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The Crypto Founder’s Guide to Getting Listed on a CEX (Without Wasting Time or Guessing What to Do)

Getting listed on a CEX puts your project in front of millions, opens doors to investors, and gives you instant legitimacy. But most teams miss out just because they don’t know how the game actually works.

Andre Costa

Published on:

May 13, 2025

mins read

Strategy

Every Web3 project wants to get listed on a CEX.

And I bet you want the same for yours.

Because once you’re listed…

Your project instantly looks more legit…

You get in front of millions of potential users…

And investors finally start paying MORE attention.

But the problem is… most teams have no idea where to start.

Which exchange makes sense for you?

What metrics actually matter?

Who do you even talk to?

We’ve helped dozens of projects land major listings.

So in this quick breakdown, I’m gonna walk you through:

👉 How YOU can get your token listed

👉 Which exchange is right for YOUR project

👉 What makes exchanges pick one project over others

👉 How to reach out to exchanges (the part no one tells you about)

Which Exchange Is Right for YOU?

First thing: not all exchanges are the same.

Where your project is right now will tell you which exchanges you should try for.

There's a clear order here, and knowing where you fit will save you time.

📊 Tier 1: Binance, Coinbase, OKX, Bybit, Kraken

These are the big ones. The dream exchanges.

But they're SUPER picky. Without lots of users and the right friends, your chances are tiny.

The fees? HUGE (unless they invite you, which rarely happens).

They want to see lots of money in your project, tons of users, and many safety checks.

And this shocks most founders – you usually need to be on smaller exchanges FIRST.

These top exchanges want…

Big projects with VC money, 100k+ users, or major players in their space.

So, if you're just starting, this isn't for you yet (but can be your goal).

👉 These are best suited for projects at Series A+ stage or already dominating their niche.

📉 Tier 2: KuCoin, MEXC, Gate.io, Bitget, Bitmart

These are more doable for good projects that are growing.

Many tokens start here, and getting listed is a big win worth celebrating.

But don't get too cocky – they still check your KYC, traction, and legal status.

The bar is lower, but there's still a bar.

Many will help with market making or want you to add some money to get trading going.

This level is perfect for projects showing promise but not huge yet.

👉 If you’ve got users, some token demand, and a product that works - this might be your entry point.

🧪 Tier 3: LATOKEN, Probit, LBank, Coinsbit, etc.

Getting listed here is much easier for new projects.

The process is simple: you pay, you get in – with few checks.

But there's a downside: fewer users, less trust, and much less trading.

Be careful – some of these are just for show and don't help your project at all.

Because what's the point of being "listed" if no one trades your token?

👉 They’re easy, but they don’t move the needle.

What Exchanges Look at Before Saying ‘YES’

Now that you know the different levels and where you might fit...

Let's talk about what most founders miss.

Think about this:

Exchanges get HUNDREDS of requests every week.

It's non-stop. Everyone claims they're the next big thing.

So how do they pick the winners?

What makes them choose YOUR project?

Here's what they look at behind closed doors.

And this is your guide if you want to get listed:

⚙️ Product Usage:

This is where they start looking. Every time.

Daily Active Users (DAU) / Monthly Active Users (MAU)
On-chain users and frequency of usage
Total number of wallets that have interacted with your protocol

No good user numbers? You won't even get past the first check.

🔗 On-Chain Activity:

They'll look very closely at what's happening on the blockchain.

Total transaction volume (daily/weekly/monthly)
Number of transactions per wallet (engagement depth)
Dollar value per user (TVL per user / revenue per user)

Exchanges want to see real activity, not just fake moves between your own wallets.

📢 Community & Social Proof:

A lively community shows your project has potential.

Twitter followers, REAL engagement (not just impressions)
Discord members, Telegram group size, active mods, events
Are people ACTUALLY talking about your project?

Exchanges want to see crowds ready to trade as soon as you list.

💰 Backers & VCs:

Who backs you can speed up your listing.

Who your investors are (Tier 1 VCs or known angels)
Any announced partnerships or co-signs
Grants or ecosystem support (eg. Arbitrum grant, Base Ecosystem Fund, etc.)

The right backers don't just give money… they give cred that exchanges notice right away.

🔐 Security & Legitimacy:

This is a must-have.

Smart contract audits (Quantstamp, Trail of Bits, Hacken, etc.)
KYC & KYB of founders (exchanges often require identity verification privately)
Legal structure: foundation, tokenomics, vesting, etc.

One security problem can kill your chances faster than anything else.

📈 Token Readiness:

Your token setup must be solid.

Final tokenomics: distribution, circulating supply, emissions
Is your token deployed? Verified?
Planned MM (market making) support

Exchanges want fully-done token systems, not half-baked ideas.

The One Thing That Makes or Breaks Your Chances of Hitting the CEX

When you look at all these factors that decide if exchanges will even look at your project...

There's ONE thing that stands beneath it all.

It's having great tech and a product users truly love.

Because let's be honest…

📱 You can't fake high user numbers with a product people don't want to use.

📱 You'll never get lots of transactions with buggy tech.

📱 You won't build big Discord and Telegram groups around a boring project.

📱 You'll never get top VCs to back you if your tech is weak.

EVERYTHING comes back to having a product so good that users can't help but use it.

This is where most projects fall short.

They focus on hype and listings… but skip the hard work of building something users truly love.

You need to get so many users that it almost feels illegal.

If you want CEX traction, you need real traction first.

And that only happens when:

You have a clear product-market fit
Your design is built for users, not just devs
Your UX converts new visitors into power users
Your team knows how to ship, test, and improve fast

And if you haven’t done this dozens of times before…

It’s easy to waste months (and hundreds of thousands) building something that doesn’t get you anywhere.

How to Get in Touch With Exchanges

Even if you’ve got the right numbers, you still need the right network.

CEX listings are NOT automatic.

It’s not like filling a form and waiting for a reply.

Here’s how it actually works:

YOU need to get ready to become a networking pro.

You'll need to master talking to exchanges and building relationships.

This is where most founders get stuck because it's all about who you know.

The process is very human:

Don't mass-email support addresses – your message will just get lost.
Use your investors and advisors – many know people at major exchanges.
Go to big events (TOKEN2049, ETHCC, etc.) and meet exchange teams in person.
Think about hiring experts who focus just on exchange listings. (They already have the contacts you need)

And when you get the chance to pitch, you must get it right.

Send a short, strong pitch deck (1-3 pages max) with: