Jacquelyn Melinek is a journalist and entrepreneur who specializes in the cryptocurrency, venture capital, and technology sectors. She has reported for publications including TechCrunch and Blockworks, and is the founder of Token Relations, a platform for community engagement in the blockchain industry. Additionally, she is the creator of the Crypto in America podcast and newsletter. ^[1]

Education

Melinek attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she completed a comprehensive course of study in media and writing. She earned three separate Bachelor of Arts degrees: one in Reporting and Creative Writing, a second in Journalism from the UNC School of Media and Journalism, and a third in Public Affairs Journalism, Digital Production, and Analysis. ^[2]

Career

Melinek began her journalism career in 2016 as a staff writer for The Daily Tar Heel, the student newspaper at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she covered local news and feature stories. In 2017, she gained further experience as a writing and editorial intern for Visit.org. Her work took on an international dimension in 2018 when she served as a staff writer and content researcher for Luxury Travel Magazine while based in Sydney, Australia. Upon returning to the United States, she worked as an editorial assistant at Shannon Media, contributing to regional publications such as Chapel Hill Magazine and Durham Magazine. Between 2018 and 2019, she focused on the technology industry as a reporter for GrepBeat, where she covered startups.

In 2019, Melinek expanded her focus to business and financial reporting. She started the year as a business reporter for the North Carolina Business News Wire, covering the activities of publicly traded companies within the state. She then moved to a role as a metro news reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, where she was responsible for covering breaking news and local developments. Later that year, she interned at Bloomberg News as an oil trading reporter, a position that involved covering energy markets throughout the Americas. In 2020, she joined S&P Global Platts as a market reporter and senior pricing specialist, focusing on petrochemical markets.

Melinek transitioned to the digital assets sector in 2021, joining Blockworks as a reporter. In 2022, she moved to TechCrunch to become a senior crypto reporter, a position she held until 2024. During this period, she covered several significant events that impacted the cryptocurrency industry, including the collapses of the Terra/Luna ecosystem and the FTX exchange. In 2024, she left journalism to establish her own venture, Token Relations. The following year, in 2025, she launched a media project called Crypto in America, which includes a podcast and a newsletter. ^[2]

Ventures

Token Relations

Melinek founded Token Relations in 2024. The company was established to address what she identified as a significant "information gap" between blockchain-based projects and their respective communities, including token holders and other stakeholders. During her time as a reporter, particularly while covering major industry crises, she observed a need for clearer and more effective communication from project developers. The platform aims to help projects build stronger narratives and make complex technical information more accessible to a non-technical audience. The services offered by Token Relations include newsletters, webinars, and a dedicated technology platform to streamline communication and engagement. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Crypto in America

In 2025, Melinek launched Crypto in America, a media platform consisting of a podcast and an accompanying newsletter. The project focuses on the cryptocurrency landscape within the United States. It features interviews and discussions with a range of influential figures in the American crypto ecosystem, including policymakers, legal experts, and the founders of various companies in the sector. The stated goal of the platform is to explore the evolving regulatory, legal, and entrepreneurial environment for digital assets in the country. ^[2]

Interviews

Fireside with Sonnenshein

During the Mainnet 2024 event in October, Melinek interviewed Michael Sonnenshein, the former CEO of Grayscale, who reflected on his experiences in the crypto space over the past decade. He discussed his success in battling the SEC to launch a Bitcoin ETF, emphasizing his commitment to democratizing access to crypto within regulatory frameworks. Following his departure from Grayscale, Sonnenshein has been advising various businesses in the cryptocurrency and fintech sectors, while noting the ongoing regulatory uncertainties that influence companies' decisions on whether to operate in the U.S. or internationally. He expressed optimism about the industry's future, particularly regarding innovations in tokenization and the growing integration of crypto within financial services, while also highlighting the importance of achieving regulatory clarity for enhanced institutional adoption. ^[5]

Crypto Communities

On the Thinking Crypto Podcast in May 2024, Melinek discussed her transition from being a crypto reporter at TechCrunch to launching her own company, which focuses on facilitating better communication between blockchain projects and their communities. Originally from Westchester, New York, Melinek had a background in journalism, which she leveraged to cover the complexities of the crypto industry. During her time as a reporter, she encountered significant events in the sector, such as the Terra Luna and FTX collapses, which shaped her understanding of the industry.

Token Relations aims to bridge the gap between blockchain projects and their stakeholders by providing clearer communication and updates through newsletters and future webinars. Melinek emphasized the importance of making technical information accessible to a broader audience and the need for better engagement between developers and the community. As they move forward, the company plans to develop a technology platform to streamline this communication process. ^[3]

Web3 Information Gap

On the DeFi Decoded podcast, Melinek discussed her transition from journalism to entrepreneurship by co-founding Token Relations in April 2023. During her time at TechCrunch and Blockworks, Melinek distinguished herself by effectively covering the rapidly evolving crypto landscape, focusing on both the technological intricacies and market dynamics. She encountered various challenges, including distinguishing between hype and reality, particularly during notable events such as the FTX trial.

Recognizing the information gap in the crypto space, she launched Token Relations to help blockchain projects communicate more effectively with their ecosystems and token holders, identifying a need for better engagement and narrative-building among these communities. Through her venture, Melinek aimed to bridge the communication gap for both established and emerging blockchain projects, facilitating a deeper understanding and more meaningful relationships with their audiences. ^[4]

Panels

State of Crypto Markets

At the Avalanche Summit II in June 2023, a panel moderated by Melinek featured insights from industry experts Fabio Frantini, Jeremy de Groodt, and Laura Vidiella, who discussed the volatile state of the cryptocurrency markets. The panelists reflected on the recent bullish sentiment stemming from market changes, particularly after the U.S. authorities halted the issuance of BUSD, and acknowledged the ongoing regulatory landscape, including the EU's approval of MiCA, which they viewed as promising despite challenges in the U.S. They noted a disconnect between crypto enthusiasts and the average person, primarily due to lingering skepticism post-FTX and the complexities of understanding cryptocurrency. Furthermore, they discussed the institutional interest in crypto, the importance of regulatory clarity, and the need for user-friendly approaches to drive mainstream adoption, concluding with varied predictions about market cap growth over the next 18 months. ^[6]