Are Binance listing fees required? Changpeng “CZ” Zhao says projects are not obligated to pay listing fees; exchanges list by merit, and decentralized alternatives allow projects to self-list or pursue permissionless markets without paying centralized listing demands.
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Exchanges do not legally require projects to pay listing fees — listing is typically discretionary.
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Reports and community claims have alleged requests up to 10% of token supply during some listing discussions.
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Decentralized options such as permissionless DEXes provide alternative listing paths with lower gatekeeping costs.
Are Binance listing fees required? Learn why CZ says projects aren’t obligated to pay fees and what alternatives exist — read the full analysis from COINOTAG.
By COINOTAG — Published: October 15, 2025 • Updated: October 15, 2025
Are Binance listing fees required?
Are Binance listing fees required? No — according to Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, crypto projects are not under any obligation to pay listing fees; exchanges evaluate assets and may list by merit. Centralized exchange listings are one route, while decentralized and permissionless platforms present viable, fee-minimized alternatives.
Can projects avoid paying Binance listing fees?
Yes. CZ publicly advised teams not to pay listing airdrops or “fees” to exchanges and stressed that strong projects attract listings organically. Industry conversations and social media posts have alleged that some processes involved sizable requests — in certain reports, figures as high as 10% of token supply were cited — but these remain claims reported by community observers and industry commentators. Projects can pursue:
- Permissionless DEX deployments and self-listing mechanisms.
- Liquidity mining and community-led listings to build on-chain demand.
- Strategic partnerships with market makers and aggregator listings that don’t require centralized airdrops.
What did Changpeng Zhao say about listing fees?
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao responded to community concerns by saying projects are not obliged to pay listing fees and advising projects to avoid paying if they can. He argued that exchanges will compete to list strong projects and that projects should consider decentralized options if they face onerous demands. His message, shared via social media commentary, emphasizes voluntary negotiation rather than mandatory payments.
Unpopular opinion post:
On Listing “Fees” (saw this a few times recently)
1. If you are a project complaining about listing airdrops or “fees” (to users),
Don’t pay it.
If your project is strong, exchanges will race to list your coin.
If you have to beg an exchange to list,…
— CZ 🔶 BNB — October 15, 2025
How are different exchanges approaching listings?
Exchanges follow varied practices: some list broadly and prioritize growth and coverage, while others curate assets more selectively and may request airdrops, marketing commitments, or additional guarantees. Centralized exchanges offer liquidity and visibility that many projects value, but these advantages can come with implicit or explicit expectations. Plain-text industry reporting and social media statements have described a spectrum of approaches rather than a single standardized policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do exchanges sometimes request for listings?
Allegations from community reports and industry observers have described requests ranging from airdrops to significant token allocations; some reports cited figures up to 10% of token supply in specific cases. These are allegations reported in industry forums and social media, not verified contractually for all listings.
Can a small project get listed without paying fees?
Yes. Projects that demonstrate strong fundamentals, active communities, and on-chain activity can attract listings based on merit. Alternatively, teams can use permissionless decentralized exchanges and liquidity initiatives to gain market exposure without centralized listing demands.
Background and evidence
Recent community debate reignited after social media posts and industry commentary questioned certain listing practices. Statements from Changpeng Zhao and comments from other founders, including the founder of Limitless and representatives from decentralized platforms, were central to the discussion. Hyperliquid, for instance, described a permissionless model that dispenses with traditional listing gatekeepers and relies on protocol-level gas fees and deployer incentives.
On Hyperliquid, there is no listing fee, no listing department, and no gatekeepers.
Spot deployment on Hyperliquid is permissionless. Anyone can deploy a spot asset by paying a gas fee in HYPE. Deployers can choose to receive up to 50% of trading fees on their spot pairs.…
— Hyperliquid — October 15, 2025
Authoritative signals referenced in coverage include public social media posts from industry leaders, on-chain token allocation data as reported by blockchain explorers, and independent analyses by industry research groups (all mentioned here as plain text references to their public reporting). These sources indicate a range of listing behaviors across centralized and decentralized platforms.
Key Takeaways
- Listing is discretionary: Exchanges decide which tokens to list; projects are not legally required to pay listing fees.
- Allegations exist: Community reports have alleged that some listing discussions included requests up to 10% of token supply.
- Alternatives are viable: Permissionless DEXs and self-led liquidity programs allow projects to obtain market access without centralized listing demands.
Conclusion
Binance’s founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao reiterated that projects are not obligated to pay listing fees, reinforcing that strong projects can secure listings based on merit and that decentralized, permissionless options exist as alternatives. Industry reporting and public statements have highlighted disputed practices and alleged token allocation requests; projects should evaluate listing routes, prioritize on-chain fundamentals, and consider permissionless deployments when appropriate. COINOTAG will continue to monitor official statements, on-chain data, and community reporting for updates.
Sources (plain text): statements by Changpeng “CZ” Zhao; Hyperliquid public commentary; community reports and on-chain token allocation data — all referenced as public domain statements and industry reporting.
