TLDR
- Cointelegraph is reportedly seeking a buyer following a sharp decline in website traffic.
- CoinDesk reported the potential sale on October 7, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
- The crypto news outlet reportedly suffered an 80% decline in organic traffic after a Google penalty in October 2025.
- Monthly website visits reportedly dropped from more than 12 million in December 2024 to around 700,000 by September 2026.
- Cointelegraph has denied being for sale and is disputing the report.
Cointelegraph is reportedly looking for a buyer. The news was first reported by CoinDesk on October 7, citing a person familiar with the matter.
The source did not share an asking price. No potential buyers were named, and no timeline was given for a possible deal.
Cointelegraph has pushed back hard on the claim. The company posted on X saying, “We are not for sale.”
To @CoinDesk's publisher and editorial leadership,
We are not for sale. Your article is based on false information and contains multiple factual errors.
We welcome scrutiny, but we will not stay silent when speculation is presented as fact. If manufacturing controversy is… pic.twitter.com/FpZsJdSu4O
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) October 8, 2026
The outlet also said CoinDesk’s reporting contained factual errors. It asked for a correction, arguing that speculation was presented as fact.
Cointelegraph was founded in 2013. It built its name through cartoon style illustrations alongside coverage of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and blockchain news.
Website Traffic Collapses Over Two Years
The report points to a steep drop in search traffic as a driver behind the sale talk. Google issued a manual penalty against Cointelegraph in October 2025.
That penalty reportedly caused an 80% drop in organic search traffic. The site disappeared from Google search results shortly after.
Data from Similarweb shows a wider decline. Cointelegraph had more than 12 million monthly visits in December 2024.
By September 2026, that number had fallen to roughly 700,000 visits per month. That is a drop of about 94% over less than two years.
The Google penalty does not explain the full decline on its own. The longer time frame suggests other factors played a role too.
Cointelegraph is not alone in facing falling readership. Research cited by Crypto Briefing found combined traffic across 349 crypto media outlets fell about 33% during 2025.
That research showed traffic across those sites dropping from 105.9 million visits in January 2025 to 70.8 million in December 2025.
Cointelegraph also dealt with a security breach in June 2025. Attackers exploited its website interface to display a fake cryptocurrency promotion.
That incident was separate from the search traffic issues. It added another operational problem for the company during the same stretch.
Dispute Leaves Questions Unanswered
CoinDesk has stood by its reporting. Cointelegraph continues to deny any sale is underway.
It remains unclear whether informal talks with potential buyers took place. It is also unclear whether the original source gave inaccurate information.
Crypto media ownership has shifted before. In November 2023, crypto exchange operator Bullish bought CoinDesk from Digital Currency Group.
Cointelegraph has also changed hands in parts. Its Middle East and North Africa franchise was acquired by Luna Media Corporation in July 2022.
The company has more than 200 employees according to its LinkedIn page. Its global brand and long running coverage could draw interest from outside investors.
As of now, the dispute is unresolved. CoinDesk maintains Cointelegraph was shopping itself to buyers, while Cointelegraph says the report is false and has asked for a correction.
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