Alright, so the project’s socials aren’t just bots shouting “Great project!” into the void—good start. But who’s actually behind those posts, and more importantly, the code? A passionate community is great, but without a capable, trustworthy team steering the ship, it’s just a fan club with no captain. Time to see who’s behind the curtain.
Are These Real People or AI-Generated Wizards?
Do they have names, faces, LinkedIns? Any interviews or AMAs where they appear as actual humans? An anonymous team isn’t always a dealbreaker (Satoshi, we still love you), but when everyone is mysteriously faceless and their bios read like they were written by a chatbot on Red Bull, that’s your cue to dig deeper.
What’s Their Background?
You want people who’ve done stuff. Built protocols, led tech teams, started companies. Bonus points if they’ve survived a bear market or two. If their biggest claim is “serial entrepreneur” with no receipts, squint harder.
Any Digital Skeletons?
Google is your friend. Add “scam,” “rug pull,” or “controversy” to their name and see what pops up. If they’ve ghosted previous projects or left communities hanging, there’s no reason they won’t do it again—just with fancier branding.
Follow the Money (But Don’t Worship It)
Big-name backers like a16z, Binance Labs, or Animoca Brands mean someone with resources looked under the hood. That’s a good sign—but not a guarantee. Even top VCs sometimes get swept up in the hype parade. Also, check those partnership claims—some projects slap logos on their sites like fridge magnets. If in doubt, verify on the partner’s end.
Bottom Line: Trust, But Google First
You’re not trying to find saints—you’re trying to avoid wizards behind cardboard curtains. A solid team with a visible track record won’t hide behind smoke and mirrors. If it all feels a bit too mysterious, assume there’s a reason.
Now that you’ve checked the faces and fingerprints behind the project, it’s time to follow the trail of coins.
Next up: tokenomics. Because even the best team and biggest fanbase can’t fix a broken economic model—and if the numbers don’t make sense, neither will your investment.
Check the previous one here and follow me for more!