What every cryptocurrency investor needs to know is that Binance has just updated how they list tokens, focusing more on the discovery process for early-stage projects, user protection, and a transparent evaluation process.
As the cryptocurrency market continues to evolve, Binance remains committed to maintaining a responsible listing framework, prioritizing user protection, regulatory and compliance considerations, as well as long-term project quality.
Binance is detailing its various products and listing methods, as well as the corresponding evaluation requirements to help projects familiarize themselves. Projects interested in listing on Binance can also learn more about how they can apply for listing at the end of this announcement.
Overview of Binance listing products
Binance Alpha: Binance Alpha serves as a platform for token selection before listing on spot, focusing on exploring promising early-stage cryptocurrency projects in the Web3 ecosystem and providing a potential pathway for these projects to be listed on the official Binance exchange. Binance Alpha can be accessed from both Binance Wallet and Binance Exchange. This seamless integration allows users to trade selected early-stage tokens on-chain without needing a Web3 wallet or external transfers.
Binance Futures: Binance Futures is the largest cryptocurrency futures contract platform by trading volume. Users can use futures contracts and other derivative products to create liquidity, express their market views, and hedge risks for their portfolios and protect against unexpected market fluctuations. Derivative products allow users to hold long and short positions without needing to hold the underlying tokens.
Binance Spot: Binance Spot is the largest cryptocurrency trading platform by trading volume, allowing users to buy, sell, and hold high-quality crypto assets directly, facilitating asset ownership and long-term holding. In addition to direct listings, Binance offers multiple opportunities for projects to increase user engagement and participation, such as HODLer Airdrops, Launchpool, and Megadrop. These initiatives provide projects with valuable opportunities to interact with Binance's large user base and gain initial traction, while users can access these tokens before the official listing on Binance Spot.
Binance Launchpool: Binance Launchpool allows users to earn new project tokens for free by staking BNB (through Binance Simple Earn or decentralized BNB assets stored in Binance Wallet) and other supported tokens.
Binance Megadrop: Binance Megadrop integrates Binance Simple Earn with Binance Wallet, allowing users early access to carefully selected Web3 projects. Users can lock BNB or complete Web3 tasks (such as interactions or trading) to earn points, determining their corresponding token rewards.
Binance HODLer Airdrops: Binance HODLer Airdrops distribute token rewards based on historical snapshots of the amount of BNB held by users in Binance Earn products and/or On-Chain Yields. By staking BNB in Fixed and/or Flexible Earn products and/or On-Chain Yields, users will automatically qualify for HODLer Airdrop rewards.
Listing methods and requirements:
Binance supports various listing methods, each with specific requirements for project teams:
1. Alpha listing
Alpha features are currently classified into two categories: circulating projects and non-circulating projects.
Non-circulating projects
New projects in the Token Generation Event (TGE) phase can apply to participate in the Exclusive TGE or Alpha Initial Airdrop program. These projects will benefit from the large traffic of the Binance ecosystem, attracting additional attention and user support.
For a project to be listed on Alpha, Binance will consider several factors:
User acceptance: Established user base or verified acceptance metrics
Business model: A viable business model with a clear growth roadmap and profit prospects.
Industry relevance: Relevance to trending cryptocurrency topics and emerging narratives.
For Memecoins: Strong community foundation and cultural resonance.
Token distribution: Number of unique holders, concentration of holdings among insiders, market makers (MM), or project developers.
Vesting schedule: Vesting schedule and unlocking events
Tokens and contracts related to potential risks
Code quality, innovation potential, system complexity, concentration risk, history of external audits, management dependencies, and previous security incidents.
Background checks of key development team members and major stakeholders.
Risk assessments related to compliance, such as sanctions and other financial risks.
Circulating projects
Projects that have issued tokens and are circulating in the market can apply for Direct Featured on Alpha. Currently, this platform supports four blockchains: BNB Chain, Solana, Base, and Ethereum. Binance plans to expand support for more chains based on community development across various public blockchains.
For projects on Alpha, Binance focuses on secondary market performance and token distribution while still assessing the fundamentals and performance metrics of the project, tokenomics, technical risk assessment, and team background against the above criteria for TGE projects.
Specific requirements for secondary market operations include:
Trading volume, liquidity depth, and historical price volatility
Fully diluted valuation (FDV) and market capitalization (MCap)
2. Futures listing
Futures listing evaluation is currently classified into two categories:
Projects that have been featured on Alpha:
Since these projects have met basic requirements such as tokenomics, quality of the development team, and token unlocking schedule, during the Futures listing review process, the focus will primarily be on secondary market performance, provided there are no significant negative changes in the fundamentals of the project, token unlocking schedule, development team status, and other critical indicators. Key requirements include:
High trading volume on Alpha, reflecting a strong community and recognition from Binance users.
Stable price performance during the Alpha trading period, with no significant incidents or pump-and-dump behavior.
Regulatory and compliance considerations
Continued adherence to the token distribution and unlocking schedule.
Projects that have not been featured or cannot be featured on Alpha (e.g., new Layer-1 blockchains):
These projects must meet comprehensive basic requirements similar to those for Alpha, including:
Project foundation and performance metrics
Tokenomics
Technical risk assessment
Transparency of the development team and Assessment of regulatory and compliance.
3. Spot listing
On-site listing evaluation is currently classified into two categories: projects that have been listed on Futures and/or featured on Alpha and are circulating, and new TGE projects.
Projects that have been listed on Futures and/or featured on Alpha and Circulating:
These projects have met the basic requirements in their Alpha/Futures listing evaluation process. During the spot listing review process, the focus will primarily be on secondary market performance, provided there are no significant negative changes in the fundamentals of the project, token unlocking schedule, development team status, and other important indicators. Other key considerations include:
High and sustainable trading volume on Alpha and Futures
Stable token prices throughout the Alpha and Futures trading periods, with no significant price drops or pump-and-dump activity.
Regulatory and compliance considerations
Continued adherence to the reasonable token distribution and unlocking schedule.
New TGE projects:
Teams may consider participating early in other Binance listing methods, such as Launchpool, Megadrop, and HODLer Airdrops, to potentially secure higher listing chances on Binance. Direct listings may also be considered based on the following criteria, in accordance with Alpha listing requirements:
Project foundation and performance metrics
Tokenomics
Technical risk assessment
Team background and Compliance assessment
How to apply
Projects interested in listing may apply by:
Spot listing: You can apply through Binance's general listing application form. Link
Futures listing: You can apply through Binance's futures contract listing application form: forms.monday.com/forms/b1f2bb4b8a908b0a0378ddf6eef6378f?r=euc1
Alpha listing: Projects interested in Binance Alpha can apply through the official Alpha registration form: forms.monday.com/forms/201680b6e70e37d3c3efc5919af3fd91?r=use1
*Please ensure the application is completed by the project founder or key member and includes all relevant information for a comprehensive and timely review.
Delisting criteria (Applicable to listings on Spot, Futures, and Alpha)
To maintain a healthy and sustainable ecosystem, Binance periodically reviews listed projects and may delist tokens if the project fails to meet the current standards set by Binance. The following criteria apply to all delisting decisions on markets such as Spot, Futures, and Alpha.
1. Team and Governance
Project shows a lack of continuous development or appears to have been neglected.
Inadequate or poor-quality development updates.
Development team communicates poorly and lacks transparency with the investor community.
Project does not respond to Binance's periodic due diligence requests.
There are significant changes in Tokenomics.
2. Market performance and trading activity
Trading volume and liquidity: Continuous trading activity at low levels or poor market depth.
Price stability: A strong and sudden price collapse or pump-and-dump behavior.
Market manipulation: Evidence or suspicion of price manipulation or trading fraud.
Community sentiment: Continuous negative feedback or loss of community trust.
3. Security
Network stability: Vulnerabilities, security breaches, or attacks that jeopardize the project.
Tokenomics: Significant or unreasonable increases in token supply, or major changes to tokenomics that harm holders.
Regulatory compliance: New legal or regulatory requirements that the project fails to meet.
Unethical or fraudulent behavior: Evidence of fraud, negligence, or other unethical acts that harm the project's integrity.
Binance is committed to maintaining a safe, transparent, and high-quality trading environment. The exchange continuously monitors listed projects to protect users and ensure the integrity of the ecosystem. Projects that fail to meet these standards may be delisted to protect the interests of the community.
The above reflects Binance's commitment to maintaining a healthy and sustainable ecosystem. Binance encourages projects to meet the above criteria for long-term listing.
Binance states that it continuously enhances its standards to protect investors from any potential risks.
