Token teams usually find market makers through four routes: introductions from investors, exchanges, or advisers; direct outreach to firms’ official channels; referral services such as CEX Ready; and inbound offers, which deserve the most scepticism. Send each candidate the same short brief (token, chain, venues, timing, inventory, preferred structure), ask for a written proposal with KPIs, verify the firm’s legal entity and references, and allow several weeks before your listing date.
Key takeaways
- Use warm introductions where possible: investors, advisers, or a disclosed referral service.
- Send a standard brief so proposals are comparable.
- Verify the entity and people; impersonation of known firms happens on Telegram.
- Start weeks before the listing date.
Four routes, compared
| Route | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Investor or adviser introduction | Pre-vetted, warm | Limited choice |
| Direct outreach to a firm | You choose who | Slow; may not reply to small projects |
| Introduction service (disclosed) | Fast; matched to your profile | Ask how they are paid |
| Inbound offers | Effortless | Highest risk of impersonation or volume schemes |
The brief to send
Copy this and fill it in:
- Token: name, ticker, chain, contract address
- Venues: current DEX/CEX, target exchanges and dates
- Supply: circulating, total, unlocks in the next 12 months
- Inventory: tokens and stablecoins you can commit
- Structure: retainer, token loan, profit share, LP-side, or open
- Extras: trading competition, perp markets, reporting needs
- Decision maker: who signs and when
You can also send it to us via the listing form and we will introduce you to a vetted partner.
Verify before you sign
- Legal entity and registered address; who signs.
- References from current clients you can call.
- Pairs they say they quote: check spread and depth yourself.
- A contract banning wash trading, with KPIs and reporting.
- See red flags and questions to ask.
Get a free introduction
If you would rather not cold-email firms, CEX Ready can introduce you to a vetted market-making partner for free. A partner may pay us a disclosed referral fee. Compare its proposal with any others using the agreement checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How do we find a market maker for a small-cap token?
Use the same routes, but scope the brief smaller: one exchange and pair, spread and depth targets your inventory can support, and the stablecoins and tokens you can commit. Ask each firm early whether your size fits its minimums, if it has any. Be strictest with inbound offers that promise volume or listings. See market making for small-cap tokens and what it costs for a small token.
Where can I find a market maker for a new token?
Through investor and adviser networks, exchange business-development contacts, the firm’s own website and verified channels, and introduction services. CEX Ready introduces token projects to a vetted market-making partner for free and discloses that it may receive a referral fee.
What should I send a market maker first?
Token name and ticker, chain and contract, current and target venues, listing date, circulating supply and unlocks, the inventory you can commit, and your preferred structure (retainer, loan, profit share, or LP-side).
How do I avoid fake market makers?
Contact firms only through channels listed on their official website, verify the legal entity, never send tokens before a signed contract with named accounts, and be suspicious of unsolicited Telegram offers promising volume or price.