Web3 is set to change how we use the internet, and every revolutionary change needs innovative enablers and platforms to support the transformation. Today, Web3 projects are flourishing with the help of IDO launchpads – also known as initial decentralized exchange offerings or crypto launchpads. IDO launchpads for Web3 are now becoming the go-to starting point for enthusiasts around the world.
Developers have worked with various fundraising models for crypto projects in the past decade. ICO (Initial Coin Offering) raised millions of dollars for crypto projects since its inception in 2014. At its highest, ICO raised $12,620 million worldwide in 2018. In 2019, Binance Launchpad revolutionized crypto crowdfunding by launching IEO (Initial Exchange Offering). In 2019, IEO saw some of the biggest fundraising of all time. BitTorrent created history by raising $7.2 million in its first IEO. Other IEO success stories include VeriBlock (2019), which raised a staggering $7 million in 10 seconds, and Ocean Protocol (2019) which raised $6 million on the Bittrex Platform.
While the ICO and IEO supported countless crypto and blockchain projects, these platforms lacked the instant liquidity, scalability, and launch speed offered by the initial DEX offering or IDO. Maybe that is the reason for its aggressive popularity. In 2021, initial DEX offerings added crypto assets worth more than $18.7 billion to the industry.
What is a Web 3 IDO Launchpad?
An IDO launchpad is a crowdfunding method for new Web 3 projects. Project owners can raise funds through decentralized exchange platforms by releasing IDO tokens. IDO has a blockchain-based approach that allows people from different backgrounds to contribute. Here is all you need to know about an IDO launchpad –
- IDO allows regular investors to invest in businesses otherwise only open to venture capitalists and large-scale investors.
- Funds are raised by releasing a coin or IDO token. IDO tokens cover any asset with a definite value.
- An IDO launchpad is a decentralized exchange platform hosting and listing potential projects for IDO.
- Companies or individuals wishing to invest in the listed projects must buy their tokens.
- IDO launchpads can be built on multiple blockchains or a specific one.
What Makes IDO Launchpads Indispensable?
According to Cryptorank.io, IDO launchpad developers have created over 83 IDO platforms in the last two years. There are a few reasons why IDO launchpads are now an indispensable part of the industry.
- Beginner-Centric – Unlike typical IPOs, IDO launchpads are beginner-centric. They allow investors to invest in high-potential projects before they are listed publicly. Investors can buy the tokens at a low cost to maximize their ROI.
- Multi-Blockchain Support – A distinguishing feature of IDO launchpads is that many offer multiple blockchain support. An investor may create one account on one platform to participate in various IDOs across blockchains.
- Instant Liquidity – Tokens purchased in an IDO receive access to immediate liquidity, which can help increase the token price.
- Staking Modules – Various staking modules on the IDO launchpads allow users to stake native or blockchain-specific tokens to participate in different staking modules. It will enable them to get a higher IDO token allocation.
- Rewards – To cut through increased competition in the IDO space, many launchpads have begun offering native platform tokens to participants. Some launchpads also reward participants with rare NFTs.
- Predefined Token Price – Most of the popular IDO launchpads define the price of the IDO tokens at the time of whitelisting to avoid confusion.
- Project Screening – All top-ranked IDO launchpads have a thorough screening policy for the projects listed on their platform.
How do Web3 Projects Use IDO Launchpads?
Every IDO launchpad may have a few differences in listing a new project. But the general procedure remains the same. Here is a look at how Web3 projects get listed and raise funds using an IDO launchpad.
- Creating a Business Plan – Every project needs a detailed business plan that showcases the project objectives, the problems your tech solves, and fund allocation for every component.
- Build Credibility through Whitepapers, Websites, and Other Marketing Efforts – Investors wish to see tangible facts and information that helps them believe in your cause. Therefore, Web3 developers should create comprehensive whitepapers outlining the project’s vision and aim and functioning.
- Choose an IDO Launchpad – Various IDO launchpads are suitable for Web3 projects. It is essential that the chosen launchpad suits the project and offers visibility to the right investors. The best IDO launchpads for Web3 projects are listed below.
- Launch the Token & Raise Funds – Investors can prepay for their tokens in a token pool. Once the TGE occurs, shortly after the IDO, the investors will receive their tokens. By conducting an auction, the issuer can achieve a price determined by supply and demand instead of setting a fixed price.
The Top 10 IDO Launchpads for Web3 Projects
IDO launchpads play a strategic role in the success of global Web3 projects. However, when it’s time to choose the best Web3 IDO launchpad, there are more than a few factors to consider. Participants and project owners should strive to find the most secure and functional IDO launchpad for Web3 for sustainable business growth. Basic security checks such as smart contract audits, penetration testing, and the bug bounty program should be prioritized. Not only that but check how many businesses listed on the platform have attained success since their token launch.
Here is a look at the top ten IDO launchpads for Web3 projects –
- DAO Maker – Built on the Ethereum platform, DAO Maker was one of the first to start democratizing access to new projects in the IDO space. As a platform, DAO Maker develops and invests in growth technologies and funding ecosystems that innovate to reduce risks associated with investing in cryptocurrencies. As an IDO launchpad, they are primarily focused on retail-oriented startups.
| DAO MAKER | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Solana, Polygon, HECO Chain |
| Current ROI | 1.08X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 34.09X |
| Number of IDOs | 118 |
| Total Funds Raised | $56.20 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $349.01 |
| Market Capitalisation | $761.53 million |
- Polkastarter – Polkastarter is a permission-free IDO launchpad. It functions on an open source based on Polkadot. Created for cross-chain token pools and bids, the Polkastarter DEX enables Web3 projects to raise funds decentralized. ICO projects may also raise money on Polkastarter by creating a swap pool with a defined token purchase rate. The swap pools preserve the token price throughout the sale until the initial supply has been purchased.
| Polkastarter | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Solana, Polygon, Polkadot, Avalanche C-Chain, Celo |
| Current ROI | 0.49X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 35.21X |
| Number of IDOs | 106 |
| Total Funds Raised | $32.31 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $89.69 |
| Market Capitalisation | $ 496.87 million |
- Seedify – Seedify is a crypto-gaming launchpad created on the play-to-earn revolution. The platform provides initial game offerings (IGO). It enables games to attain crowdsourced funding, improve marketing, and build a gamer community. Any innovator or entrepreneur can submit their work to Seedify to get a vote from the community for their initial fund. Users can earn tokens for upcoming games that are yet to be listed on the exchange.
| Seedify | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Solana, Polygon, Avalanche C-Chain |
| Current ROI | 0.67X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 29.14X |
| Number of IDOs | 60 |
| Total Funds Raised | $20.86 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $258.61 |
| Market Capitalisation | $ 109.71 million |
- Red Kite – Red Kite is a relatively new IDO launchpad that offers a wide range of solutions for Web3 projects to ensure a successful launch. A differentiating factor for Red Kite Pad is that they facilitate investor participation in transparent token sales for new crypto projects. Red Kite enables new projects to overcome the challenges of insufficient capital due to low marketing budgets and mistrust in the market. They leverage their influencers and marketing partners’ network to secure substantial funding for emerging crypto projects.
| Red Kite | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Polygon, Avalanche C-Chain |
| Current ROI | 0.39X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 35.79X |
| Number of IDOs | 77 |
| Total Funds Raised | $10.25 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $110.87 |
| Market Capitalisation | $133.50 million |
- BSC Pad – BSC Pad was the first decentralized IDO platform to support projects on the Binance Smart Chain Network. BSC Pad uses a tiered system to control participation in its IDOs. Users must stake a predefined minimum amount of BSC Pad tokens to access a particular tier on the platform. After that, they may participate in the lottery round or guaranteed allocation. They are hallmarked for their tier system and ensure that every tier gets a fair allocation.
| BSC Pad | |
| Blockchain(s) | BNB |
| Current ROI | 0.49X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 36.23X |
| Number of IDOs | 71 |
| Total Funds Raised | $16.20 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $128.62 |
| Market Capitalisation | $113.14 million |
- Polkabridge – Polkabridge is a multichain and cross-chain decentralized platform that includes farming, AMM, launchpad, NFT, prediction, and many more. Users on Polkabridge can swap tokens on the DOT platform with tokens on other chains and vice versa. They are devising a multichain automated market maker tool that allows users to trade or exchange assets on multiple blockchains. Once fully deployed, the device can support Polygon, Ethereum, Polkadot, Solana, and Binance Smart Chain.
| Polkabridge | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Polygon, Harmony, Moonriver |
| Current ROI | 1.87X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 21.64x |
| Number of IDOs | 23 |
| Total Funds Raised | $2.43 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $480.81 |
| Market Capitalisation | $3.52 million |
- Bullstarter – Deemed to be the most community-oriented decentralised VC and multichain launchpad, Bullstarter is famous for its streamlining functionality. Bullstarter allows users to streamline their crypto journey for transparency and fair allocation. Through a comprehensive screening process, they ensure that all their listed projects are high-quality and have an excellent potential to offer returns. Preferred by IDO participants worldwide, Bullstarter creates tremendous opportunities for people who want to invest in top Web3 projects.
| Bullstarter | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Solana, Polygon, Avalanche C-chain, Tezos |
| Current ROI | 0.48X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 40.27X |
| Number of IDOs | 47 |
| Total Funds Raised | $5.40 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $89.76 |
| Market Capitalisation | $70.96 million |
- GameFi – GameFi is a one-of-a-kind game-specific IDO launchpad that is chain-agnostic. GameFi was designed to be a global melting pot for gamers to meet, play games, and interact with one another. Various other gaming companies provide this service, but it is either exclusive or too expensive. GameFi aims to tokenize its platform and use the power of blockchain to speed up transactions and offer better execution. GameFi is a global one-stop gaming platform catering to investors, gamers, and traders.
| GameFi | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Polygon, Avalanche C-chain, Aptos |
| Current ROI | 0.32X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 47.85X |
| Number of IDOs | 56 |
| Total Funds Raised | $7.93 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $138.52 |
| Market Capitalisation | $116.60 million |
- PAID Network – PAID network is an IDO launchpad that offers a feature-packed infrastructure focused on speed and security. The PAID network unites more than 135k users globally and makes a strong emphasis on educating the consumer about Web3, crypto investing, and cybersecurity through PAID Academy. Web3 projects can maximize their potential with the Ignition launchpad of the PAID network.
| PAID Network | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB |
| Current ROI | 0.39X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 26.19X |
| Number of IDOs | 84 |
| Total Funds Raised | $23.14 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $16.28 |
| Market Capitalisation | $375.48 million |
- Poolz Finance – Poolz Finance was founded in 2020 as a decentralized cross-chain IDO platform focused on promoting the growth of innovative Web3 projects. In the Poolz finance IDO platform, users must participate in a lottery system to determine the token allocation depending on how much $Poolz they own. On average, between 200 and 500 investors participate in each IDO on Poolz. Among all the Web3 projects incubated and launched through Poolz finance IDO launchpad, the projects demonstrated 8X market capitalization growth. The main segments of projects incubated by Poolz are GameFi, DeFi, and Blockchain services.
| Poolz Finance | |
| Blockchain(s) | Ethereum, BNB, Polygon, Avalanche C-chain, Near Protocol, Fuse Network |
| Current ROI | 0.44X |
| ATH AVG ROI | 16.09X |
| Number of IDOs | 120 |
| Total Funds Raised | $17.99 million |
| Min. Entry Value | $710.26 |
| Market Capitalisation | $121.06 million |
Apart from the above-listed IDO launchpads, other noteworthy names include Synapse Network, ScaleSwap, PancakeSwap, and TrustPad.
In conclusion, it would be safe to say that Web3 projects have ample choice of IDO platforms. IDO launchpads play a significant role in the success of Web3 projects. Therefore project owners should think twice before choosing their platform. Based on the statistics above, we see that even relatively small launchpads can bring their communities great returns on investments made. Most IDO launchpads strive to work with all the popular blockchains while partnering with the fastest-growing networks globally. Another meaningful insight from the above statistics is that there is no direct relationship between the platforms’ entry thresholds and the magnitude of funds raised by their incubated projects.
As an investor, you need an appetite for risk in the IDO market, just as any other business. All you need to ensure is that you get the minimum possible risk in the safest and most functional platform among the long list of IDO launchpads for Web3 projects.