Alena Afanaseva advocates for long-term media strategies rooted in credibility, authenticity, and disciplined editorial standards amid AI-driven changes and platform shifts, highlighting the importance of trust and values in building resilient media brands.
Building a resilient media brand, Alena Afanaseva argues, means prioritising endurance over quick wins as platforms such as Google reshape how audiences find information. According to the interview coverage by BeInCrypto, Afanaseva urged media leaders to favour credibility and measured strategy rather than chasing traffic spikes that can evaporate when algorithms change. (Sources: [2])
For founders seeking visibility, Afanaseva counsels that personal branding must grow from an authentic centre rather than from a pursuit of virality. According to the discussion, she recommends identifying and amplifying genuine strengths, public speaking, analysis or writing, while using professionals to extend rather than replace one’s voice. “If there is something fake in between, it’s not going to work,” she warned. (Sources: [2],[3])
Afanaseva’s route into crypto journalism followed a career in finance and market commentary, including public Bitcoin commentary as early as 2014. She described early digital-asset coverage as chaotic and unsuitable for standard analytical methods, forcing BeInCrypto to build networks, processes and editorial discipline from scratch to navigate a field dominated by hype. (Sources: [2],[5],[4])
That discipline, she said, explains why BeInCrypto avoided the traffic collapse some peers suffered during waves such as the memecoin boom. The company adopted strict newsroom-commercial boundaries, limited the use of press releases and refused lucrative promotional deals that would have undermined long-term trust. “We said no to millions of dollars because we realized it would kill the website long-term,” Afanaseva said. (Sources: [2],[5])
Afanaseva framed recent shifts at Google and the rise of AI-driven summaries as reinforcing those editorial choices. She noted platforms increasingly favour authoritative, high-quality content and scrutinise AI-generated material, low-quality backlinks and thin commercialised pieces; “AI isn’t the enemy; bad strategy is,” she said. At BeInCrypto, AI is presented as a productivity aid, used for research and drafting under human oversight rather than as a substitute for rigorous reporting. (Sources: [2],[6])
Those editorial principles extend into company culture. Leading a remote team of roughly 150 people in more than 50 countries, Afanaseva emphasises hiring builders over perfect CVs, valuing constructive conflict and aligning recruitment and editorial decisions with the organisation’s core values. “If you build something for the long term, you need to be aligned with your core values and your DNA,” she said. (Sources: [3],[5],[4])
Looking ahead, Afanaseva has signalled growth ambitions that include educational content and continued investment in journalistic standards while exploring Web3 opportunities. According to other podcast appearances and interviews, she sees the combination of mission-driven leadership, a decentralised newsroom model and selective use of AI as central to competing for attention in an increasingly AI-shaped discovery landscape. (Sources: [5],[7],[6])
Source Reference Map
Inspired by headline at: [1]
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article was published on 6 February 2026, indicating high freshness. No evidence of recycled or outdated content was found.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Direct quotes from Alena Afanaseva are used. While these quotes are consistent with her known public statements, independent verification of their exact wording is not available. The absence of direct online matches for some quotes raises concerns about their verifiability.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The article is published on BeInCrypto’s own platform, which is a niche publication. While BeInCrypto has a growing readership, its independence and reach are limited compared to major news organisations. The reliance on internal sources and the absence of external verification sources reduce the overall reliability score.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made by Afanaseva align with known industry trends, such as the impact of Google algorithm changes on crypto media traffic. However, the lack of independent verification and the absence of corroborating reports from other reputable outlets raise questions about the accuracy of these claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents claims about the impact of Google algorithm changes on BeInCrypto’s traffic, attributed to CEO Alena Afanaseva. While the content is fresh and the quotes are plausible, the lack of independent verification and reliance on internal sources significantly undermine its credibility. The absence of corroborating reports from other reputable outlets further raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information presented.
