Onyx

For projects · v3.2 methodology

Get the only credibility signal in Web3 that can't be bought.

Onyx scores 2,418 Web3 projects on the same 100-point methodology. We don't write press releases or charge for placement. Apply, get reviewed, get a public score — and the rating is yours whether you continue paying us or not.

Apply for rating See pricing → 14 days · scored independently

Avg time to first review

14 days

from application to published score

Application acceptance

68%

below 40 pts → rejected

Onyx subscribers

14,820

founders, ops, investors, regs

Cost · Free tier

Provisional rating · public

Why projects apply

Credibility, distribution, and an honest read on what you're shipping.

Independent ratings are how a market learns to trust new things. Onyx is what a serious due-diligence team uses before they put their name on yours.

A credential, not a checkmark

The Onyx hex seal is recognised by the audience that matters — investors, partners, regulators. Earned via methodology, not paid.

187 projects Certified · 624 Verified

A qualified audience

Onyx subscribers are the people who write your next term sheet, decide your CEX listing, or sign your bank-fintech partnership.

14,820 subscribers · 0 sponsored

A detailed scoring report

Every sub-criterion scored, with evidence cited. You see exactly where you lost points, exactly what raises your rating next quarter.

14 sub-criteria · all evidenced

An honest assessment

If we think your contract is risky or your team disclosure is thin, we say so. Founders who want flattery should not apply.

41 removed for cause · 23 active watchlist

How it works

Four steps. Fourteen days. One published score.

No back-and-forth on what's being scored — the methodology is the binding document. You'll know your score is final when it's signed on-chain.

Day 1 — 3

Apply & submit evidence

Multi-step form with progress save. Upload audit reports, entity docs, KYC, team info, treasury wallets.

Day 4 — 10

Independent review

Two reviewers score against the public 14-criterion rubric. Dissents are recorded. We may request clarifications.

Day 11 — 13

Pre-publication preview

You see your final score and reasoning 48 hours before publication. You may file an appeal, not negotiate.

Day 14

Score published & signed

Score signed on-chain. Public project page is live. Quarterly re-review automatic. Tier-priority listing if applicable.

What rated founders say

The honest read is the value.

Read full case studies →

We applied expecting a marketing certificate. We got a 22-page review that surfaced two governance weaknesses we hadn't seen ourselves. The 78 score hurt for about a day; the work it surfaced is paying off two quarters later.

Pendle Finance

DeFi · Yield · Verified Q1 2026

76 → 82

The methodology is the value. We tell every investor "if you want to know what we look like to a credit-ratings team, this is the document." It's saved us hours of due-diligence conversations.

EigenLayer

Restaking · Verified Q2 2026

★ 77

FAQ

The questions every founder asks.

Can pricing tier affect my rating? +

No. The score is determined by the methodology, identically for Free Provisional projects and Enterprise projects. Pricing tier affects listing features — application processing speed, promotional badges, marketplace placement, analytics — never the rating itself. This is binding under the independence policy.

What happens if my score is below 40? +

Below 40 is rejection. We will not publish the score, and the project will not appear in our directory. You will receive the full review document privately so you can address the gaps. Re-application is allowed after 90 days.

Do I have to maintain a paid tier to keep my rating? +

No. The rating is yours once published, regardless of commercial relationship. Downgrade is editorial — it happens for evidence-based reasons, never because a subscription lapsed. Listing features (promotional badges, marketplace placement) do require active subscription.

Can I appeal a score? +

Yes — see Section 11 of the methodology. Appeals must cite specific sub-criteria and provide new evidence. They are reviewed by a different reviewer than the one who scored you. Average movement on appeal: +1.2 points over 24 months.

What if our team is pseudonymous? +

Pseudonymous teams are scored on the same rubric but are capped at 14 of 25 points in the Legal & Entity category. This represents a meaningful ceiling — full Certified is generally not reachable — but Verified and Listed tiers remain achievable for strong projects.

How often is my project re-rated? +

Certified and Verified projects: quarterly. Listed: semi-annually. Provisional: within 90 days. Plus event-triggered re-ratings for new audits, exploits, governance events, or 50%+ TVL moves.

Ready to be reviewed?

Application takes about 45 minutes if you have your audit reports, entity docs, and treasury wallet list ready. Save progress between sessions; final review takes 10–14 days.

Start application Talk to a reviewer

11 Screen — Pricing onyx.dev/for-projects/pricing

Pricing

Four tiers. Same rubric.

All four tiers are scored on the exact same methodology, by the same editorial team, with the same evidence requirements. The differences are listing features, application priority, and analytics — never the score itself.

Binding · Sec. 02 Independence policy None of these tiers affect your score. The score is determined entirely by our public methodology, signed on-chain by the lead reviewer, and cannot be changed by commercial action. This is the binding commitment that makes the platform credible — and it applies to every tier.

Free Provisional

$0 /forever

For early projects and indie builders. Provisional tier eligibility · public score · re-rated within 90 days.

✓Full methodology review

✓Public project page · listed in directory

✓Provisional tier eligible

✓Quarterly re-rating included

✓14-day review window

—No promotional placement

—No analytics dashboard

Apply Free Provisional →

Standard

$6,500 /year

For shipped projects ready to be evaluated against the full rubric. Priority application processing.

✓Everything in Free Provisional

✓Priority review · 10 days

✓Live analytics dashboard

✓Subscribe-to-updates widget

✓Marketplace lead-priority

—Promotional badges purchased separately

—No custom report

Start Standard application

Pro

$24,000 /year

For protocols with TVL or institutional partners. Includes a 22-page editorial-quality scoring report.

✓Everything in Standard

✓Express review · 7 days

✓Editorial scoring report · PDF + on-chain hash

✓Reviewer Q&A session · 60 min

✓3 promotional badge credits included

✓Quarterly methodology briefing

✓API access · ratings webhooks

Start Pro application

Enterprise

Custom /scoped

For L1s, exchanges, institutional issuers, and multi-product portfolios. Bespoke scope, dedicated reviewer.

✓Everything in Pro

✓Dedicated reviewer team

✓Multiple product / sub-protocol scoring

✓White-glove evidence collection

✓Quarterly editorial briefings · in-person

✓Co-publishable technical addenda

✓Anti-doxxing / OPSEC support

Talk to sales →

Add-ons

Promotional placements — labeled "Sponsored", always.

Promotional badges appear next to your project name with a mandatory "Sponsored" label and a different shape from credibility badges. Users can never confuse a paid placement with an earned tier.

Placement	Where it appears	Price
↗Trending Sponsored	Inline on directory rows · category pages Never on ratings, methodology, or watchlist pages	$1,800 /month
★New Launch Sponsored	First 90 days post-launch · category pages Eligible only with Standard tier or higher	$1,200 /month
!Hot Offer Sponsored	Token launches, points programs, airdrops Time-limited · max 30 days	$2,400 /month
Featured slot · homepage Sponsored	One of three featured carousel slots on homepage Quarterly · Certified projects only	$18,000 /quarter
Newsletter co-op Sponsored	Sponsored section in The Onyx Brief · clearly demarcated Reach: 14,820 subscribers · 1 per issue max	$4,800 /issue
Marketing campaign · scoped	Custom packages combining placements + Marketplace lead generation Scoped to project goals · contract minimum 3 mo	From $14,000 /month

Independence note

Promotional placement does not appear on ratings, methodology, watchlist, editorial, or compare pages. It is restricted to discovery and directory surfaces where the user is browsing, not where they are evaluating. Editorial staff have no visibility into which projects have purchased placements during the rating process. This is enforced at the access-control layer.

12 Screen — Application · step 4 of 9 onyx.dev/for-projects/apply

Step 1 · Wallet connect

Applications are wallet-signed.

Connect the wallet that controls your project's contracts or treasury. Every step of the draft is signed by it — the desk verifies the applicant and the deployer are the same party.

Save & resume from any device · review takes 10–14 days

For projects/Apply/Legal entity

Apply for rating · EmberSwap v4

Step 4 of 9 · last saved 2 min ago · draft signed by 0x4F2a…91eC

✓

Wallet connect

✓

Project info

✓

Category & chains

Legal entity

Team

Security

Token

Tier & payment

Submit

Step 04

Legal & entity information

This is the most-weighted category in our methodology (25 of 100 points). Pseudonymous teams are scored on the same rubric, capped at 14 points. Choose whichever applies and provide what you have.

Entity status

Legal name

✓ Found in Singapore ACRA registry · UEN 202218472B

Jurisdiction

Registration number

Incorporated

Registered address

Supporting documents

PDF

Certificate of Incorporation · ACRA

2.1 MB · uploaded 2 min ago

Verified

PDF

Memorandum & Articles of Association

4.8 MB · uploaded 4 min ago

Awaiting review

PDF

Beneficial ownership disclosure

1.4 MB · uploaded 6 min ago

Awaiting review

+ Drop additional files · or click to browse

Regulatory posture

Active licenses · jurisdiction

License number

Open regulatory matters · last 24 months

Honesty here protects your application — we cross-check against public regulatory registries during review.

Auto-saved · changes signed by your wallet

13 Screen — Submit confirmation onyx.dev/for-projects/apply/submitted

Application received.

Your submission has been signed by your wallet and queued for review. Two reviewers will be assigned and you'll hear from us within 48 hours with any clarifying questions.

Reference 2026-A0418 · tx 0x9d2a…1f04 ↗

Next · within 48h

Reviewer assignment

Two reviewers assigned per methodology. You'll be notified by email + wallet.

Days 4–10

Independent review

Your file is scored against the 14 sub-criteria. We may request clarifications.

Day 14

Score published

48h preview window · published score signed on-chain.

View application status Subscribe to updates