> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://gitbook-docs.coinmetrics.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://gitbook-docs.coinmetrics.io/reference-data/methodologies.md).

# Methodologies

This section holds the published methodology documents that govern the reference data Coin Metrics serves. The product pages describe how each dataset behaves in practice, while the documents here are the authoritative statement of the rules behind it.

## datonomy Methodology

The rules that govern datonomy, the digital asset classification system developed by Coin Metrics, Goldman Sachs, and MSCI, and administered by MSCI. It sets out the philosophy behind the classification, the eligibility thresholds an asset must meet to be classified and to stay classified, the screening applied to the exchanges those thresholds are measured against, the review process for new assets and reclassifications, and the definition of every class, sector, and subsector in the hierarchy.

This is the document to reach for when the question is why an asset sits where it does, or what a given category actually means. The [datonomy Overview](/reference-data/datonomy-overview.md) summarizes the structure and the eligibility rules, but the category definitions themselves live here.

{% content-ref url="/pages/x2l4WDJU0KqDzBBGKTwv" %}
[datonomy Methodology](/reference-data/methodologies/datonomy-methodology.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Related

* [datonomy Overview](/reference-data/datonomy-overview.md): the classification structure, the full subsector hierarchy, and how the pieces fit together.
* [Asset Taxonomy](/reference-data/datonomy-overview/asset-taxonomy.md): the classification of each covered asset, served by the API.
* [Asset Taxonomy Metadata](/reference-data/datonomy-overview/asset-taxonomy-metadata.md): the class, sector, and subsector structure for a given taxonomy version.
* [Talos Exchange Scorecard](/market-data/methodologies/talos-exchange-scorecard.md): the exchange evaluation behind the venue screening that datonomy eligibility is measured against.


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