ELLIPTIC FLAGS FIRST MIXING OF @binance HACK FUNDS, MAKING TRACING HARDER
About 28 $BTC worth roughly $2.2 million entered coinjoins, which combine users' bitcoin. Elliptic says little has likely been cashed out.
Read more here:
https://t.co/8N75SL8qan
The Defiant
Independent crypto journalism publication founded in 2019 focused on decentralized finance and onchain tech
4.0/ 5
Our score
Very good
Format
NewsNewsletterPodcast
Coverage
DeFi
Access
Freemium
Languages
English
Newsletter
Yes
Publishing frequency
Daily (Monday–Friday)
What is The Defiant?
The Defiant is an independent cryptocurrency news platform focused on decentralized finance, smart contract networks, and institutional digital asset adoption. It produces reporting, newsletters, and podcasts covering crypto and decentralized finance.
Editorial background and backers
Former Bloomberg financial journalist Camila Russo, author of the Ethereum history book The Infinite Machine, founded the publication in 2019. It is operated by Defiant Media Inc., a Delaware corporation based in the United States. In April 2021, Defiant Media Inc. raised a $1.4M pre-seed funding round backed by crypto venture firms including IDEO CoLab Ventures, ParaFi Capital, Blockchange Ventures, MetaCartel Ventures, Defiance Capital, Mechanism Capital, and GBV Capital, alongside angel investors such as Anthony Pompliano and Mariano Conti.
Publishing model and content structure
The platform organizes reporting across two primary publications: The Defiant, which focuses on DeFi protocols, layer 1 blockchains, market dynamics, security incidents, and regulatory developments; and Converge, which covers stablecoins and asset tokenization. Readers access core articles on the website and subscribe to The Defiant Daily, a free email newsletter delivered Monday through Friday. The publication also produces podcast interviews.
Access and subscriptions
Core breaking news and the primary daily newsletter are free to access without mandatory paid subscriptions. Defiant Media Inc. monetizes via digital advertising and paid subscription access through The Defiant PRO, which gates specialized research and articles.
Operational scope and trade-offs
The outlet launched in 2019 as an individual newsletter before expanding into a media portal with regular contributors. The Defiant accepts sponsorships, and sponsor-provided materials are separate from its editorial content. The outlet states that Defiant Media Inc. retains full ownership of its editorial output, distinct from sponsor materials.
Founders
Camila RussoFounder
Former Bloomberg journalist and author of The Infinite Machine.
Best for:DeFi researchers tracking smart contract exploitsOnchain market participants monitoring protocol upgradesInstitutions tracking stablecoins and asset tokenization
Pros and cons
Pros
- Founded by former Bloomberg financial reporter Camila Russo
- Publishes breaking technical postmortems on protocol hacks and exploits
- Free daily weekday newsletter covering key onchain news
- Dedicated coverage edition focused on traditional finance tokenization
- Backed by $1.4M from institutional crypto venture capital firms
Cons
- Publishes sponsored materials alongside its editorial content
- Selected deep-dive analysis and research articles require a paid PRO subscription
- Content coverage is primarily limited to English
Our review
4.0/5
Very good
The Defiant delivers focused, primary-source DeFi and onchain finance reporting, but its niche scope omits general crypto market coverage and some deep analysis requires paid access.
Founded in 2019 by former Bloomberg journalist Camila Russo, The Defiant is an independent digital news outlet focused on decentralized finance and the broader onchain economy. Published by Defiant Media Inc., it produces primary-source reporting, explanatory journalism, newsletters, and podcasts. In April 2021, the company raised a $1.4M pre-seed round backed by IDEO CoLab Ventures, ParaFi Capital, Blockchange Ventures, and Mechanism Capital, alongside angel investors like Anthony Pompliano.
The editorial operation covers smart contract exploits and stablecoin development. Its publishing structure spans two core editorial products: the main DeFi-centered site and Converge, an edition dedicated to traditional financial institutions moving assets onchain. Regular weekday reporting is supported by The Defiant Daily, a free newsletter covering daily market movements and protocol updates.
Strengths include experienced editorial leadership with institutional journalism roots, sharp technical coverage of protocol exploits and postmortems, and an ad model that formally separates sponsored promotional material from editorial content. However, there are trade-offs to consider:
- Coverage centers narrowly on decentralized finance and onchain infrastructure, offering little utility for readers seeking broader macroeconomic analysis or Bitcoin mining data.
- Select research and deep dives are paywalled under The Defiant PRO subscription tier.
The Defiant suits DeFi builders and active onchain market participants who want technically accurate protocol coverage and security reporting. Readers looking for general retail crypto news or high-frequency technical analysis should look to broad crypto media outlets instead.
Sources (1)
Specs
| Format | News, Newsletter, Podcast |
|---|---|
| Coverage | DeFi |
| Access | Freemium · unverified |
| Languages | English · unverified |
| Newsletter | Yes |
| Podcast | Yes |
| Publishing frequency | Daily (Monday–Friday) · unverified |
| Owned by | Defiant Media Inc. · unverified |
| Labels sponsored content | Yes · unverified |
Data from the provider's website and public sources. Fees and availability change; confirm on the official site before you sign up.
Key features
The Defiant Daily newsletter
Delivers independent reporting on crypto protocols, regulatory votes, and DeFi developments every Monday through Friday at no cost.
Converge institutional edition
Tracks bank stablecoin pilots, asset tokenization initiatives, and enterprise digital asset custody across traditional financial institutions.
Technical postmortem reporting
Reports on smart contract exploits and security incidents.
The Defiant PRO tier
Provides paying subscribers with specialized articles and research.
Multimedia and podcast programming
Produces podcast interviews and other editorial content.
Inside The Defiant
The Defiant
The main publication feed covers decentralized finance, blockchains, markets, and regulation.
Converge
A specialized editorial edition focused on tokenization, stablecoins, and traditional financial institutions launching onchain initiatives.
The Defiant Daily
A free weekday newsletter delivering reporting and analysis on crypto and DeFi to email subscribers.
The Defiant PRO
A premium subscription tier offering specialized articles and research.
What users say about The Defiant
The Defiant is a news outlet covering industry developments, technical upgrades, and regulatory updates in crypto.
In their own words
“Here is the article that reported Unstoppable was skipping ICANN altogether, with comments from the company founder: I received an email offering refunds on Sept.”
“Convenience vs Safety: Which One Are You Choosing? Most cross-chain activity today feels simple on the surface, but under the hood it often relies on bridges, wrapped assets, and custodial assumptions that users rarely think about.”
Based on 73 Reddit posts and comments from the last 12 months, checked Oct 20, 2026. These are posts by users on other sites, not reviews submitted on CryptoReview.
User reviews
No user reviews yet. Have you used The Defiant? Share your experience below.
Funding and investors
$1.4MTotal raised
1Round
7Investors
FAQ
Who founded The Defiant?
The Defiant was founded in 2019 by Camila Russo, a former Bloomberg journalist and author of the Ethereum history book The Infinite Machine.
Is The Defiant free to read?
Yes, standard daily articles and The Defiant Daily weekday newsletter are free. Specialized research and analysis are gated under The Defiant PRO paid tier.
Who owns The Defiant?
The Defiant is owned and operated by Defiant Media Inc., a Delaware corporation based in the United States.
Who has invested in The Defiant?
Defiant Media Inc. raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed round in April 2021 from investors including IDEO CoLab Ventures, ParaFi Capital, Blockchange Ventures, MetaCartel Ventures, Defiance Capital, Mechanism Capital, and GBV Capital.
What topics does The Defiant cover?
The publication focuses on decentralized finance, layer-1 and layer-2 blockchains, smart contract security exploits, and institutional tokenization through its Converge edition.
Latest from The Defiant on X
https://t.co/ruNfGlbGIk combines crypto earning, borrowing and card spending, but balances are not all spendable on demand.
Staking and managed investments have different exit rules. Assets backing an open loan cannot also fund purchases.
https://t.co/oh5XavFsOA
Staking and managed investments have different exit rules. Assets backing an open loan cannot also fund purchases.
https://t.co/oh5XavFsOA
SWELL OPENS CLAIMS TO RECOVER TOKENS STRANDED BY SWELLCHAIN SHUTDOWN
Holders can reclaim $SWELL, $swETH and $rswETH on @ethereum. Swell says a temporary @BNBCHAIN bridge route unlocked the escrowed assets.
Read more here:
https://t.co/AB5cntkAww
Holders can reclaim $SWELL, $swETH and $rswETH on @ethereum. Swell says a temporary @BNBCHAIN bridge route unlocked the escrowed assets.
Read more here:
https://t.co/AB5cntkAww
Earning interest on Jupiter Lend does not guarantee instant access to your deposit.
Lenders hold receipts for pooled funds that can be lent out. Cash on hand and withdrawal limits determine how much can leave immediately.
https://t.co/IH0s9OA38e https://t.co/jQsWVINCZx
Lenders hold receipts for pooled funds that can be lent out. Cash on hand and withdrawal limits determine how much can leave immediately.
https://t.co/IH0s9OA38e https://t.co/jQsWVINCZx
Hyperliquid runs trading and apps on one blockchain, but users don't face the same controls or exit rules.
Independent market operators use its trading engine but set price feeds and leverage limits—and can halt markets.
https://t.co/cyez06Mnux https://t.co/LpMChdDeku
Independent market operators use its trading engine but set price feeds and leverage limits—and can halt markets.
https://t.co/cyez06Mnux https://t.co/LpMChdDeku
Recent public posts from @DefiantNews, shown as published. Not reviewed or endorsed by CryptoReview.
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