Ian Balina, whose Twitter is @DiaryofaMadeMan, is a disputed crypto influencer, investor and founder of the data company Token Metrics. Balina quickly built a reputation when the Initial Coin Offering (ICO) boom started in 2017, taking an initial investment of $20,000 and turning it into more than $5 million in the following year with his “Token Metrics” system. Fanhaus’s YouTube videos, online posts and investment spreadsheet, seen by thousands every month, made him an influential name. Still, his journey in crypto has been marked by a $2.5 million hack, arguments with the SEC and claims of acting unethically. Balina is expected to have a net worth of $5 million to $10 million in 2025, but continues to spark conversation. This piece looks into how he entered crypto, the ways he approaches trading, the issues he’s faced and his effects on the industry.
From the Hype of ICOs to Understanding Token Metrics
Balina started making videos in 2017, charting his ICO investments in a series called “Diary of a Made Man.” The analytics training he got at IBM allowed him to use data to increase the business from $37,000 to $5.36 million by January 2018, as shared by Nasdaq. Marketing his holdings on the public sheet led to his “Ian Balina Effect,” meanwhile boosting the success of ICOs where he invested, the research from CoinFi revealed. At this point, as advisor for Nucleus Vision and Pareto Networks, he had the most impact and X posts caused many ICO websites to shut down from the increased traffic.
In 2019, Balina set up Token Metrics, a site that relies on AI and machine learning to help investors in cryptocurrency. In 2025, retail and institutional investors are the target audience for Token Metrics’ indices and trading tools. Being featured on CNBC, Forbes and Bloomberg, Balina has played a major part in making crypto analytics more common. Because he has many followers on Twitter and YouTube, his market calls get a lot of attention. For example, he predicted in 2025 that XRP will be worth $2.75 after a 14% rise when Grayscale filed its ETF request.
Ways to Trade and Invest
Balina’s Token Metrics system rates tokens using a moneyball system that checks team quality, works and the market opportunity. Paul which prioritizes creating tangible Dapps on the blockchain, over investing in speculative apps, as noted in a 2018 Modern Consensus interview. He earned huge returns when the prices of Ethereum and Ripple went up after he bought them in 2017. By 2025, he puts attention on Defi, NFTs and smart contracts, reminding others that spreading assets globally and into different sectors can help avoid risk, according to his guide on ianbalina.net.
He focuses on data, using facts like how many people can use the mainnet and how active developers are. He puts half to three-quarters of his coins into Bitcoin and Ethereum, 30% into mid-cap tokens and leaves the last 10-20% open for ICOs or new, high-risk tokens like Movement Labs that gave investors a 100x in 2024. He explains that it’s best to sell when the market is at its highest in order to protect profits, an idea he learned from the 2018 bear market. According to him, the council buying 5% of Bitcoin’s supply as mentioned in his 2025 X note means there is another “bull run” ahead and people shouldn’t miss the chance to invest now.
What You Own and How You Invest
At the time, in 2025, Balina’s estimated net worth between $5 million and $10 million comes mainly from investing in crypto early, his Token Metrics revenues and giving advice. In April 2018, Rich Snayer was hit with a $2.5 million hack after his old college email was used to gain access to his wallets during a livestream broadcast. Even though he is no longer involved, his Ethereum, Ripple and Token Metrics gains, along with 100X Advisors, help increase his fortune. He explained in his 2024 LinkedIn post how Token Metrics Ventures managed to return over 150% and TMAI enjoyed a fivefold increase on Bitpanda.
It is likely that Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and emerging tokens from his businesses are part of Balina’s portfolio. The money Tokernautics earned was reinvested into Token Metrics to help build AI applications, according to ianbalina.net. Angelo’s income comes from KuCoin sponsorships, along with media gigs, but his fortunes can change quickly with crypto prices. As reported by CNBC, Wengel’s giving back efforts are shown in his support for Children of Uganda and Black Girls Code.
Stories about challenges and lawsuits
Many controversies have marred her career. Last year in April, when Eric was hacked for $2.5 million, some people suggested it could have been an inside job. Following his Instagram reveal, Justin told fans he hoped the hacker would suffer which led to much disapproval—even so, he later withdrew that statement, according to Modern Consensus. In 2019, The Block published an article raising doubts about Balina’s proposal to list his projects automatically on exchanges. KuCoin, the company he eventually partnered with, refused those terms, but the incident led people to think he was manipulating ICO interest.
Balina was sued by the SEC in 2022 for lying about a bonus he got for helping to promote the Sparkster ICO’s $30 million in 2018. In May 2024, Judge David Ezra called SPRK tokens securities and stated that Balina was selling them without meeting registering requirements. But Balina revealed in March 2025 that the SEC will not pursue the case which was confirmed by a joint filing in May 2025, since the SEC has made changes in their enforcement strategy due to new leadership, as outlined by Cointelegraph. Balina started a GoFundMe page to fight the lawsuit, saying it stood for crypto fairness, even as some like @MarioNawfal on X thought it went too far in regulating the industry.
How the company impacts its stakeholders and what to expect in the coming years
The effect known as the “Ian Balina Effect” helped fuel the 2017 ICO boom, though his issues also threw a light on the challenges facing both crypto regulation and ethics. Token Metrics is at the forefront of crypto analytics and its plans for 2025 include launching the TMAI token and X AI agent which signal creativity and progress. The fact that Draper predicts strong gains from crypto in 2025, under Trump’s administration, sends tongues wagging. Though there have been strains along the way, his data-focused methods and strong spirit let him respond to crypto changes and yet some people are still wary due to his previous actions.
FAQS
1. How much wealth does Ian Balina have by 2025?
Token Metrics and his investment in cryptos, plus his advising role, net him between $5 million and $10 million.
2. What does Token Metrics refer to?
Token Metrics is an AI-coded research tool from Balina that ranks cryptocurrencies driven by data.
3. Why did Balina suffer a hack in 2018?
While streaming, an old college email address he used allowed hackers to enter his wallets and steal $2.5 million in crypto.
4. What led the SEC to target Balina?
According to the SEC, he bolstered the Sparkster ICO in 2018 by not saying he would get a 30% bonus, going against securities laws.
5. Did the SEC drop its case against Balina?
In March 2025, Balina said the SEC was dropping the case and evidence to support this was then included in a filing from May 2025.
