The ideal way to launch – introducing token sales on Coinbase

Coinbase is setting a new standard for how projects go to market, by creating a balanced and transparent token sales platform for both issuers and users. For users, that means equitable access to their favorite tokens with clear disclosures and transparent terms. For issuers, that means distribution to Coinbase’s global retail user base, a sale design optimized for the long term health of the project, and building deep exchange liquidity. 

Coinbase is providing access for the retail community across most regions globally at launch, with plans to expand in the future. For the first time since 2018, users in the United States will now be able to widely participate – a huge win for the American cryptoeconomy. We are hosting the first token sale from November 17-22; follow @Coinbase on X for more details. 

A New Standard for Token Sales

Unlike "first-come, first-served" sales that fail to reach a project’s real community, our token sale design prioritizes the many over the few. Here’s how it works:

• "Filling up from the bottom": Our algorithm is designed to promote broader distribution and limit asset concentration among large purchasers. This will typically result in more complete allocation for participants requesting the lowest amounts while progressively filling larger requests until the supply is exhausted.

• Request window: Token sales hosted on Coinbase will be open for a finite amount of time (e.g., one week). Users can come in at any point during this window to submit their request for tokens. Once the window closes, our algorithm determines the final allocation for everyone.

• Putting users first: We created a sale design that rewards higher allocation priority to true supporters first. Users that sell their tokens shortly after they get listed (less than 30 days) may receive smaller allocations in subsequent sales. This is designed to prioritize access to a project’s real users.

Transparency for Issuers and Users

We believe the new standard for token sales requires clarity from all sides.

• Industry-leading disclosures: Coinbase requires issuers to provide key disclosures for the user. This ensures you are informed about the project, the tokenomics, and the team behind the token before making a purchase decision.

• Issuer lock-up and price discovery: Issuers and their affiliates will be limited from selling any tokens over-the-counter (OTC) or in secondary markets for six months after the public sale on Coinbase. Any sale would need to be approved by Coinbase, publicly disclosed, and require lockups so that the tokens can only unlock after the six month mark or later. 

• No fees for listing or participating: There are no fees to users for participating in token sales. Coinbase charges the issuer a fee as a percentage of the amount of USDC received by the issuer from the sale. The fee is for the token sale only – Coinbase does not charge listing fees.

We will be hosting approximately one token sale per month, to ensure each sale has the full support and attention of our platform and community, while maintaining the highest standards. In the coming months, we plan to add features to our token sales platform including limit orders and higher allocations for issuers' target user bases.

This is just the beginning. With Coinbase, we’re redefining how tokens reach real users — building a fairer, more sustainable future for crypto from the ground up.

Assets that launch on Coinbase token sales will be added to the Coinbase listings roadmap. 

To read more about our first token sale, click here.

Disclosures

Purchasing digital assets comes with risk. Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. This sale is not a recommendation or endorsement of any digital asset or project. The utility, future value, and market for this asset are speculative and subject to change. Consult your own independent advisors before making any decisions based on the content of this site.

Coinbase receives fees from the seller for providing the token sale and may have, now or in the future, financial interests or receive compensation for services related to the asset or project referenced. Participation limited to select jurisdictions. By participating, you agree to the terms here.