How we verify

Rankings use ONLY Tier 1 and Tier 2 results. Nothing is ranked on marketing claims, screenshots, or backtests.

Tiers

Tier 1 — Verified On-Chain

Evidence required (all):

• Public wallet address(es) the bot trades from, on a public chain.
• Ownership proof: a signed message (EIP-191/Solana signMessage) with a BotProof-issued nonce, dated, from each wallet.
• Minimum 90 days of history (180 for "Featured"); all bot-controlled wallets disclosed (no cherry-picking). Deposits/withdrawals separated from P&L.
• BotProof recomputes P&L independently from chain data (explorer/indexer); vendor numbers are never copied.
• Re-check monthly; a wallet that stops being shared drops to Tier 3.

Tier 2 — Exchange-Verified

Evidence required (one of):

• A read-only API key (trade/withdraw permissions disabled — we reject keys with any write permission) for the bot's account; BotProof pulls trade history directly; or
• An exchange-native public profile/leaderboard (e.g., exchange copy-trading lead-trader page) where the exchange itself computes the figures, linked from the vendor's official account; or
• An independent third-party audit letter (named auditor, period, methodology).

Plus: ≥90 days history, all accounts running the strategy disclosed, monthly re-pull. Label clearly as "exchange-reported figures."

Tier 3 — Self-Reported / Unverified (default)

Listed with neutral description only. No ranking, no performance figures shown other than "Vendor claims X (unverified)". Backtests labelled "Backtest — not live results."

Tier 4 — Reported Scam / Enforcement Action

Requires at least one of:

• A public regulator action (SEC, CFTC, DOJ, FCA, ASIC, state regulators, etc.) naming the entity/person;
• A court filing or judgment;
• Reporting by ≥2 reputable outlets (or 1 plus a regulator warning list entry).

Community reports alone NEVER place an entity in Tier 4; they go to an internal "under review" queue.

Separate flag (not a tier): Regulator warning list (e.g., listed on a state/FCA warning list) — shown as a factual note with link.

Defamation-safe wording rules

• Every negative statement links to its public source (regulator release, docket number, article). No source → not published.
• Describe the source, not our conclusion: "The SEC alleges …", "According to the CFTC complaint …", "BBC reported …".
• Use "alleged/reported/charged" until there is a final judgment or settlement finding; then quote the finding precisely ("a court entered a default judgment ordering…").
• Never use "scam", "fraud", "Ponzi" as our own label for a named party unless quoting a final finding. Section title is "Scam-Watch: enforcement actions & reported cases."
• Include the subject's denial/response when public (e.g., "the founders deny wrongdoing").
• No speculation about intent, no insinuation via headlines, no doctored images. Dates and amounts exactly as stated in the source, with "at the time" for crypto valuations.
• Distinguish entities carefully (same/similar names, clones). Note "not affiliated with X" where confusion is likely.
• Paid listing status never affects tier or wording; paid listings are labelled "Sponsored/Paid verification fee" and the fee buys a review, not a result.
• Not financial advice disclaimer + affiliate disclosure on every page.

Right of reply

• Before publishing a Tier 4 entry or a downgrade, email the subject's public contact (when one exists) with the exact text and sources; allow 5 business days (48h if urgent public-safety). Note "BotProof contacted X on DATE; no response / response: …".
• Ongoing: every entry has a "Dispute this listing" link → form (entity name, contact, specific statement, evidence).

Corrections & takedowns

• Acknowledge disputes within 2 business days; decide within 10.
• Factual errors: correct promptly, keep a public changelog ("Corrected on DATE: …").
• If a case is dismissed/withdrawn or overturned: update within 5 business days, state the outcome prominently; remove from Scam-Watch on request if no other qualifying source remains.
• Legal notices (incl. DMCA/defamation claims) go to a dedicated address; counsel reviews before removal or refusal.
• Keep archived copies (archive.org links) of all sources.