Why āFreeā Listings Might Be Your Most Expensive Mistake
Youāve probably seen posts about āfree listingsā on major CEXs. Sounds amazing, right?
But hereās the truth: unless your token is the next PEPE or TRUMP, youāre most likely paying for that listing ā one way or another
Letās break it down š
ā Yes, some projects got listed for free due to hype. $PEPE, $TRUMP ā both went viral and rode the meme wave all the way to top-tier exchanges
But those are the exceptions, not the rule
In 99% of cases, youāre paying ā even if the exchange says itās āfreeā
Hereās how it usually works:
1. The exchange says: āWeāll list your project for free. Just allocate some tokens for marketing.ā
2. Sounds reasonable. Until you realize: Those tokens often end up dumped in the order book.
So you didnāt pay in cash ā You paid with your own liquidity. And the result?
š„ In the best case, you āpayā 80% of your tokenās value šø In the worst case ā weāve seen projects lose 2.5x the original value in USDT
Thatās not free Thatās expensive
And the worst part? Founders realize it too late
āø»
š§ Donāt fall for marketing buzzwords.
If an offer sounds too good to be true ā it probably is If youāre planning a listing and want a clear breakdown of real costs (with no BS), weāre here to help
ā DM me ālistingā and Iāll send you info how to avoid overpaying from your own liquidity
Why Paying for a CEX Listing Could Sink Your Project
Many founders still believe that paying $250Kā$500K for a CEX listing will lead to explosive token growth
But the data tells a different story
In our review of 103 listings in 2024, most tokens dropped in price post-listing ā even after huge investments in fees, marketing, and MM
As Arthur Hayes once said: š āExchanges get rich off your listing fees, while your token sinks.ā
Why does this happen?
Because listings without proper strategy, community growth, and organic demand often fail to deliver long-term value
At ListingWise, we help projects avoid these traps by building smart, data-driven listing strategies ā aligned with your stage, tokenomics, and goals
šÆ If youāre planning a listing this year, letās connect and make sure youāre not just burning cash
Many crypto founders believe that listing a token is just about paying a one-time fee to an exchange
In reality, a listing on a tier-1 CEX often costs between $200Kā$500K, and thatās just the base price
And the total cost typically includes: ā Smart contract audit ā Legal opinion ā Token integration ā Security deposit ā Marketing campaigns ā Top up MM liquidity
If your project doesnāt have a well-structured launch budget, you risk wasting resources and getting no traction post-listing
Weāve seen great products ādie on listing dayā simply because the team wasnāt prepared for the full scope of requirements
At ListingWise, we work with early-stage and pre-launch projects to develop a custom listing strategy - aligned with your tokenomics, roadmap, and budget
šÆ We help you choose exchanges that not only take your token - but actually help grow your ecosystem
If youāre planning a listing in Q2 or Q3, happy to connect and share insights. Letās make it strategic
You Have a Token. The Exchange Has 37 Rules Youāve Never Heard Of
Weāve seen it happen again and again
A project gets close to listingāand suddenly, everything slows down.
Confusing requirements. Deposit disputes. Price negotiations with exchange. Endless back-and-forth with exchanges Thatās not just stress.
Itās weeks lost. Momentum gone. And budget wasted on things that shouldnāt even be your focus
Hereās what we do differently - and why founders come to us:
ā We handle the listing strategy from start to finish ā We help meet Tier 1 exchange requirements - without the guesswork ā We negotiate better terms and avoid hidden traps ā We save our clients dozens of hours in calls, docs, and coordination
ā One founder told us: āYou guys saved me at least 3 weeks. I focused on the product while you handled the rest.ā
Our goal isnāt just to get you listed.
Itās to help you launch stronger, smarter, and faster - without getting stuck in the weeds
If youāre planning a listing and want to avoid expensive mistakes, DM me āLISTINGā and Iāll show you how we can help š
Post 1: One Big Reason Why Projects Donāt Get Listed on Tier 1 CEXs
Even if a project raised funds, has a working product, and a strong teamā
ā¦it can still get rejected by a Tier 1 exchange.
Why?
Because one of the first things exchanges look at is daily trading volume if we talk about listing from the secondary market
Hereās what that means in real numbers: ā Some exchanges expect 100K USDT per exchange ā Others want to see 1M to 15M+ USDT total volume
And hereās the part no one tells you:
ā Not all exchanges count You can be listed on smaller CEXs⦠but if Tier 1 exchanges donāt recognize their volumeāitās like it doesnāt exist
Weāve seen projects spend $100K+ on listings⦠only to realize none of that volume helped them move to Tier 1
If you want to avoid that trap and choose the right exchanges from the start:
š Drop a ā+ā or DM me and Iāll send you the list of exchanges whose volume actually counts
Most Projects Fail After Listing ā Hereās How to Avoid It
Weāve seen too many crypto projects lose momentum right after listing. Price drops. Liquidity dries up. Hype fades.
The reason? Poor market making.
Hereās why that happensāand what we do differently:
ā WITHOUT:
⢠A clear MM strategy ⢠Calculated sell pressure ⢠Pre-launch tokenomics planning ⢠The right MM partner
ā¦youāre setting your project up for trouble.
Weāve worked with projects that came to us after trying to use MM services provided directly by exchanges.
ā In many cases, liquidity was drained, and the project lost investor trust in weeks.
Thatās why we work before the listing, not after. Hereās what happens when you do it right:
āø»
ā 1. You protect the price and liquidity ā One of our projects hit a 26x within a few months after launch. Yes, itās corrected since thenābut itās still performing way above average. ā 2. You attract real traders ā A solid MM setup creates a healthy, believable chart that builds investor confidence and signals growth. ā 3. You avoid last-minute panic ā With a pre-launch MM strategy, youāre not scrambling to fix things post-factumāwhen itās already too late.
āø» š Quick note: Not all MM partners are the same. We analyze tokenomics, sell pressure, and launch dynamics before listingāand help choose the right MM strategy.
āø» If youāre planning a listing or already working with a market maker and want a second opinionā DM me and Iāll send you a checklist to review your current setup š
Iāve Helped 15+ Crypto Projects Get Listed on CoinMarketCap For The Past Few MonthsāEven Before Their Token Was Launched
Yes, before the token was created. Before it was on any DEX or CEX
Hereās how we do itāand why some clients choose this route:
ā WITHOUT needing:
⢠A live token ⢠Exchange listings
Hereās what changes once youāre listed early:
1. You instantly gain visibility Most traders and investors check CMC before trusting a project. If your token is searchableāyour credibility goes up
ā One client saw 2x more DEX traffic just because they were searchable on CMC during their launch campaign
2. You attract early investors A verified profile on CMC builds confidence. Investors feel theyāre not betting on a ghost project. Itās real. Itās public. Itās searchable
ā After getting listed on CMC, one project saw a 3x increase in website visits during their pre-sale week ā all from organic traffic
3. You build momentum for the exchange launch Imagine this: you announce a CEX listing. Traders search for your tokenāand find nothing. Bad look
ā But when youāre already on CMC/CG, the listing drives instant traffic, and your launch has 10x more hype
š Quick note: Yes, early listings cost more. Fast-track CMC listings come with an additional fee. But the exposure and trust it brings is worth it for many founders
āø»
If you want your token listed on CoinMarketCap within 12ā24 hoursāeven before launchāwe can help
DM me or comment "CMC" and Iāll send you the details š
Exchanges often impose their own terms on founders, leading to overpaymentāsometimes 2 to 3 times the fair priceāor forcing them to invest in overpriced KOLs.
At ListingWise Advisory Agency, we are committed to protecting our clientsā interests, ensuring they get the best possible deal.
Hereās what one of our clients had to say about working with us, along with a snippet of our negotiation with an exchange
Many founders believe they need secret contacts with exchange executives to get listed on best terms
But thatās not the case
āCompanies like ours also save our clients time. Instead of navigating the complex listing process, founders can focus on what truly matters.
A good listing agency also secures better listing terms than those initially offered. Deep industry experience and direct exchange connections help in negotiating the best possible deal.ā
Over the past three months, more than 15 founders have trusted us to guide them through the listing process, securing the best terms and ensuring a smooth experience
Letās discuss how we can help your project get listed on the right exchange under the best conditions
Why Should a Crypto Startup Use a Listings Agency, Instead of Filling Out The Forms Themselves?
Every exchange manager will tell you that their exchange is the best, and that's normal because it's their job to promote their exchange.
However, in reality, there aren't many exchanges with real volumes and organics. From our side, we provide an objective perspective so that the founder can weigh all the pros and cons and make an informed decision
In addition, the founder can focus on more important tasks, such as product development and finding investors, while we handle the listing process. They can be confident that the listing will go smoothly
More favorable listing terms. We have been in the market for a long time and know how to communicate correctly with exchanges and what their approximate prices are, which allows us to secure the best possible deal for you
Advisory services also play a role. It depends on who you work withāsome agencies might simply connect you with exchanges and charge you for it, while we, for example, act as advisors, becoming partners for projects and building an effective listing strategy. We know the requirements that need to be met to get listed on a tier 1 exchange quickly
Ready to save time, get better listing terms, and focus on your project? Letās discuss how we can help you list on top exchanges effortlessly
How to Get a 30% Discount on Tier 1 Exchange Listing Fees?
The market is really bad right now, I've noticed that far fewer projects are listing. Many founders are choosing a strategy of waiting it out
The first thought that comes to mind is that this is basically the right thing to do because the market is quiet right now, there have been a lot of liquidations, and it's better to wait for growth to return, so there's more liquidity, and then start the listing process
But this strategy isn't entirely correct because the higher the demand, the higher the supply. That's always been the case, it's a basic rule
This also works in reverse. Right now, fewer projects want to list, so many tier 2 exchanges have already lowered their listing fees, and tier 1 exchanges are more willing to make concessions and offer better deals
For example, with one of my projects, the exchange wasn't willing to budge on the price for several months, but now we're already discussing different terms
"A listings agency acts as an adviser, not just a middleman. We help projects craft a strong listing strategy, meet tier 1 exchange requirements, and ensure a smooth, efficient process..."
Why Most Projects Fail After Listing ā And How to Avoid It
One of the most crucial factors for a successful listing is market making
It is extremely important who you work with, at what stage, whether an MM strategy was developed before or after the listing, whether you calculated selling pressure, and whether you discussed your tokenomics
Iāve seen several founders who took MM services directly from exchangesāI wonāt name them, but later these founders were furious because the MM providers drained all the liquidity from their project, which negatively impacted both price and liquidity
Thatās why itās essential to address these questions before the listing and with the right partners, so you donāt have to solve this issue post-factum when itās already too late
For example, one of our projects achieved a 26x increase within just a couple of months after listing. Yes, the price has dropped by around 20% since then, but itās still an outstanding result