How to spot a promising coin before a CEX listing — a beginner’s guide

A few years ago, the crypto industry often invoked the “Coinbase effect” — a sudden surge in an asset’s price after it was listed on the American exchange. Over time the venue has become less conservative in its coin selection, and recently its CEO, Brian Armstrong, even suggested revisiting how they are assessed, noting that 1m tokens are created every week.

With the flood of new projects, post-listing price pops are less dramatic. Yet traders can still profit from discrepancies between prices on small CEX/DEX venues and the moment an asset reaches a major platform. To exploit this, it helps to understand how analysts select assets for listing.

We spoke with Mukhtar Beisembayev, an assistant in MEXC’s listings team, and the trader collective Mr. Trader Pro. They set out how to spot a promising token before it hits an exchange.

Halt, who goes there

According to Beisembayev, MEXC and most other CEXs do not disclose their precise assessment methods, as these are a key competitive advantage.

“But I will lift the veil and show a vector for orientation, so that you correctly assess the potential of this or that coin before investing in it with a view to a future listing,” he said.

His first recommendation is to use project data from analytics platforms such as DEX Screener, Messari and DappRadar. They help you examine the team, social channels, roadmap and other key aspects of a token. Start with the number of holders and the vibrancy of the community.

“Activity on X and Telegram contributes to its overall market traction. Always pay attention to the community — it determines 99% of a coin’s success,” Beisembayev stresses.

For a token to make it onto MEXC, a project goes through several stages:

• application. The team submits a form with detailed information about the asset, its functions and its developers;
• security review. The exchange assesses the token’s compliance with regulatory demands and security standards;
• assessment. MEXC studies the project’s market potential, competitive advantages and likely investor interest;
• listing terms. Key parameters are discussed: listing fee, market-maker arrangements, expected trading volumes and marketing activity. A listing date is then announced;
• go-live. On the appointed day the cryptocurrency becomes available to buy and sell on the platform.

When screening projects, the exchange weighs community support, liquidity, tokenomics and the team. Below we look at these criteria in more detail.

Community

Beisembayev highlights the following minimum thresholds when gauging activity on X and Telegram:

• followers on X — from 20,000;
• average views and likes per post — 10% of the follower count;
• average number of comments — 10;
• Telegram subscribers — from 5,000;
• users online — 10% of the subscriber count;
• chat messages per hour — around 15 comments.

Follower counts can be deceptive, as they are relatively easy to fake. Analyse engagement instead: likes, reposts and the substance of comments — are there meaningful discussions of the project, or boilerplate posts from bots? The cadence and depth of discussion signal genuine interest.

“If a project’s chats have 50,000 participants but only five messages a day, the audience is ‘dead’. We also look at influencers: if well-known traders and respected crypto figures promote the project, that is a good sign,” concludes the Mr. Trader Pro team.

Liquidity

This is a measure of an asset’s market demand. The higher the liquidity, the easier it is to buy or sell without moving the price much. That lowers investment risk and makes trading simpler.

When assessing the liquidity of a new project, consider:

• CEX listing. If the token is on tier-2 exchanges such as Bitmart or LBANK, it should show a stable daily trading volume of at least $50,000 and have 2% depth;
• DEX turnover. If it trades only on decentralised exchanges, make sure daily on-chain transaction volume exceeds $100,000.

These metrics help judge how easily and safely you can trade the asset.

Tokenomics and the team

In Beisembayev’s view, effective tokenomics feature a balanced distribution, lock-up periods for the team and early investors, and incentives for holders.

“Look for projects with a thoughtful distribution strategy that rewards early participants while ensuring long-term viability. Avoid assets where a large share of the supply is concentrated in a few hands,” he notes.

Mr. Trader Pro adds that if the team holds 50% of the supply and another 30% went to a private token sale, there is little left for retail. In such a case, a CEX listing often ends in a dump.

A healthier distribution looks different: there is a community and DEX liquidity, and the team does not control most of the supply. Such balance reduces the risk of sharp sell-offs after listing.

To stay in demand, a coin needs real utility and the ability to solve user problems. If a project fits organically into a popular narrative, it has an edge.

“AI, DeFi 2.0, L2 solutions, RWA and ZK rollups are in vogue now. If a project operates in one of these niches, it is worth a look,” comment Mr. Trader Pro.

Beisembayev also recommends studying:

• the white paper and roadmap. These should clearly set out development plans, milestones and a long-term strategy;
• the team’s social media. Review the founders’ and developers’ profiles. Their reputations, experience and past projects say a lot about a new coin’s prospects;
• marketing activity. You will not retain a community without hackathons, partnership events and other initiatives;
• partnerships and investors. If well-known venture funds back the project or it collaborates with major influencers, its chances improve. The choice of market maker also matters.

“Support from funds like a16z, YZi Labs and Animoca is a strong signal, because their projects make it onto CEXs more often. An additional plus is integration with Solana, Ethereum, TON and other top blockchains,” add representatives of Mr. Trader Pro.

Finally, before listing, a project should pass legal checks and provide a smart-contract security audit from CertiK or other firms.

Conclusions

For a project to list on a centralised exchange such as MEXC, an active community is paramount — Mukhtar Beisembayev says it largely determines success. Exchange analysts gauge not only follower counts but also engagement.

Another important criterion is token liquidity. If a project already trades on tier-2 venues or posts strong DEX volumes, its odds of listing rise. To maximise them, teams should plan token distribution carefully, complete security audits and attract strategic investors.

Even so, such investments are risky. Even if a token ticks all the boxes and has strong chances of listing, its prospects depend on many factors, including overall market conditions. Do not invest more than you can afford to lose.