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What is a cryptocurrency listing: from application to trading start

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What is cryptocurrency listing, and why has it become a critical point for any blockchain project? Token listing in 2025 is not just sending it to an exchange but a strategic entry into the Web3 market. In this article, we will explore how asset publication works, what the industry demands from it, and how to turn it into a springboard rather than a trap.

What is cryptocurrency listing

Listing a cryptocurrency on a trading platform has ceased to be a technical operation. Today, it is a ticket to the Web3 economy. It determines not only liquidity and price but also investor trust, growth prospects, and survival chances. The answer to what cryptocurrency listing is reveals not the listing process but the strategy—from idea to the first trade.

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How cryptocurrency listing works

The process of going public varies depending on the type of platform: centralized (CEX) or decentralized (DEX). On CEX, it includes legal verification, business model analysis, and technical audit. On DEX, it involves signing a smart contract and providing liquidity.

How cryptocurrency listing works:

  1. Preparing documentation (whitepaper, tokenomics, roadmap).
  2. Creating and auditing a smart contract.
  3. Submitting to the exchange.
  4. Interviewing with the listing committee.
  5. Checking KYC/AML compliance.
  6. Approving the exchange listing date.
  7. Announcement, marketing, and trading launch.

Each stage affects how the market perceives the project. Trading platforms like Binance require an active community of at least 50,000 people, live volume in the test environment, and legal registration cleanliness.

Listing Price

The cost of placement varies from $10,000 on low-rated exchanges to $2 million on Tier-1 platforms. Coinbase requires a closed investment round with a stake in the project, while OKX demands a strict due diligence procedure.

This is an investment in liquidity, visibility, and the first wave of buyers. For example, the APT token from Aptos received token placement on Binance and FTX immediately after raising $350 million from a16z and Multicoin. The price rose from $1 to $13 in three days—not by chance but due to precise preparation.

Adding cryptocurrencies to an exchange: platform requirements

Trading platforms do not offer second chances—approval is only given to projects that have passed strict verification at all levels. The absence of even one criterion blocks token placement until all risks are addressed. Adding cryptocurrencies to an exchange is impossible without meeting critical requirements.

Main platform requirements:

  1. Completed smart contract audit from Certik or Hacken.
  2. Transparent tokenomics without hidden emissions.
  3. Community of at least 10,000 people on Telegram and Twitter.
  4. Liquidity of at least $500,000 on DEX before token placement.
  5. Developer activity on GitHub, presence of a roadmap and MVP.

The exchange evaluates not only the token but also the team, partnerships, media presence. Without these factors, addition becomes impossible or short-lived.

Why delisting is not sleeping

Delisting cryptocurrencies is the flip side of the coin. Reasons include low trading volume, legal claims, fraud, or zero developer activity. In 2023, Binance delisted 15 tokens, including Monero, due to regulatory non-compliance. The project’s sustainability is determined by three criteria: stable price, real use case, and community engagement.

Earning from cryptocurrency listing

Investors, traders, and project teams use token placement as a point of maximum attention. Earnings revolve around heightened market interest. During this short period, all participants—from private traders to institutional funds—become active, aiming to maximize benefits.

List:

  1. The project gains market capitalization growth, PR, and investor attraction.
  2. Traders speculate in the first minutes of trading (example: SUI +600% in 4 hours).
  3. Holders lock in profits after listing on spot exchanges.
  4. Investment funds strengthen their brand by conducting IEOs on their platforms.
  5. Exchanges earn from commissions, volumes, and listing fees.

All participants act swiftly: the time between the first announcement and trading does not exceed 7 days.

Why listing moves the market

The token price often behaves impulsively after token placement. On Binance, OKX, and Kraken, the average growth is 85–200% in the first 24 hours after market entry. However, the effect is short-lived. By the third day, 60% of projects lose half of the gain if they do not sustain interest through marketing and partnerships.

It is not just a figure but a trust test. A token without real support becomes an asset with temporary capitalization.

Multi-listing as a strategy

Listing on one platform is just the beginning. Projects like Polygon, Arbitrum, or Avalanche use multi-listing to expand coverage. Polygon launched on Binance and, two weeks later, added Coinbase, Kraken, and OKX.

Each new platform increases the audience, liquidity, and visibility. Listing on different market levels—from DEX to CEX—ensures long-term sustainability.

What is cryptocurrency listing in a multi-format—it is diversification. When one market falters, another compensates.

People are more important than technology

A strong community is the main factor that keeps a project in the trading listing. Without constant activity, development proposals, and team feedback, a digital currency loses support and fades away.

DAOs, ambassador programs, transparent team reporting—all of these are not cosmetics but a guarantee of survival after listing.

What is cryptocurrency listing as a process, not a goal

The process cannot be seen as the end. It is a midpoint: before launch—product formation, after—adaptation to exchange realities.

Each platform tracks token behavior: purchase and sale quantities, activity on forks, price stability, updates.

What is cryptocurrency listing in a professional model? It is an entry point into the market mechanism. Without a strategy, it is a risky leap. With preparation, it is a structured entry into trading.

Path through launchpads

Binance Launchpad, Huobi Prime, Gate.io Startup—these are springboards for new projects. Tokens like GMT, IMX, AXS have gone through them. The mechanics are simple: before token placement, the team sells among exchange users. Then trading is automatically launched on the spot market.

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This format creates scarcity, interest, and guarantees minimal liquidity. Adding cryptocurrencies to an exchange through launchpads simplifies entry into the market, reducing the risks of refusal to list.

Conclusion

What is cryptocurrency listing in 2025 is not just token placement on an exchange platform but a comprehensive entry into the market with high requirements, risks, and growth potential. Successful placement requires preparation, a strong community, and a strategic approach.

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The digital turnover of capital has long ceased to be the prerogative of a narrow circle. As of 2025, the Coinbase exchange serves more than 108 million users worldwide. The platform’s model is not just an exchange, but an ecosystem with dozens of verticals: from investments and trading to services for businesses and developers.

What is Coinbase

Founded in 2012, the platform quickly became a public company listed on NASDAQ. The focus is on ease of access, regulatory cleanliness, and scalability of solutions. It operates in accordance with US laws, complying with all requirements of the SEC, FinCEN, and a number of international regulators. Approach: minimal entry barrier, maximum transparency of actions.

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The platform provides access to hundreds of tokens and uses its own security protocols. Coinbase services include a web interface, mobile application, API integrations, and a separate institutional direction.

What Coinbase Exchange Offers

The platform combines trading, storage, and asset management in a single ecosystem. It is oriented towards a wide range of users, from individual investors to institutional clients.

The exchange implements a full cycle of operations:

  1. Buying cryptocurrencies through cards, bank transfers, and payment gateways.
  2. Instant selling of assets with fiat withdrawal.
  3. Asset storage in cold and multi-signature wallets.
  4. Access to decentralized tools through the wallet.
  5. Participation in staking and DeFi projects.

The service covers the needs of both beginners and professional traders. Institutional businesses use Coinbase Prime with custodial solutions and analytical panels.

Interface and Convenience

The platform’s interface is designed with a focus on behavioral analytics. The user sees only what is necessary. Well-thought-out action architecture eliminates overload. The exchange has implemented responsive design and shortened the path from registration to the first trade to 7 minutes.

The KYC process is one of the fastest in the industry: account verification takes an average of 30 minutes. Identity verification involves minimal actions but goes through biometric modules and AML scanners.

How the Storage Ecosystem Works

The Coinbase wallet is not just a tool but a distributed asset control system. The application supports thousands of tokens and NFTs, provides access to dApps, and gives private keys to the user.

Integration with the main account occurs without conflicts of interest: primary storage can be decentralized, while trading can remain centralized. For example, storing USDC on DeFi protocols and trading ETH within the exchange interface.

Why Choose Coinbase Exchange

The platform remains the choice for those who value not only functionality but also infrastructure maturity. The balance between convenience, security, and technological development determines the service’s sustainable popularity. It offers a balanced approach to trading, investments, and digital asset storage.

Main reasons for choosing:

  1. Regulation — compliance with US legislation, verified activities, reporting to the SEC.
  2. Convenience — a single account for buying, storing, trading, and withdrawing funds.
  3. Toolset — presence of API, DeFi access, NFT explorers, and analytical panels.
  4. Security — 98% of assets stored in cold wallets, two-factor authentication used, and address encryption.
  5. Business support — individual conditions for corporate clients, white-label solutions, and custodial services.
  6. Developer support — open SDKs, testnet platforms, grant programs.
  7. Reliability — the exchange is in the top 5 by trading volume and consistently maintains positions in the CoinMarketCap ranking.
  8. Education — own academy, video tutorials, protocol breakdowns, and project strategies.
  9. Access to tokens — regular addition of new cryptocurrencies with thorough legitimacy checks.
  10. Scale — user assets protected by major global insurance funds (including Lloyd’s of London).

The platform has created an ecosystem capable of adapting to the needs of individual investors, large funds, and fintech startups. Flexibility, accessibility, and attention to detail strengthen the platform’s position in a highly competitive environment.

Commissions on Coinbase Exchange

The exchange applies a flexible commission system based on trading volume, deposit/withdrawal method, and account type. For retail users, the commission ranges from 0.5% for conversions to 3.99% for card purchases. Institutional traders operate on a Maker/Taker scheme, with rates starting from 0.00% (for turnover over $500 million).

Example: when buying Bitcoin for $1000 via bank transfer, the user pays around $14 in fees. When selling the same amount through Coinbase Pro, it’s less than $5. Separation of accounts allows optimizing expenses by switching between interfaces.

Advantages of Coinbase Exchange

The platform stands out for its technological resilience, clear architecture, and ease of use even for beginners. The key advantage is the reliability of operations and trust from international regulators.

It maintains leadership through:

  1. Continuous feature updates (implementation of L2 solutions and zero-knowledge protocols).
  2. Focus on UX: any action does not require special knowledge.
  3. Extended coverage: over 100 countries, support for 30+ fiat currencies.
  4. Integrations with PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.
  5. Asset security confirmed by Deloitte and EY audits.

Additionally, the exchange provides direct access to investments in the Web3 segment: from early participation in IDOs to governance project involvement.

Drawbacks of Coinbase Exchange

Despite its stable reputation, the exchange faces several limitations. The main drawbacks include:

  1. High fees for small transactions.
  2. Limited list of new tokens compared to decentralized platforms.
  3. Lack of complete anonymity — mandatory KYC procedure.
  4. Dependency on SEC political decisions, especially regarding staking regulation.
  5. Inability to use certain services in specific countries (e.g., functional restrictions in Russia and some Asian countries).

Users who prioritize maximum decentralization often prefer hybrid platforms or purely decentralized DEXs.

Ecosystem for Traders and Developers

Coinbase Exchange offers a modular approach to product development. For traders, the platform provides access to an advanced terminal with TradingView charts, Fill-or-Kill order types, and algorithmic trading capabilities. Coinbase Advanced Trade has already replaced the previous Coinbase Pro, combining UX and professional tools.

For developers, the ecosystem offers REST APIs, WebSocket connections, and SDKs for wallet and smart contract integration. The program allows running own nodes, using validators, and integrating NFT modules.

Business Participation: Crypto in Circulation

Coinbase Exchange actively collaborates with the corporate sector. Services include asset storage through Custody Trust, connecting payment infrastructure for e-commerce, and white-label solutions for banks and fintech.

For example, Shopify, in partnership with this platform, implemented accepting cryptocurrency payments in ETH, USDC, and DAI. Large funds use the platform as a portfolio diversification channel. Asset insurance is provided by industry leaders — Aon and Lloyd’s.

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The market continues to grow, along with the requirements for platforms. Is it worth using Coinbase Exchange? The answer is affirmative, especially if reliability, legal status, and infrastructure completeness remain a priority.

Conclusion

Coinbase Exchange demonstrates a mature approach to digital assets. The platform goes beyond just exchange — it offers a full range of functions: from storage and trading to development and corporate integration. It combines trust, security, developed infrastructure, and flexible functionality. Suitable for both individual investors and institutional market participants.

The world of digital assets is being transformed by decentralization. Participants strive for a free, secure, and private environment for operations. This is where the question of what DEX is in cryptocurrency comes to the forefront and why such solutions are becoming increasingly popular among investors and traders worldwide. In this article, we will explore the structure, principles of operation, and differences of decentralized exchanges, as well as provide practical advice on interacting with them.

DEX Exchange – What Is It and How Does It Differ from Centralized Exchanges?

A decentralized exchange is a platform for cryptocurrency exchange that does not have centralized control. All operations are carried out directly between users using smart contracts. There is no need to transfer funds or keys to third parties – transactions occur using blockchain technologies and are automatically executed based on conditions.

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The main difference between DEX and centralized exchanges lies in the absence of intermediaries. The user manages the wallet, maintains privacy, and fully controls their assets. Instead of a single server, the system uses a distributed network where each link is equal.

What Is DEX in Cryptocurrency – Essence and Purpose

A trading network on smart contracts does not require registration, KYC verification, or the transfer of personal data. All interactions take place directly between wallets – usually through browser or mobile interfaces.

The purpose of such platforms is to provide users with freedom from regulation, control over assets, and the ability to trade without external intervention. This is especially relevant in the era of DeFi, where each participant acts as a full owner and operator of funds.

How to Work with DEX – Step-by-Step Approach

The process significantly differs from centralized platforms where a user creates an account. Here, it all starts with connecting a wallet (such as MetaMask or Trust Wallet), after which trading functionality becomes available.

Transactions are manually confirmed by the user, eliminating the possibility of hidden fees or unauthorized actions. Each operation is recorded on the blockchain, ensuring a high level of security and transparency. To understand these features, it is important to grasp what DEX is in cryptocurrency, how they work, and how they differ from traditional platforms with registration, asset storage, and identity checks.

Advantages of Decentralized Exchanges

For those seeking independence, intermediary-free platforms offer a number of key advantages. The main benefits of using such platforms are:

  • no mandatory registration;
  • asset management without intermediaries;
  • high degree of anonymity;
  • resilience to hacking of central servers;
  • direct access to DeFi tools;
  • full compatibility with hardware wallets;
  • independence from sanctions and geographical restrictions.

Each of these points makes a decentralized exchange a logical choice for users valuing freedom and control. Understanding what DEX is in cryptocurrency allows for a conscious choice of trading format and the use of decentralized platforms as an alternative to centralized platforms.

Best DEX Exchanges – What to Look For?

Choosing a platform is a responsible step. Below are the best platforms recognized for their convenience, stability, and wide range of supported assets:

  • Uniswap – the largest platform based on Ethereum, offering a simple interface and high liquidity;
  • PancakeSwap – an alternative for Binance Smart Chain users with low fees;
  • Curve – a platform focused on stablecoins and efficient slippage-free trading;
  • dYdX – an option for advanced trading with leverage;
  • 1inch – an aggregator finding the best rates among multiple DEX;
  • SushiSwap – a functional Uniswap fork with a bonus system.

When choosing a platform, consider the level of liquidity, types of trading pairs, support for smart contracts, and security. These parameters directly affect the convenience and reliability of working with assets. Therefore, it is important to understand what DEX is in cryptocurrency in advance to assess how well a decentralized exchange aligns with your goals and expectations.

Trading Cryptocurrency on DEX – Basic Instructions

To understand how to trade crypto, you need to master basic actions: connecting a wallet, selecting a trading pair, confirming the transaction, and paying the gas fee. The entire process takes minutes but requires attention when choosing an asset and verifying addresses.

It is important to remember that transactions without intermediaries are irreversible, and errors are not refundable. Therefore, carefully check the details before each confirmation.

What Is DEX in Cryptocurrency in the Context of DeFi?

The DeFi movement aims to eliminate intermediaries in all aspects of financial activities. Such platforms are the core of an ecosystem that enables free exchange, staking, farming, and participation in DAO without the intervention of central authorities.

Decentralized exchanges are becoming the foundation of a new paradigm – finance without banks. This is the direction the crypto market is moving towards, making a decentralized exchange a crucial element of the digital future.

Regulation, Risks, and Security

Despite all the advantages, a blockchain exchange is not without challenges. The main ones relate to regulation. The absence of a center complicates control, raising concerns among regulatory bodies. Additionally, there are risks of smart contract hacks, user errors, and insufficient liquidity on some pairs.

Therefore, before starting trading, it is important to familiarize yourself with the platform’s audit, use verified wallets, avoid storing large sums at one address, and monitor gas fees.

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Conclusion

Understanding what DEX is in cryptocurrency gives a trader or investor independence and new tools. These platforms pave the way for transparent, open trading where the user does not need to trust an intermediary – only algorithms and mathematics.

Against the backdrop of global digitization and the development of the DeFi sector, decentralized exchange platforms will continue to grow. It is important to study the principles of their operation, understand the differences from centralized platforms, and learn to use P2P trading platforms as a full-fledged capital management tool.