Advertising & Affiliate Disclosures
Transparent disclosure of how SMARTCONTRACT is funded and our editorial independence policy.
Last updated: January 2025
Overview
SMARTCONTRACT is supported through display advertising and affiliate relationships with cryptocurrency service providers. This page explains how we're funded, how we maintain editorial independence, and how we handle recommendations.
Our primary goal is to provide accurate, helpful information to readers. Financial relationships never influence our editorial decisions or content recommendations.
Display Advertising
Google AdSense
We use Google AdSense and other third-party advertising services to display ads on our website. These ads are automatically generated based on content and user interests. We don't manually select specific ads, and advertisers have no control over our editorial content.
AdSense ads are clearly marked as advertisements. We're not responsible for the content of third-party ads, and inclusion of an ad doesn't imply endorsement of the advertised product or service.
Opting Out of Personalized Ads
You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.
Affiliate Relationships
We participate in affiliate programs with reputable cryptocurrency service providers. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase or sign up for a service, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
When We Use Affiliate Links
We only use affiliate links for products or services we've personally tested, would genuinely recommend, or are widely recognized as industry standards. Examples include:
- Hardware wallets (like Ledger or Trezor)
- Cryptocurrency exchanges with strong security practices
- Tax software for crypto (like Koinly or CoinTracker)
- Educational platforms or courses we've reviewed
Affiliate Disclosure
When we include affiliate links in articles, we clearly disclose this. You'll typically see language like:
"Note: This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you."
Our Standards for Recommendations
Affiliate relationships don't change our editorial standards. We won't recommend products we wouldn't use ourselves, even if we have an affiliate relationship. If we have concerns about a product's security, practices, or user experience, we'll either skip the recommendation or clearly explain the trade-offs.
Editorial Independence
Our editorial team operates independently from our revenue sources. Here's how we ensure this:
No Advertiser Influence
Advertisers and advertising networks (including Google AdSense) have no say in what topics we cover, how we cover them, or what conclusions we draw. We don't accept payment for favorable coverage or to suppress negative information.
No Pay-for-Play Content
We don't accept payments from projects, exchanges, or services in exchange for coverage or recommendations. If we write about a product or service, it's because we think it's genuinely useful to readers, not because we were paid.
Negative Reviews Are Fair Game
If we have an affiliate relationship with a service but find issues with it, we'll write honestly about those issues. We won't avoid criticism or avoid recommending alternatives just because we have an affiliate link.
Reader Trust Comes First
We prioritize reader trust over maximizing affiliate revenue. If we think a free alternative is better than a paid one we could earn from, we'll recommend the free option.
How to Identify Affiliate Links
Affiliate links are typically marked in one or more of these ways:
- A disclosure statement near the link or at the end of the article
- Language like "affiliate link" or "we may earn a commission"
- URL parameters that identify the link as an affiliate referral
If you're unsure whether a link is an affiliate link, assume it might be. The presence of an affiliate link doesn't change our recommendation. We only include affiliate links for products or services we genuinely recommend.
Sponsored Content
Currently, we don't accept sponsored content or native advertising. All articles, guides, and recommendations are created by our editorial team based on what we think readers need to know.
If we ever decide to accept sponsored content in the future, it will be clearly labeled as "Sponsored" or "Paid Content" and will be clearly distinct from our editorial content.
Questions or Concerns?
If you have questions about our advertising or affiliate policies, or if you believe we've violated our editorial independence standards, please contact us at [email protected].
You can also review our About page to learn more about our editorial standards and mission.