TokenMetrics – IT recruitment for a leading Web3 crypto data analytics platform

Tsiala Jobava

Last updated on October 28, 2025 | 17 min read

Introduction

In early 2024, TokenMetrics, a rapidly scaling Web3 analytics firm, faced a critical talent gap within its engineering team. With an ambitious product roadmap and a high-performance culture, they needed to fill multiple senior-level technical roles directly impacting platform reliability, product innovation, and user trust.

DevsData LLC was brought in to deliver a recruitment solution tailored to TokenMetrics’ unique requirements. This case study details how we sourced, evaluated, and placed elite candidates, including two senior automation testers and one Web3 developer, through an intensive, multi-step process that spanned technical assessments, live challenges, and paid trials.

About the client

TokenMetrics is a US-based cryptocurrency investment research firm headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2018 by blockchain investor and entrepreneur Ian Balina, the company merges AI-powered analytics with the expertise of data scientists, quantitative traders, and crypto-native research analysts. Today, it delivers insights on over 6000 crypto and NFT projects to a global audience of more than 10000 paying customers in 50+ countries.

As one of the leading Web3 research platforms, TokenMetrics empowers both retail and institutional investors with predictive analytics, investment ratings, and blockchain intelligence. Its proprietary machine learning models detect early trends, evaluate token performance, and spotlight high-potential assets across the digital asset space. Known for its technical rigor, transparency, and accessible pricing, the platform offers intuitive tools and trusted insights for everyone from seasoned traders to crypto newcomers navigating volatile markets.

Since its inception, TokenMetrics has built a thriving community of over 150000 active members and a strong social presence, boasting 140800 followers on X (formerly Twitter) and 73000+ monthly organic website visitors. In a significant milestone, the company raised $8.5 million over four years from 3000+ investors to fuel the development of Token Metrics AI (TMAI), an AI-driven platform transforming cryptocurrency trading.

Project background and hiring needs

As TokenMetrics expanded its AI-powered analytics platform, maintaining speed and reliability across frequent product releases became increasingly challenging. Manual testing cycles slowed deployment, while gaps in automation created risks of undetected bugs and inconsistent user experiences across mobile and web applications. At the same time, new blockchain features, including NFT utilities and smart contract integrations, demanded engineering talent with rare, hands-on expertise in decentralized systems.

To sustain growth and protect platform integrity, TokenMetrics needed senior professionals capable of building scalable test frameworks and advancing blockchain functionality. That’s where DevsData LLC came in – to identify, evaluate, and secure highly specialized engineers who could strengthen the company’s technical foundation without disrupting its ambitious delivery schedule.

Hiring targets and role expectations

We aimed to fill key positions that were critical to the client’s development roadmap, each playing a vital role in supporting the company’s technical growth and long-term product stability.

The priority was hiring two senior automation testers. These specialists were tasked with designing, building, and maintaining robust testing frameworks focused on integration and regression testing. Their solutions needed to support the fast pace of development and be scalable enough to handle frequent product deployments without compromising quality or coverage.

In parallel, we searched for a senior Web3 developer with hands-on, production-level experience. This role demanded deep expertise in Ethereum smart contracts, the development of React-based dApp user interfaces, and fluency in integrating with various Decentralized Finance (DeFi) tools. The ideal candidate had to combine strong technical skills with a clear understanding of blockchain ecosystems, delivering secure and user-friendly decentralized applications.

Recruitment challenges

TokenMetrics’ talent requirements presented a rare combination of depth, specialization, and process intensity. While many Web3 companies compromise on recruitment process efficiency to hire faster, TokenMetrics maintains a rigorous bar across all technical and cultural dimensions.

“One of the biggest challenges was finding candidates who truly understood both the pace and complexity of the crypto space. We had to go beyond standard screening to identify people who could adapt fast and think critically.” – Nenad H., Tech Recruitment Lead at DevsData LLC

Key recruitment obstacles

Significant market constraints further challenged the recruitment process. Few QA engineers have hands-on experience building automation frameworks from the ground up, an essential requirement for the roles we were tasked with filling. This niche skill set narrowed the talent pool considerably, requiring a highly targeted and technically informed sourcing strategy.

For the Web3 position, the talent pool was even more limited. Developers with strong proficiency in both frontend frameworks like React or Next.js and smart contract programming in Solidity are exceptionally rare. This unique skill combination made the search especially challenging, requiring outreach to specialized developer communities and a rigorous vetting process to ensure both technical capability and cultural alignment.

Our approach

To identify and attract the highly specialized talent TokenMetrics required, DevsData LLC implemented a multi-faceted sourcing strategy. Our approach wasn’t limited to traditional job boards; instead, we proactively engaged candidates through various channels and rigorously filtered them based on specific criteria. The table below outlines our primary sourcing channels, followed by the key qualifications we prioritized during the candidate evaluation process.

Talent sourcing strategy

We filtered candidates based on the following:

• Portfolio of automation or blockchain projects.
• Open source contributions or DeFi/NFT platforms.
• Prior remote work experience and async collaboration.
• Clarity of technical documentation and Git commit history.
• Performance in prior code challenges or test simulations.

Behavioral and soft-skill alignment

Beyond technical expertise, DevsData LLC applied a structured and holistic approach to assess the soft skills and operational readiness required to succeed in the fast-paced, remote-first world of Web3 and crypto. Given the nature of globally distributed teams and asynchronous workflows common in this space, we prioritized candidates who could communicate clearly across time zones, collaborate independently, and adapt to cross-cultural dynamics. They played a key role in fitting into TokenMetrics’ pace and style of work.

We also prioritized candidates who demonstrated comfort with ambiguity and fast-paced change – qualities essential in the constantly evolving Web3 space, where priorities can shift overnight. To evaluate these traits, we introduced scenario-based interview questions and reviewed examples from candidates’ previous projects, focusing on how they navigated shifting requirements, decentralized team structures, or unexpected technical obstacles.

Another key area of focus was self-management. Since TokenMetrics operates in a high-autonomy, fully remote setting, we assessed each candidate’s ability to manage deadlines and ensure quality independently. This was measured through asynchronous task simulations, communication speed during the process, and clarity in written follow-ups.

All shortlisted candidates were rigorously vetted not only for technical excellence but also for practical readiness, including time zone overlap, responsiveness, and proven experience in distributed environments. This approach ensured that each hire could integrate seamlessly into TokenMetrics’ high-performance culture from day one.

The multi-stage hiring process

TokenMetrics’ hiring pipeline was among the most structured multi-stage pipelines we’ve worked with, notable for its inclusion of a paid trial phase. DevsData LLC integrated directly with their internal process to streamline collaboration. We ensured candidates transitioned efficiently between recruitment stages with tailored prep and timely feedback.

End-to-end hiring funnel

Timeline:

• Average time from candidate sourcing to offer was 34 days – faster than the industry average of 40-45 days for technical roles, and well below typical timelines for specialized Web3 and QA positions.

Candidate screening and shortlisting metrics

To ensure only the most suitable professionals advanced through TokenMetrics’ demanding hiring funnel, DevsData LLC implemented a data-driven screening process backed by performance scoring, skill matching, and behavioral analysis.

Screening funnel metrics

In addition to core technical and cultural requirements, DevsData LLC applied several advanced screening criteria to ensure precise alignment with TokenMetrics’ expectations.

For the automation roles, we prioritized candidates with hands-on experience using tools like Selenium and Playwright, as well as a solid understanding of CI/CD pipeline setup and cross-platform test framework development. These skills were essential for building a scalable, maintainable testing infrastructure in a fast-paced deployment environment.

For the Web3 position, we screened for expertise in Solidity smart contract audits, DeFi protocol integrations, and implementing complex NFT logic. Candidates needed to demonstrate not only development skills but also a security-first mindset and a track record of shipping reliable, production-ready blockchain applications.

Soft skills were equally scrutinized through practical evidence. Our recruiters reviewed GitHub documentation and committed history to evaluate the clarity of written communication and collaboration habits within distributed teams. We also analyzed candidates’ responsiveness during asynchronous interview steps, such as recorded video answers and follow-up exercises, to gauge the reliability and consistency of communication. Finally, we verified self-driven project execution by examining case studies, open-source activity, or prior freelance work that required minimal supervision. This hands-on assessment ensured that every selected candidate demonstrated the autonomy, transparency, and collaborative mindset needed to succeed in TokenMetrics’ fully remote, high-trust culture.

Finally, we narrowed our search to candidates located within ±3 hours of the client’s engineering team (GMT-5 to GMT+2), ensuring overlapping working hours for smooth collaboration and efficient team dynamics.

Impact and outcomes

Despite the technical demands and complexity of the hiring process, the candidates placed by DevsData LLC began delivering measurable value shortly after onboarding. In QA automation, test coverage expanded, manual regression testing time decreased, and reusable browser and API test libraries were introduced, now actively used by multiple product teams. Platform reliability improved as release cycles became faster and more consistent, with automation helping to prevent major production incidents through early detection.

In Web3 development, the team delivered audited smart contracts supporting NFT utility and staking features, along with a secure internal admin dashboard managing DeFi user wallets. Team efficiency also improved, with smoother dev-to-QA handoffs, better sprint predictability, and stronger Agile execution. Additionally, the recruitment timeline was shortened, enabling faster product development and sustained momentum.

Why TokenMetrics chose DevsData LLC

TokenMetrics chose DevsData LLC for our deep technical recruitment experience and our proven ability to deliver in high-pressure, high-complexity environments. The collaboration was structured to minimize risk, accelerate time-to-hire, and ensure cultural and technical alignment with their globally distributed team.

Reasons behind the partnership

DevsData LLC’s boutique approach, which pairs deep market research with hands-on candidate coaching, was particularly suited to TokenMetrics’ need for capable coders and technologists who could think critically, own features, and align with the startup’s mission.

Conclusion

The TokenMetrics project demonstrated that complex hiring processes don’t have to mean slow or unpredictable outcomes. With the right partner, even niche roles requiring smart contract expertise or senior-level automation can be filled efficiently, without sacrificing quality.

Key takeaways:

• The best candidates often excel in both technical skills and async collaboration – this was critical for TokenMetrics’ remote culture.
• Web3 developers with production experience are scarce, but by tapping into global talent networks and cross-validating with open source portfolios, DevsData LLC surfaced strong, deployable candidates.

At DevsData LLC, we believe hiring should drive innovation, not delay it. If you’re scaling a high-impact tech product and need elite engineers, product leaders, or data scientists, reach out to general@devsdata.com to see how our success-based model and proprietary talent pool can help.