and Decrypt? Three Routes In, and Which One Counts

There are three routes onto Cointelegraph and Decrypt: news coverage, opinion pieces and paid press releases, and only the first two are earned. News coverage is decided by the newsroom on news value. An opinion piece is a slot for a founder's argument, not a founder's product. A paid press release puts the company's own words on the site, and it is not editorial coverage. Readers, investors and partners can tell the difference, so founders should know which route they are taking and describe it honestly. This guide explains each route, what Cointelegraph and Decrypt have published about them, and how to choose between them. It is written for crypto and Web3 founders who have seen all three kinds of content on these sites and are unsure which one is open to them and what it is worth.

What are the three ways a project can appear on Cointelegraph or Decrypt?

A project can appear through earned news coverage, a guest opinion piece or a paid press release. Each has a different decision-maker, and readers treat each differently.

Earned news coverage exists because a reporter decided the story mattered to readers. The company cannot buy it, and the reporter owes the company nothing.

A guest opinion piece is also earned. An editor accepts it because the argument is worth publishing. The writer is credited as the author, and the piece is read as one person's view, not as reporting.

A paid press release is the company's text, placed in a section the outlet runs for that purpose. It has legitimate uses, which are covered below. It is not coverage.

The routes also build different things. News coverage builds credibility with readers, investors and partners. An opinion piece builds a founder's standing as someone with a view worth hearing. A press release puts an announcement on record. Confusing the three leads to the most common problem founders face with these outlets, which is describing one route as if it were another.

How does Cointelegraph decide what to cover?

Cointelegraph says editorial decisions are made on news value, factual importance and journalistic merit. Its published editorial policy also says its editors and journalists operate independently from the company's business, commercial and sales functions, and that coverage is determined by the newsroom without external influence.

For a founder, this has a plain consequence. Commercial relationships do not buy coverage. Advertising, sponsorship or a paid press release does not influence what the newsroom writes. A story has to stand on news value, which means that something new has happened that matters to readers and that the facts can be checked.

The policy also says opinion content is clearly labelled. That helps readers separate reporting from commentary, and it helps founders understand that an opinion piece and a news story are different things on the page.

Reporters at outlets like these usually look for developments with consequences beyond a single company. A reporter will want to know what changed, who is affected and what can be verified. A story with no verifiable fact, or one that only describes a company's plans, is difficult to cover however good the project is.

Because the newsroom works independently, nobody outside it can promise an outcome. Treat any offer of guaranteed editorial coverage with suspicion. For a framework on questioning outside providers who make such offers, see the buyer's evaluation guide.

What is a Cointelegraph press release, and is it worth it?

A Cointelegraph press release is a paid placement in a separate press release section, and it is not editorial coverage. Cointelegraph says submitting a release is a paid service, that its editorial staff decide whether a release is published, and that it does not endorse the content of releases.

A paid release makes sense when you want to:

• Put an announcement on record. A release gives a dated, public statement of what the company said and when.
• Give journalists a reference. A reporter writing about your news can check facts against a single source you control.
• Support owned distribution. The text can be shared through your own channels, which is part of how a distribution flywheel carries news further.

A paid release does not make sense:

• As a substitute for news coverage. If the story is not strong enough for a newsroom, a release will not change that.
• When it is presented to investors as an article. A release is the company's own announcement. Describing it as coverage misleads the reader.

Never describe a paid release as coverage. Call it a press release, and let the reader decide what weight to give it. A release is not wasted by being what it is. It becomes a problem only when it is presented as something else.

Releases also seldom lead to news coverage by themselves. Reporters follow news, not the existence of a release, so a release is best treated as a record of the announcement and not as a route to being written about. Independent coverage also carries more weight than a release in what search engines and AI assistants show about a company, which is the focus of SEO and GEO optimisation.

How do you write a guest opinion piece for Decrypt?

Write one clear argument about a current news topic, and make it your own. Decrypt has published guidelines that describe guest opinion pieces as columns on a current news topic, typically 500 to 800 words, built around a clear central argument.

Decrypt asks for the following:

• One clear argument. The column should make a single point and defend it.
• Facts linked to sources. Claims should be backed by specific facts, with links to original sources.
• Unpublished work. Decrypt accepts only pieces that have not been published elsewhere.
• No promotion. A founder or executive cannot use a column to promote their company or project.
• No attacks on rivals. Pieces arguing that a competitor is failing and the writer's project is better are rejected.

Decrypt also says a writer who works for a crypto project may mention that connection, but it must not become promotion. It does not pay for guest posts.

The hard part is choosing an argument that is genuinely yours and is not a disguised pitch. Three questions help:

1. Would the argument stand if your company did not exist? If it only makes sense as a reason to use your product, it is an advert.
2. Does it take a position someone could disagree with? A summary of known facts is not an argument.
3. Could another founder in your field have written it? If so, find the angle only you can offer, such as something you have seen first-hand in your work.

A good opinion piece builds a founder's standing by showing how they think. That standing is useful later, when there is news to share.

How do you earn news coverage in either outlet?

Earn news coverage with news value, the right reporter and facts that can be verified. These are the same three things that apply at any publication that runs reporting, and they are not specific to these two outlets.

For how to write the pitch itself, see [LINK: How Do You Get Covered by CoinDesk? A Practical Guide for Crypto Founders].

What is different here is that an opinion piece can build a founder's standing before there is news to pitch. A founder with a published argument on a current topic is easier for reporters to place, because they can read how the founder thinks and see that the claims are sourced. A reporter deciding whether to reply to a pitch may check what the founder has written before.

Working with a public relations team is one way to match a story to the right reporter. The decision to cover a story still rests with the newsroom, and nothing in the process changes that. Coverage tied to a major event such as a token launch follows the same rule, and the token launch PR work depends on a real news fact being ready.

Which route should your project take?

Choose the route by what you have, not by what you would like to appear. Match your situation to one of these:

• You have real news to share. Pursue news coverage. Bring a verifiable fact to the reporter who covers the topic. A paid release can sit alongside it as a record, but it does not replace it.
• You have a strong argument but no news. Write a guest opinion piece. Pick one argument that is yours, back it with sourced facts and keep promotion out of it.
• You have an announcement that needs to be on record. Consider a paid press release, and describe it accurately as a release. Do not present it as coverage.
• You have nothing yet. Wait. A project with no verifiable news, no clear argument and nothing to put on record is not ready for any of the three routes. Use the time to build something that can be checked. Strategic advisory and go-to-market work is useful at this stage, because it clarifies what the story is.

Waiting is a legitimate decision. A weak submission to any of the three routes costs credibility and gains little.

What do founders get wrong with these outlets?

Most mistakes come from presenting one route as another. Avoid these:

1. Presenting a paid release as an article to investors. It is the company's own announcement. Describing it as coverage invites doubt about everything else you have said.
2. Submitting a disguised advert as an op-ed. Decrypt rejects promotional pieces, and an editor will spot an argument that only exists to sell a product.
3. Sending the same op-ed to several outlets. Decrypt accepts only pieces not published elsewhere, so each piece should go to one outlet at a time.
4. Attacking rivals. A piece that argues a competitor is failing and your project is better will be rejected.
5. Expecting a release to lead to news coverage. A release records an announcement. It does not oblige any reporter to write about it.

If you recognise two or more of these, pause and decide which route you are taking before you submit anything. Published case studies show how real coverage is built from real news, and a specialist blockchain PR agency can help you choose between routes honestly.

How does a specialist crypto PR team help?

A specialist team helps founders choose the right route and be honest about which is which. That means telling a founder when a story is news, when it is an argument and when it is an announcement, and describing each accurately to investors and partners.

GeniusPR (formerly The PR Genius) helps crypto, Web3 and AI founders make that call before anything is submitted. Its work spans 350+ brands and 3,000+ media outlets, led from London, Dubai and Seoul.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my project covered by Cointelegraph?

Earn it on news value. Cointelegraph says its newsroom decides coverage on news value, factual importance and journalistic merit, independent of commercial relationships. Bring a verifiable story to the reporter who covers the topic, with facts they can check. If you only have an argument, consider an opinion piece. If you have nothing yet, wait.

Is a Cointelegraph press release the same as an article?

No. A Cointelegraph press release sits in a separate section, is a paid service and is not editorial coverage. Editorial staff decide whether a release is published, and Cointelegraph says it does not endorse the content. Never describe a paid release as an article or as coverage when speaking to investors, partners or the press.

Can I pay for coverage on Cointelegraph?

No, not editorial coverage. Cointelegraph says its newsroom decides coverage on news value, without external influence, independent of its commercial functions. Its press release section is a separate paid product and is not editorial coverage. A paid release can put an announcement on record, but it should always be described accurately as a release.

How do I write an op-ed for Decrypt?

Choose one clear argument on a current news topic and write it in roughly 500 to 800 words, which Decrypt describes as typical. Back claims with specific facts linked to original sources. Offer a piece that has not been published elsewhere. Make the argument your own, and keep any mention of your project secondary and non-promotional.

Does Decrypt pay for guest posts?

No. Decrypt says it does not pay for guest posts. The value is a published argument that builds your standing, not income. Because the slot is unpaid, the piece has to earn its place on the strength of its argument, with specific facts and links to original sources rather than promotion of your project.

Can I promote my project in a Decrypt op-ed?

No. Decrypt says a founder or executive cannot use a column to promote their company or project, and it rejects pieces claiming a rival is failing while the writer's project is better. You may mention your connection to a project, but it must not become promotion. Lead with an argument about the topic.

How long should a Decrypt op-ed be?

Decrypt describes guest opinion columns as typically 500 to 800 words, built around one clear central argument on a current news topic. Aim for that range, state the argument early, and support it with specific facts linked to original sources. Cut anything that does not serve the argument, especially any promotion of your project.

Can I send the same op-ed to Decrypt and other outlets?

No. Decrypt accepts only pieces that have not been published elsewhere, so send each op-ed to one outlet at a time. Once a piece appears in one place it is no longer eligible for the others. Write a distinct piece for each outlet if you want to be published in more than one.

Should I tell investors about a paid press release?

Yes, and describe it accurately as a paid release whenever you mention it. A paid release is the company's own announcement placed in a press release section, not editorial coverage. Presenting it to investors as an article invites questions about everything else you have said, so call it what it is.

Which is better for a crypto startup, a press release or an op-ed?

It depends on what you have. A press release puts your own announcement on record but is paid and is not editorial coverage. An op-ed builds a founder's standing through an argument, not a product pitch, and Decrypt does not pay for it. If you have real news, pursue news coverage first. If you have nothing yet, wait.

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