CEX Listing Fees
- MEXC: $50k;
- BitMart: $30-60k;
- Gate.io: $200k;
- Kucoin: $250k;
- Bybit: $500-800k;
- Binance: (% of token supply/BNB stake)
A basic trio many go with is MEXC, Gate, Kucoin, so you’re looking at $500k minimum.
Market Making Fees
Retainer (passive) is usually the most transparent model, but can cost 520k/month. Let’s average that to $10k/month, and you’re looking at $120k/year.
MM Inventory
When your token gets listed on a CEX, the market maker needs you to allocate inventory (your token + a quote asset like USDT or USDC).
Some rough figures:
- MEXC/Gate.io: ~$25k (ea.)
- Kucoin/Bybit: $50k–75k (ea.)
That’s another $100k–$150k just sitting there, not working capital.
DEX Liquidity
KOLs often only promote DEX-listed tokens, and it can provide another revenue stream to your treasury..
But it is not cheap. For a token to trade at around $10m in market cap, you will need to deploy around $500k in cash, and then $500k in tokens into a liquidity pool. Let’s just focus on the cash outlay.
Total Cost (1st Year)
Expenses Estimated Cost
DEX Liquidity ~$500k
CEX Listing Fees ~$500k
Market Making Fees ~$120k
MM Inventory ~$150k
All this – before you spend a single dollar on buybacks, KOLs, or liquidity incentives!
You’re looking at a minimum cost of: ~$1.5 million