Due diligence — the pre-investment checklist

This page sets out a selection of 19 questions across seven categories, drawn from the full list of 47 questions in eight categories in Appendix E of Michele Stefanelli's book — the framework for assessing Bitcoin Hyper / $HYPER that should be worked through before investing.

⚠ Essential disclaimer

the content published on bitcoinhyper.nz is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice, nor an offer of financial products or a solicitation of public savings. Crypto-assets are high-risk instruments, subject to significant volatility and to the possible total loss of the capital invested. Readers are encouraged to carry out their own independent analysis and, where appropriate, to consult a suitably qualified adviser. The author may hold positions in the projects mentioned; any such disclosure is published on the page set aside for it.

The 30% rule

If more than 30% of the questions attract a weak answer, the level of risk is markedly above the average for the field. Reduce your position accordingly. If more than 50% of the answers are weak: stay away altogether until the picture becomes clearer.

👥

Team

1. Is the team publicly identifiable?

✓ Credible answer

Verifiable individuals, LinkedIn profiles that match the roles claimed, and a prior track record in the blockchain field

✗ Warning sign

An anonymous team with no established pseudonymous reputation, or recently created profiles

2. Do they have prior experience on relevant projects?

✓ Credible answer

Verifiable contributions to blockchain, academic or established corporate projects

✗ Warning sign

Claims without evidence. No verifiable earlier projects

3. Has the project's legal structure been made public?

✓ Credible answer

A registered legal entity in a clearly stated jurisdiction. Official contact details available

✗ Warning sign

Operating entirely from an offshore jurisdiction with no explanation. No identifiable legal entity

⚙️

Technology

1. Have security audits been published?

✓ Credible answer

Full audits by recognised cybersecurity and blockchain/Web3 audit firms (Trail of Bits, Certik, Halborn). Downloadable reports, not just badges

✗ Warning sign

“Audits under way” with no dates. Badges with no link to a report. → As at 28.04.2026: no public audit of the Layer 2 protocol or of the bridge

2. Does the canonical bridge have a working forced exit?

✓ Credible answer

A tested and audited forced exit mechanism. Users can withdraw funds without help from the team

✗ Warning sign

Forced exit not implemented. Opaque custody. → As at 28.04.2026: in development

3. Has data availability been resolved?

✓ Credible answer

A defined and documented technical solution. Data available to everyone independently of the sequencer

✗ Warning sign

“Still under study.” Data held only by the sequencer (a validium, not a rollup). → As at 28.04.2026: under study

4. Is the source code public?

✓ Credible answer

A public GitHub repository with a verifiable commit history. Sustained development activity

✗ Warning sign

Closed source. No public repository

📊

Tokenomics

1. Is the token distribution transparent?

✓ Credible answer

A detailed public breakdown. A vesting schedule for each category. Team wallets verifiable on-chain

✗ Warning sign

A vague breakdown. No schedule published for each category. → As at 28.04.2026: the Treasury/Dev schedule is not detailed

2. Is the presale vesting adequate?

✓ Credible answer

At least 12–24 months of vesting for a strategic presale, with an initial cliff

✗ Warning sign

→ Vesting on the $HYPER presale: 7 days. A risk of significant selling pressure after the TGE

3. Is there a credible value-accrual mechanism?

✓ Credible answer

Transaction fees paid in $HYPER, staking yield tied to real revenue, and transparent buybacks and burns

✗ Warning sign

A vague purpose. A governance-only token with no revenue. The mechanism unspecified

🗺️

Roadmap

1. Are the dependencies between milestones clear?

✓ Credible answer

Each milestone states what has to happen before it. Technical dependencies are written down. The dates allow realistic slack

✗ Warning sign

Generic dates (such as “Q4 2025”, which has passed without explanation). Vague milestones with no readiness criteria

2. Is there a plan for handling delays?

✓ Credible answer

Proactive communication about delays. A roadmap updated regularly. Credible technical reasons

✗ Warning sign

Silence about missed deadlines. Dates that keep slipping with no announcement

⚖️

Regulation

1. Has $HYPER been assessed against the MiCA and SEC frameworks?

✓ Credible answer

A published legal opinion. A clear classification (utility token versus security). MiCA compliance in the EU

✗ Warning sign

No mention of the regulatory framework. No public legal opinion

2. Are KYC/AML measures applied where they are required?

✓ Credible answer

KYC procedures when onboarding institutional clients. A documented AML policy

✗ Warning sign

Anonymous access to every service with no regulatory consideration at all

🌐

Ecosystem

1. Are there working applications on DevNet/testnet?

✓ Credible answer

Verifiable dApps, not just announcements. Third-party developers with public code. Measurable TVL on testnet

✗ Warning sign

Partnership announcements only. No public code for third-party applications

2. Is the developer community active?

✓ Credible answer

Active technical forums, replies to bug reports, up-to-date documentation and hackathons

✗ Warning sign

A purely speculative community. No technical activity. A Discord full of “when moon” posts

🧠

Personal risk

1. Can you afford to lose the whole investment?

✓ Credible answer

Your $HYPER position stays within an amount you could lose in full without it affecting your standard of living

✗ Warning sign

You are investing money you cannot afford to lose, in the hope of a quick return

2. What is your time horizon?

✓ Credible answer

Three to five years, in line with the project's development schedule (mainnet → decentralisation → ecosystem)

✗ Warning sign

A few months. A speculative horizon calls for an entirely different analysis from the one presented on this site

3. Is your decision considered, or driven by FOMO?

✓ Credible answer

You are buying because you understand the project and accept its concrete risks

✗ Warning sign

You are buying because “everyone is talking about it”, “the price is going up”, “I don't want to miss out”