Important preface: Much of what is said about “listing fees” is rumor and varies greatly by project, timing, and internal exchange policies. Binance has official listing processes, Launchpad/Launchpool products, and due-diligence-based approvals; some projects list through compliance and strong fundamentals without paying third-party fees.
Listing a token on Binance — one of the world’s top centralized exchanges — requires a substantial investment. The total cost includes marketing commitments, liquidity requirements, token allocation, and compliance deposits. Based on industry estimates and insider reports, the breakdown is as follows:
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Token allocation (Airdrops & Marketing)
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Community airdrops: ~4% of total token supply.
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1% airdropped to new Binance Web3 Wallet users.
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3% distributed over 6 months to existing users.
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Marketing allocation: 1% of total supply, managed by Binance for promotional use.
✅ Subtotal: Around 5% of total token supply.
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Liquidity and deposit requirements
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Liquidity provision: The project must lock liquidity worth at least $1 million for 90 days or $600,000 for 180 days.
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Security deposit: $250,000 USDC as a compliance guarantee (may be reduced to $100,000 if listed on other major exchanges).
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Optional listing programs (extra cost)
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BNB Holder Program: An additional 3% token allocation.
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Affiliate & marketing support: Around $200,000 worth of tokens or cash.
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BNB deposit: Up to $2 million worth of BNB as a long-term listing guarantee.
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Overall estimate
In total, listing on Binance typically costs between 5%–8% of total token supply, plus several million USD in cash and liquidity commitments.
This explains why Binance listings are usually reserved for well-funded, reputable, and community-backed projects.