Method · current version · from release method-v1.2.0
Rating method, version 1.2.0
Every rating states the method version it was made under; ratings under an earlier version stay readable under it.
This is the method version the current ratings use. Read the current method
- Newest release
- 15 Oct 2026
- Previous version
- none
- Releases
- 1 release
What this version contains
The first method version on this platform: 4 categories with 32 criteria.
Criteria by category
The criteria of this version, with the default weights of each category.
Exchanges and brokers
Platforms where customers buy, sell and hold crypto assets through an account, either on an order book or with the platform as counterparty. The platform usually holds the assets for its customers until they withdraw them to their own address. Rated on security, control, cost, regulatory status, privacy, usability, liquidity and execution, and fiat access.
| Criterion | Default weight |
|---|---|
| Security | 25 |
| Control and sovereignty | 20 |
| Cost | 15 |
| Regulatory status | 15 |
| Privacy and data | 10 |
| Usability and support | 5 |
| Liquidity and execution | 5 |
| Fiat access | 5 |
Hardware wallets
Dedicated physical devices that generate and hold private keys offline and sign transactions on the device, used together with companion software on a computer or phone. Rated on security, control, cost, regulatory status, privacy, usability, recovery options and compatibility.
| Criterion | Default weight |
|---|---|
| Security | 25 |
| Control and sovereignty | 20 |
| Cost | 10 |
| Regulatory status | 10 |
| Privacy and data | 15 |
| Usability and support | 10 |
| Recovery options | 5 |
| Compatibility | 5 |
Mobile wallets
Wallet apps for phones, custodial (the provider holds the keys and the user holds a claim) or non-custodial (the user holds the keys on the phone). The custody model is stated on every product and measured under the control criterion. Rated on the same criteria as hardware wallets.
| Criterion | Default weight |
|---|---|
| Security | 25 |
| Control and sovereignty | 20 |
| Cost | 10 |
| Regulatory status | 10 |
| Privacy and data | 15 |
| Usability and support | 10 |
| Recovery options | 5 |
| Compatibility | 5 |
On-ramps
Services that convert money in a national currency into crypto assets, or back, typically for a single purchase or sale by card or bank transfer, often with delivery to an address the customer chooses and without a lasting trading account. Rated on the same criteria as exchanges.
| Criterion | Default weight |
|---|---|
| Security | 20 |
| Control and sovereignty | 15 |
| Cost | 20 |
| Regulatory status | 15 |
| Privacy and data | 10 |
| Usability and support | 5 |
| Liquidity and execution | 5 |
| Fiat access | 10 |
Rules of this version
Each rule is part of the method version and changes only with a new version.
- Rounding
half_even - Half to even: a result of exactly .5 goes to the nearest even whole number, so 82.5 becomes 82 and 83.5 becomes 84.
- Equal scores
product_id_ascii - Products with the same overall score are ordered by product id, character by character in ASCII. The order never depends on language settings.
- Missing values
ranked_with_gap - A product with a weighted criterion that is not rated stays in the ranking, with a visible gap marker on that criterion. A product with no rated criterion under the weighting is listed below the ranking as not fully rated.
- Overall confidence
lowest_weighted - The lowest confidence label among the criteria with a weight above 0 and a score. It changes with the weighting: a criterion with weight 0 does not lower it.
All versions
The method is versioned. A change to criteria, evidence rules, default weights or scoring rules is a new version, and published versions are never edited.
Version 1.2.0Newest release 15 Oct 2026Current
1 release
Check it yourself
The methodology text, the criteria catalogues, every rating rationale and the change history are published in the public reference repository.
The address of the public reference repository is published here once the repository is public.
Signed releases on this platform
Every release is signed. Before a release shows a single number, the platform checks its signature and checksum and recomputes every score, confidence label and frontier.
| Release | Method version | Scoring code | Created | Status | SHA-256 of the bundle | Signing key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
method-v1.2.0 | 1.2.0 | 0.1.0recomputed here with 0.1.0 | current | d7dc32d60258618d97c724aaf786ad6016dec8915ea81d7f4df5b09d7af63932 | 356272D8EAB9D7BC |