Listing of a crypto coin can be conducted by startups independently. It is not that difficult in theory — you just need to submit your documents and wait for a reply. This process is somewhat similar to obtaining a visa or applying for a job.

However, in practice, startups often face an incredible amount of problems trying to get listed on crypto exchanges. Lack of experience and improper preparation will make this process long, expensive, and in many cases eventually useless. Unsuccessful listing can result in huge financial losses, which will be especially harmful for small-cap projects.

This is where the services of specialized listing companies come in handy — along with their experience and partnerships with exchanges. You pay for the saved time and effort you would rather spend on extra marketing for your startup — and you won’t have to worry that your coin fails to get listed.

How is listing conducted?

All crypto exchanges have different approaches. In general, a candidate needs to fill out a form, enclosing all available documentation, and specifying contact details. The set of required documents may vary.

Smaller platforms usually do not require much. Regular technical and legal documents will be enough. In some cases, they are not needed at all. The easiest case is when the project is based on an existing network — for example, Ethereum or EOS.

Top exchanges, such as Binance or Bittrex, obviously, have strict requirements. They carefully verify the technical condition of your coin and its legal aspects. It is critical for them to operate 100% legally; for listing applicants this usually means long and boring legal procedures. Additionally, involvement of intermediaries makes communication time-consuming — and there is no guarantee that your coin will be accepted in the first place.

Mid-sized exchanges offer the same streamlined processes (which means your coin can get listed faster), yet aren’t bogged down in bureaucracy. Still, it doesn’t mean that they won’t check your project properly for the same reasons why top exchanges do.

Top exchanges by trade volume on CoinMarketCap

Most exchanges charge a listing fee. The size of the fee can be either fixed or dependent on the terms of the contract. It is usually between $10,000 and $100,000. On some platforms, the listing fee can reach up to $1,000,000. Moreover, sometimes exchanges set a certain fee for the very fact of checking a candidate, even in cases when the coin gets eventually rejected.

It is important to understand that getting listed on the exchange does not mean that the coin will remain there forever. Usually, the contract specifies the terms of removal. In 90% of cases, they are associated with low trading volume.

Why would you need to outsource the listing of your coin?

First of all, if you are not experienced in the subtleties of listing, a specialized company has walked this path many times — enough to lead you safely without wasting your precious time.

Second, good listing companies build partnerships with reputable exchanges, getting exclusive listing discounts and special offers for the clients they bring. It means you are most likely to enter a reliable network and get listed for a lower price than exchanges would directly offer.

Finally, a listing company can offer a custom package of services for your project. Depending on your goals and your budget, they can select a number of essential exchanges and take over negotiations so that your team can concentrate on project and marketing activities.

The services they can provide typically include the following.

Consultation

The consulting business is very appreciated in the crypto industry. Working on a blockchain project requires the participation of experts from different realms. There are not as many good specialists in this new niche as we would like to have.

Moreover, sometimes the formal rules published on crypto exchanges do not clearly describe their requirements for candidates and the procedure itself. Some platforms only give the phrase: “Please fill out the form and wait for a reply.” They do not indicate any special requirements. A proper consultation can shed light on the exact requirements put forth by a particular exchange. You’ll know what to expect and how long it would take.

Audit

An audit is a complete review of all components and business processes of a project. It helps to identify all shortcomings and discrepancies beforehand, so that they do not emerge during the audit conducted by exchange representatives. Listing companies know what matters and what doesn’t — and thus they can help you prevent rejection.

Preparation of documents

There is a certain set of documents, which is required by every more or less stable exchange. You’ll need to make it once, but it must be perfect. Usually, it includes technical documentation describing each subsystem of your blockchain network and legal documents. A listing company can help you form this set, which you’ll be able to reuse when applying on other exchanges.

Communication with exchange management

As we already mentioned, communication with representatives of cryptocurrency exchanges can be problematic for startups. Specialized companies have an advantage here. Some of them have business partnerships or even are personally familiar with the management of many exchanges. This naturally makes communication effective and bring success to negotiations.

Post-listing support

Getting listed is just the first step. Afterwards, you will face the tough task of maintaining relevance and trade volume of your coin, boost its liquidity on the crypto market and promote it further. This is where a listing company will get the most out of listing and help you focus on marketing and project matters.