A token launch checklist covers six phases: (1) legal and tokenomics, (2) contracts, audits, and custody, (3) liquidity and market making, (4) venues and exchange applications, (5) launch-day communications and monitoring, and (6) the first 90 days after TGE. The items that most often go wrong are signing a market maker too late, unclear circulating supply and unlocks, and announcing before the exchange does. Start liquidity planning at least several weeks before the target date.
Key takeaways
- Fix circulating supply and unlocks first; every exchange and market maker will ask.
- Sign the market maker before the listing date is set, not after.
- Position tokens and stablecoins on venues before trading opens.
- Never announce a CEX listing before the exchange does.
Phase 1: Legal and tokenomics
- Entity and jurisdiction confirmed; legal and token structuring advice taken.
- Legal opinion on the token, if target exchanges require one (KuCoin does).
- Total supply, allocation, and vesting finalised; tokenomics design.
- Circulating supply at TGE calculated and documented, with wallet addresses.
- Unlock calendar for the first 12 months published.
Phase 2: Contracts, audits, and custody
- Contracts audited by a third party; findings fixed and report published. See smart contract audits.
- Contracts verified on the block explorer.
- Treasury on a multisig with documented signers. See custody and wallet security.
Phase 3: Liquidity and market making
- Market-maker proposals compared on the same scope. See how to choose a market maker.
- Structure chosen: retainer, token loan, profit share, or LP-side.
- KPIs in the contract: spread, depth at ±2%, uptime. See market maker KPIs.
- Inventory sized: tokens and stablecoins per venue. See how much liquidity you need.
- DEX pool planned: pair, fee tier, range, and lock. See DEX liquidity.
Phase 4: Venues and applications
- Target exchanges chosen; see tier 1 vs tier 2.
- Applications submitted through official forms by a core team member; see how to get listed on a CEX.
- MiCA white paper prepared if you want EEA availability; see MiCA white papers.
- CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap applications ready; see data aggregator listings.
Phase 5: Launch day
- Announcement timing agreed with each exchange (never before the exchange).
- Market maker quoting from the first minute; deposits and withdrawals tested.
- Monitoring dashboard for spread, depth, and price gaps between venues.
- Community and support channels staffed; scam-warning pinned. See community management.
Phase 6: The first 90 days
- Weekly market-maker reports reviewed against KPIs.
- Unlocks prepared with the market maker; see token unlocks and liquidity.
- Next venues and any perp listing planned; see perp DEX listings.
- Delisting risks reviewed; see why tokens get delisted.
Frequently asked questions
How long before TGE should we hire a market maker?
Early enough to negotiate terms, open exchange accounts, and move inventory, which in practice means several weeks before the listing date. Signing in the final days leaves no time to compare proposals or fix KPIs.
Should we launch on a DEX or a CEX first?
Both routes are common. A DEX launch is permissionless and creates an on-chain price; a CEX launch reaches exchange users but depends on the exchange’s decision. Many teams do a coordinated launch with a DEX pool and one or more CEXs. See CEX vs DEX liquidity.
What is the most common token launch mistake?
Unclear supply. If circulating supply, unlocks, and treasury wallets are not documented and disclosed, exchanges and traders assume the worst, and data aggregators show inconsistent numbers.
Do we need a trading competition at launch?
Not always. Competitions help bring first traders to a new pair, especially on perp DEXes, but only with a market maker quoting and rules that reward real trading. See trading competitions.
Launching a token in the next few months?
We introduce launch teams to vetted market makers that can quote from the first minute, deploy liquidity alongside yours, and run trading competitions. Free for projects.
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