Fundraising is a crucial aspect of any new project. It enables innovative projects to secure the necessary capital for development and growth. And that definitely applies in the crypto space.

Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs) are two of the most popular fundraising methods for cryptocurrencies.

This post will explore the best platforms for both ICO listing platforms and IEOs. We will also compare their advantages and disadvantages to help you make an informed decision.

What are ICOs and IEOs?

An Initial Coin Offering is a fundraising tool for projects to raise capital by issuing their native tokens to investors. Participants contribute funds in exchange for the project’s tokens. ICOs offer an alternative to traditional fundraising methods such as Initial Public Offerings or IPO.

An Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) is basically a modified version of the ICO model. In an IEO, a cryptocurrency exchange acts as a trusted intermediary between the project and its potential investors. The exchange may vet the project, conduct due diligence, and list its tokens for sale.

Key differences between ICOs and IEOs

ICOs have a history of scams which has made investors wary of them. The point of IEOs is to address some of the trust and security concerns associated with ICOs.

The main difference between ICOs and IEOs is the involvement of a cryptocurrency exchange in IEOs. IEOs offer higher trust and credibility because the exchange conducts due diligence and acts as a gatekeeper. In contrast, ICOs are typically conducted directly by the project without any intermediary.

So now that we know the difference between the two, let’s get to the point and look at the top platforms for ICOs. These platforms will offer you a vast choice of upcoming and ongoing coin offering.

Best Initial Coin Offering (ICO) Listing Platforms

The following top ICO platforms are not in a specific order. You should try a few of them at least and decide which one suit you the most.

ICO Marks

ICO Marks is a dedicated listing platform with over 8000 ICOs listed so far. It ranks these projects so that investors can have a better understanding of the project’s quality. The ranking is done in three categories: Profile, Social Activity, and Team Proof.

Pros

• A clearly demarcated rating can help investors choose which platform they like faster. Profile ratings are based on publicly available information indicating the project’s health.
• ICO Marks has separate sections for NFTs, DeFi, and Security Token Offerings or STOs.
• It also has a good user interface overall.

Cons

• The subjective opinions of individual reviewers can influence their ratings. These views may not always align with broader market sentiment.

ICO Drops

ICO Drops is one of, if not the most popular ICO listing platforms known for its extensive database.

Pros

• It features a large list of over 900 upcoming ICOs.
• It also has a comprehensive list of past ICOs along with the returns they have given their investors in terms of ETH and BTC. This gives investors evidence of a good past and promising future performance.

Cons

• Many of the listed ICO projects have not been rated by the platforms, making their potential quality unclear. It may also make investors shy away and exclusively turn to the rated projects.
• The sheer number of listed ICOs may also confuse potential investors and make it difficult for them to sort through everything.

ICO Watchlist

ICO Watch List is a listing platform offering detailed information on upcoming and ongoing ICOs. Its listed projects are supposed to go through a round of scrutiny before they make it onto the list.

Pros

• Besides many listed ICOs, the platform has also developed a good amount of supplementary content in the ‘Guides’ section. This content is about how to maneuver the crypto space overall.
• The list of ICOs itself is well-developed as well.
• They also have a list of the best ICOs to invest in, which may make it easier for investors to choose a project.

Cons

• One limitation of ICOwatchlist is its vast database. This may result in some ICOs receiving limited exposure to potential investors.
• It also does not have the most modern interface for attracting new investors. However, the website is still quite functional.

ICO Listing Online

ICO Listing Online was founded in 2018. It is a dedicated listing platform with most of its users located in Asia, Europe, and the US.

Pros

• It has around 1 million active monthly users at the time of writing. This ensures that all listed projects will have decent exposure. If you’re an investor, that means your chosen coin is more likely to get pumped.
• Its fee structure may filter out projects that are not serious or well-funded.

Cons

• It has some lucrative listing fee plans which may bar many projects from getting the best exposure.

Coin Market Cap ICO Calendar

Coin Market Cap is one of the most established resources for information about cryptocurrencies. Its ICO calendar lists some of the popular upcoming ICOs. It segregates ICOs based on which ecosystem they belong to, i.e., BSC or ETH.

Pros

• Being a well-established platform means it can leverage its reputation. This improves the exposure that listed entities receive during their ICOs.

Cons

• The ICO calendar has a relatively small number of active and upcoming ICOs compared to some of the other platforms on this list.

ICO Hot List

ICOhotlist is an independently curated ICO listing platform that focuses on high-quality projects.

Pros

• It has a ‘Hot’ section for projects that the platform finds particularly interesting. The slots on the list are not for sale. This makes it more probable for higher-quality projects to get more attention. ICO Hot list does not endorse any projects. However, note that it may receive compensation for listing projects.
• It also has a healthy number of successful previous ICO. You can find further details about those in the ‘Past ICOs’ section.

Cons

• One limitation of ICO Hot List is that its focus on high-quality projects may lead to a smaller pool of ICOs listed compared to other platforms. This can potentially limit the diversity of investment opportunities available to users.
• In addition to that, it also has a fee for listing projects which may present a barrier to entry, however small it may be.

ICO Bazaar a.k.a. ICO Holder

ICO Holder is a comprehensive ICO listing platform that offers a wide range of information on ICOs. It lists information, including token sale dates, project details, team profiles, and ratings.

Pros

• It has one of the best interfaces on this list. Each project has an overall rating along with a simple graph that considers the following:
• Profile
• Vision
• Activity
• Potential
• Product
• Team

• It also has an extensive database. This may partly be because projects can get listed on the platform for free after submitting all of the relevant details.

Cons

• It does not have a whitelist or a verification system. Any project can get listed without an extensive vetting process. This can expose users to scams or low-quality projects.

Foundico

Foundico is a dedicated ICO listing platform with a great interface. It offers a diverse selection of ICOs, along with detailed project profiles, team information, and token sale dates.

Pros

• Each project has its own card with its rating and the category that it belongs to, i.e., gaming, entertainment, finance, and so on.
• Like the other platforms on this list, it also has a comprehensive rating system. This gives you a quick overview of the project.

• Another unique aspect of Foundico is its ‘Scam’ section listing the tens of projects that turned out to be bad eggs. This may show a level of honesty and owning up to slip-ups that we do not see with other platforms.

Note that Foundico, at least at the time of writing, requires relatively high standards from its projects for enlistment.

Cons

• The website mentions that Foundico’s staff actively moderates all listed projects. This implies that there is probably a fee for the platform’s enlistment. This narrows down the pool of projects that may apply for the listing.

ICO Bench

ICO Bench is a popular ICO listing platform. It features industry experts’ comprehensive and independent ICO ratings.

Pros

ICO Bench’s ratings are supposed to be based on various factors. This includes:

• Tokenomics
• Roadmap and milestones
• Experience
• Development speed
• Project description
• Anonymity
• AMA sessions
• Community size
• Social media
• Potential success

A holistic view like this ensures a well-rounded analysis of each ICO.

Cons

• One drawback of ICO Bench is that the subjective opinions of individual experts can influence its ratings. These experts may not always align with the broader market sentiment.
• Additionally, it does not have the largest number of projects listed that we have seen. Its active list only features around 10 projects at the time of writing. In comparison, ICO Marks has around 170 active ICOs listed.

Top ICO List

Top ICO List is another dedicated ICO listing platform that started back in 2017.

Pros

• It has a long history of listing ICOs.

Cons

• The website looks outdated. But that is a small con compared to the fact that it has a very small number of ICOs listed. There also isn’t any history of past ICOs.

So those are the top 10 ICO listing platforms in 2023. Now, let’s look at the best platforms for IEOs.

Best Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) Platforms

This Initial Exchange Offering platform list is not sorted from top to low. Each of these top IEO platform will offer different coins and token sale.

You might want to use multiple IEO platform in order to access a wider range of opportunity.

Binance Launchpad

Binance Launchpad is the IEO platform of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Binance has the most daily trading volume and the highest number of weekly visits among exchanges all over the world.

Pros

• Since it has such a stellar reputation, it offers high visibility and credibility to listed projects.
• Listed projects also continue to get support and advice from Binance after they have gotten listed. This strengthens their position for the future and helps protect your investment.

Cons

• The primary drawback of Binance Launchpad is the intense competition for listings. This can make it difficult for smaller projects to secure a spot on the platform.
• Additionally, Binance’s high listing fees and strict requirements may pose challenges for projects with limited resources.

OKX Jumpstart

OKX is one of the 12 biggest exchanges in the world in terms of daily trading volume and weekly visitors.

Pros

• OKX Jumpstart offers a prominent IEO platform with a strong reputation.
• OKX’s user base and global presence enhance the credibility and reach of IEOs launched on the platform. The exchange also provides marketing support, which can be valuable for projects seeking to gain traction.

Cons

• One potential downside of OKX Jumpstart is the same as the one with Binance: the platform’s potentially high competition for listing. This may make it difficult for smaller projects to gain visibility and secure a spot. Furthermore, all potential enlistees need to have a specified number of OKX coins for staking.
• Potential investors also have to hold the exchange’s native tokens, OKB, in order to participate in a project’s token sale.

Huobi Prime

Houbi is the 3rd most visited exchange in the world on a weekly basis. It was launched in 2013 in Beijing and has a large Asian user base.

There is a voting process for projects to make it to their ‘Prime List.’ IEO projects selected by this method are selected by the Huobi community itself.

Pros

• Huobi’s Prime platform provides projects looking for a good IEO platform with a global user base and extensive support from a global exchange. Its reputation helps ensure that only high-quality projects are listed, adding credibility to IEOs hosted on the platform.
• There is a limit of 1000 Houbi Tokens available for trading when you participate in any token’s listing process. This prevents whales from swooping over too many of the new project’s coins.

Cons

• Huobi Prime’s selection process and listing fees may pose challenges for smaller projects looking to launch an IEO on the platform.
• Additionally, Houbi Prime may have a minimum holding period for its native token for users. If you do not have the specified number of tokens for the specified time period, you may not be able to participate in the token sale.

KuCoin Spotlight

KuCoin is an exchange popular outside of North America. It was founded in 2017 in Seychelles. Most of its user base seems to be centered around Asia.

Pros

• Its Spotlight platform offers a user-friendly IEO experience backed by the exchange’s growing user base and commitment to transparency.
• There also isn’t any native coin-holding period requirement for you to be eligible to buy a token that is on sale.

Cons

• KuCoin Spotlight offers a more accessible IEO platform for smaller projects. But its user base and global reach may not be as extensive as those of larger exchanges like Binance or OKX. This could limit the exposure and fundraising potential for IEOs hosted on the platform.

Gate.io Startup

Gate.Io is the 5th biggest crypto exchange in terms of weekly user visits at the time of writing.

It launched Startup back in 2019 during the IEO boom.

Pros

• It has launched over 700 different projects. This is a very healthy number considering that Binance Launchpad has only done around a tenth as many of these.
• It has a low entry barrier for investors. You only need to have a verified Gate.io account and hold some GT tokens, which are the native tokens of the Gate.io exchange.
• Besides a simple order system, it also has a fair and random lottery system, which allocates the tokens to the participants based on their GT holdings and their luck.

Cons

• It has eligibility requirements for KYC and a minimum holding amount of $500 or VIP 1.

Bitforex Turbo

Bitdoewx is an exchange based in Hong Kong and was founded in 2017. It has the 5th biggest daily trading volume among cryptocurrency exchanges.

Pros

• It has a maximum trading limit like other exchanges to limit whales.
• Also, there doesn’t seem to be any holding period required for you to be eligible to buy a token.

Cons

• The platform seems relatively inactive at the time of writing. The last completed sale was back in August 2022.
• Another potential downside of Bitforex Turbo is its smaller user base compared to larger exchanges like Binance or OKX. This may limit the exposure and fundraising potential for IEOs hosted on the platform.

ProBit Launchpad

Porbit is one of the 20 biggest exchanges in the world in terms of the daily market trading volume. It has more than 2 million active monthly users at the time of writing.

Pros

• It has listed hundreds of projects so far, with over 30 million dollars in funds raised. This makes it quite a well-established platform for IEOs.

Cons

• Although ProBit Launchpad provides an accessible IEO platform, its user base and global reach may not be as extensive as those of larger exchanges.

LATOKEN IEO

Latoken Is one Of The 30 Biggest exchanges in the world, ranked by trust scores, according to Coin Gecko.

Pros

• It has a helpful verification score which helps potential investors make quicker decisions. It is a 5-point system, and each point is for one of the following:
  • Token Issuer
  • Founders and Team Members
  • Advisors
  • Fundraising rounds
  • Partnerships

Cons

• It only has few listed projects. This may reflect hurdles in projects for getting enlisted or the lack of potential interest in projects.

ByBit Launchpad

ByBit is a renowned exchange known for its low fees and top-of-the-line crypto derivative products. Although the exchange launched in 2018, the launchpad came into play in late 2021, with its own token, BIT, as the debut listing.

Pros

• Unlike other launchpads, ByBit offers a dual sale, straight-up subscription, and riskier lottery models. This may attract investors that have a knack for gambling entertainment.

Cons

• There are not many listed projects in the past IEO list. The last project’s sale was around the end of 2022, which makes the last active sale around four full months ago from the time of writing.

BitMart Launchpad

BitMart is an exchange established in 2017 that allows you to trade over 1000 different cryptocurrencies. It is one of the top 30 exchanges ranked by trust scores by coin market cap.

Pros

• It seems to have fewer onboarding requirements than other platforms.
• There also do not seem to be any eligibility requirements, like a minimum holding period, for participating in a new token sale.

Cons

• It is a lesser-known exchange. Its listed projects may not get as much exposure as possible.
• The project listings are also mixed in with flash sales of other products like NFT or coin flash sales. This makes it hard for investors to find the objects they may be looking for.

Conclusion

Selecting the right platform for an ICO or IEO is a critical decision for cryptocurrency projects. The right platform choice largely depends on your project’s unique requirements. But, it is crucial to conduct thorough research and due diligence before making a decision.

The same goes for investors looking for the right platform to invest in.

By carefully evaluating each platform’s features and exposure, you can maximize the chances of a successful investment. The same features are what projects looking to get listed should look for in an ICO and IEO platform.