Start here
Pick your section
Each section has its own brief, its own standard, and its own pitch form. Pitching to the right one materially improves your odds.
Crypto
Mechanics, regulation, and post-mortems on failures.
Blockchain
Protocol design, scaling, and infrastructure. Our most technical desk.
NFTs
Standards, ownership rights, and the market after the boom.
Web3
Wallet identity, DAO governance, and decentralization audits.
Wallets
Custody, recovery and threat models, from people who have restored a seed.
Before pitching any of them, read the guest post guidelines. They cover sourcing, disclosure, and our link policy, and they explain the difference between an editorial contribution and a paid placement. For general sourcing standards, see the SPJ Code of Ethics.
The brief
What we publish
Curio runs work that helps a reader understand or do something in crypto and Web3, never filler, never a press release. Three shapes we commission most:
Plain-English explainers
Guides that make a hard crypto or Web3 idea click for a smart newcomer, wallets, DeFi, NFTs, GameFi, on-chain mechanics.
Hands-on how-tos
Step-by-step walkthroughs written by someone who has actually done the thing, buying, staking, bridging, securing a wallet.
Considered opinion
A clear argument backed by evidence, where a trend is heading, what a launch really means, why a narrative does or does not hold up.
Fit
Who we're looking for
You know the space
You have used the tools you write about and can spot the difference between real utility and marketing.
You write for readers, not algorithms
Clear sentences, honest framing, no filler. We edit for clarity, but the thinking has to be yours.
You disclose
If you hold a token, advise a project, or have any stake in what you cover. You tell us up front. Non-negotiable.
The process
Submission guidelines
- 1
Pitch, don't send a full draft
Use the form below with a two-to-three sentence idea: the angle, why it matters now, and why you are the person to write it. One idea per pitch.
- 2
Wait for a green light
If it fits, we reply with scope, target length, and a rough deadline. We read every pitch but only commission a fraction, a no is about fit, not quality.
- 3
Write to our standard
Accurate, sourced, calm. Link claims to primary sources. Keep the "not financial advice" framing. We cover a YMYL topic and readers act on what we publish.
- 4
Edit together
Expect at least one edit round for clarity and accuracy. We may tighten structure, but we will not put words in your mouth or change your conclusion.
Hard no
What we don't accept
One category gets an instant rejection: anything that quietly launders promotion or links through our masthead. We protect the edit because it is the only thing that makes a Curio byline worth having.
- Undisclosed paid links or SEO backlink schemes, instant rejection, and the reason we vet every contributor.
- Price predictions, "guaranteed" returns, or anything that reads like a pump.
- Thinly-rewritten press releases or content spun from another site.
- Token or project promotion dressed up as a neutral guide.
Want to promote a brand instead? That is fine and welcome, it just belongs on our advertise page, clearly labelled.
Ready?
Pitch us your idea
One idea, a few sentences on the angle, and why you are the right person to write it. Pick "Editorial pitch" below so it reaches the right desk.
Inquiry
Pitch us
Give us the angle, why it matters now, and a link to something you've written. Choose 'Editorial pitch' as your interest.
Thanks, we'll be in touch
Your message is on its way to the Curio team. Expect a reply within about two business days.
What we will accept
The editorial bar for contributors
“Dig deep. Ask the hard questions. Criticize the flaws.”
Curio’s read
If your draft never names a downside, a cost or a failure case, it is marketing and we will decline it — regardless of who is paying.
Source, conflicts & caveats
Why weigh this source carefully. White is a critic of the industry Curio covers, and specifically of crypto media that earns from affiliate and sponsorship deals — which is Curio’s own revenue model. We carry her position without softening it, and we disclose ours on every page that earns.
“the royalty discussion is literally changing every day”
Curio’s read
Date your claims and link your sources. Anything phrased as timeless ("the standard way to…") comes back to you for a date and a citation.
Source, conflicts & caveats
Why weigh this source carefully. Blau speaks from a venture firm with large positions across NFT infrastructure. The mechanics he describes are checkable against the standards themselves; his read on where the market should go is an interested one. Recorded July 2023 — he says himself the field was changing daily.
UnresolvedOne of these is a critic telling you to attack the claims; the other is an insider telling you the facts expire. A pitch that satisfies both gets published here.
Contributor FAQs
Do you pay contributors?
It depends on the piece and the arrangement. We discuss terms once we accept a pitch. Commissioned editorial and paid partnerships are handled differently; a contributor guide is not the same as a sponsored placement.
Is this the same as buying a guest post?
No. Contributor pieces are editorial: we commission them for readers and keep editorial control. If you want a promotional, clearly-labelled placement for a brand. That is advertising, and it lives on a separate track with rel="sponsored" links.
Can I include a link to my project or site?
A relevant, non-promotional link and a short author bio are fine. What we do not allow is undisclosed paid links or link-building disguised as editorial, in line with Google's spam policies and our own our editorial guidelines. Be upfront about any stake and we can usually find a way to credit you fairly.
How long should a piece be?
Long enough to be genuinely useful and no longer. Most explainers land between 1,000 and 1,800 words, but we care far more about density of insight than word count.
How long until I hear back?
We aim to respond to pitches within about two business days. If you have not heard from us in a week, it is fine to send one polite follow-up.
Who is behind Curio?
Curio is an independent crypto and Web3 publication run by a small editorial team. You can read the story on our who we are.