Our Commitment to Transparency
Every safety score on Newsie.tech is calculated using a deterministic, rules-based engine that analyzes 40+ risk factors across 5 categories. We pull data from multiple independent sources -- DeFiLlama for TVL, GoPlusLabs for contract security, CoinGecko for market data -- and combine them using the weighted formula documented below. There is no black box. Every point deducted or awarded has a specific, auditable reason.
The Formula
Final Safety Score =
Clamped to 0-100 range
Detailed Category Breakdown
Click each category to see exactly what we check, how many points each factor is worth, and which data source provides the information.
Data Sources
Scoring Factors
Is the contract source code published and verifiable on the block explorer? Unverified contracts hide their logic -- you cannot know what the code does.
Has the contract been reviewed by a reputable security firm? Audited contracts have had expert eyes checking for vulnerabilities like reentrancy, overflow, and access control issues.
Does the contract use a proxy pattern allowing the owner to change the code? While upgradability can fix bugs, it also means the team could swap in malicious code at any time.
Can the owner create unlimited new tokens? This is the mechanism behind many rug pulls -- the team mints millions of tokens and dumps them on the market.
Can the owner freeze all transfers? While sometimes legitimate (emergency stop), it can also be used to trap user funds.
Can the owner prevent specific addresses from trading? This can be used to blacklist DEX router addresses, effectively making the token unsellable.
Is there a mandatory delay (e.g., 24-48 hours) before admin actions take effect? Timelocks give the community time to react to malicious governance proposals.
Real-Time Temporal Modifier
A static score isn't enough. Markets move fast in DeFi. Our temporal modifier adjusts the base score in real-time based on what's happening right now:
Penalty Triggers
- 0.90xTVL drops >10% in 24 hours
- 0.95xTVL drops 5-10% in 24 hours
- 0.90xSocial sentiment crashes >20%
Bonus Triggers
- 1.05xTVL grows >10% in 24 hours
Modifier range: 0.8x (floor) to 1.2x (ceiling). Multiple triggers stack multiplicatively.
Worked Examples
See exactly how the score is calculated for a well-known safe protocol vs a suspicious new project.
Verified, audited by Trail of Bits + OpenZeppelin, no mint function, has timelock (+2 bonus), but uses upgradeable proxy (-3)
TVL >$10B (full marks), TVL growing steadily (+2 bonus from 7d trend)
Fully doxxed team (Stani Kulechov, public CEO), 100+ monthly commits, strong social presence
No honeypot, moderate holder concentration (top 10 hold ~35%), minimal trading tax
Sustainable yield from lending interest (high sustainability index), moderate APYs (3-8%), low IL exposure on lending
Score Interpretation
Well-established, strong security. Lower risk, not risk-free.
Some risk factors. Research thoroughly before interacting.
Multiple warnings. Only for experienced users who accept the risk.
Critical risk indicators. High probability of scam or fund loss.
Limitations & Disclaimer
- Scores are informational only and do not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research (DYOR).
- A high score does not guarantee safety. Even audited, high-TVL protocols can be exploited (see: Euler Finance, Curve re-entrancy).
- Data availability varies by chain and protocol. Newer or smaller protocols may have incomplete data, leading to lower scores.
- Our engine cannot detect zero-day exploits, social engineering attacks, or off-chain risks (regulatory, team disputes).
- We continuously improve the engine. Scoring criteria and weights may be updated as the DeFi landscape evolves.