While ICOs (initial coin offerings) and IEOs (initial exchange offerings) are tried and tested methods of raising money for crypto projects, crypto launchpads and IDO platforms are beginning to prove increasingly popular.
In short, these mechanisms allow developers to initiate a crowdfunding process on a decentralized exchange, avoiding the regulatory uncertainty, market saturation and lack of investor protection often associated with the ICO process.
With this in mind, our team of researchers have compiled a definitive list of the best crypto launchpads and IDO platforms available today, with Seedify 2, BSCPad 2, and Bull Starter emerging as top picks.
Our picks of the best crypto ICO launchpad platforms in 2024
Before we look at our top token launchpads in detail, here is a brief overview of each.
- DAO Maker: Since its inception in 2019, DAO Maker has raised more than $70 million in funding for various crypto projects. The platform offers a unique financing model called ‘Strong Holder Offers,’ which favors more credible, experienced investors when allocating tokens.
- Seedify: With a heavy focus on web3 projects, Seedify has launched 72 IDOs and raised more than $26 million since it was founded in 2020.
- BSCPad: Boasting project success stories such as Fight of the Ages, Tidez and Movez, BSCPad offers a unique ‘first come first served’ token allocation mechanism.
- BullStarter: Part of the BullPerks ecosystem, BullStarter is a highly versatile IDO platform, with compatibility across six different blockchains.
- Polkastarter: A launchpad tied to the Polkadot blockchain, with a unique ‘Pool Generation Event’ model to ensure fairness in token distribution.
- Enjinstarter: Created by renowned NFT gaming player Enjin, this launchpad brings its own native token, which can be staked for a range of rewards and incentives.
A closer look at the best IDO launchpad platforms
With a broad range of different projects identified, let’s now take a closer look at the features and attributes of each, in addition to some pros and cons.
1. DAO Maker: The biggest crypto launchpad by market cap
With more than $70 million raised and a market capitalization exceeding $250 million, DAO Maker is evidently one of the biggest and most trustworthy crypto launchpads on the market today.
DAO Pad, the platform’s native launchpad, offers an innovative solution called Strong Holder Offerings (SHOs). This lottery-style funding mechanism is designed to prioritize ‘credible’ and experienced investors in the token allocation process.
The platform also offers ‘venture bonds’, which entitle investors to guaranteed returns from staking their cryptocurrency. This product is designed to address a prominent issue in product funding, whereby investors can miss out if they don’t purchase the right amount of tokens.
DAO Maker also has a native token, $DAO, with considerable utility. Token holders have voting rights within the ecosystem, access to premium features, and a range of staking benefits.
Successful projects connected to DAO Maker include Orion Protocol, LaunchX, DAFI Protocol, and My Neighbor Alice (which offered a ROI of nearly 300x to its early investors).
Pros:
- Ensures fairness by prioritizing ‘credible’ investors
- Native token offers a range of benefits
- Multichain support
Cons:
- $DAO has shown great volatility in recent years
- The best projects are often reserved for $DAO holders
2. Seedify: Removing all barriers to crypto development
Seedify is currently one of the leading players in the crypto launchpad space, boasting the third largest market cap ($194 million) and more than $26 million raised across 72 IDOs.
The launchpad is heavily skewed towards innovative, web3 projects, such as those in the GameFi, NFT, DeFi and DePIN space. VR metaverse platform Bloktopia, for instance, is one of the most successful Seedify launches, having achieved more than 500x following its IDO.
Seedify’s primary appeal is that anyone can submit a project idea to the platform, with no centralized authority to pass judgment on it. Instead, it falls to the community to decide whether a project is eligible for funding.
While Seedify is a potentially powerful outlet for developers, it also bears a great deal of utility for investors, acting as a hub to find fresh crypto projects before they hit the mainstream.
The platform also brings a native token, $SFUND. The token can be staked, farmed, and used as a payment method for funding projects.
Pros:
- Find early-stage projects
- No barriers to entry – all project ideas can be submitted
- Renowned industry player
Cons:
- $SFUND has proven to be highly volatile
3. BSCPad: A unique, ‘first come first served’ token allocation model
Specifically designed for projects launching on the Binance Smart Chain, BSCPad is the largest BSC-exclusive crypto launchpad on the market today.
Despite its lack of blockchain flexibility, the platform has successfully supported more than 70 IDOs, with more than $50 million raised. A few standout successes include Fight of the Ages, Todex and Movez.
What really makes BSCPad stand out from the crowd is its unique mechanism for allocating tokens, which consists of a two-round system. Users can purchase tokens in round one, but in round two, unsold tokens from the first round are made available on a ‘first come first served’ basis, meaning that allocations are guaranteed for all participants.
There is also a six-tier system, ranging from bronze to blue diamond, to determine the allocation of tokens for each investor. For instance, 1,000 BSCPad tokens staked would fall into the bronze category, whereas 2,500 would fall into silver.
This ties directly to the ethos of the platform, which is to eliminate luck, lottery and bots from the crypto IDO process, and ensure fair distribution of rewards for all participants.
Pros:
- Unique ‘first come first served’ allocation model
- Low participation threshold for investors
- No history of hacks
Cons:
- Binance chain projects only
- Overwhelming homepage
4. BullStarter: Versatile launchpad with exceptional ROI
With compatibility across 15 different blockchains, BullStarter is one of the most versatile crypto launchpads available today.
Like BSCPad, it brings a native token ($BLP) that acts as the lynchpin of a tiered system, which in turn is used to determine token allocations.
The number of $BSC tokens staked by each individual will determine the number of tokens they receive when each project completes its presale phase. There are six tiers, each corresponding to different amounts of tokens and locking periods.
BullStarter has said that it will review the definitions of each tier every two months in order to lower the barrier for moving between tiers.
While paling in comparison to platforms such as Seedify and DAOMaker when it comes to market cap, BullStarter boasts an exceptional average ROI at more than 130x. Standout projects include Blockchain Monster Hunt, Polker, StepHero and Sidus.
Pros:
- Exceptional ROI average
- Smart tier system
- The first decentralized, multi-chain VC launchpad for crypto projects
Cons:
- $BLP token performance has been poor in recent years
5. Polkastarter: More than $100 million of capital raised
The name ‘Polkastarter’ can be misleading – despite being built on the Polkadot blockchain, the launchpad is exceptionally versatile, with support across Solana, Ethereum, BNB, Polygon and more.
Like other launchpads on this list, Polkastarter has a native token ($POLS) that helps to determine priority in token distribution. In this case, investors must either provide liquidity or hold the correct quantity of $POLS to participate in IDO listings. Currently, 250 $POLS equals one lottery ticket.
Beyond this, users can increase the power of their $POLS through staking. For instance, users providing liquidity can stake their tokens to earn a percentage of the token pool fees that day.
Polkastarter is inarguably one of the most prominent IDO launchpads on the market today. It has raised more than $40 million across 111 IDOs, and boasts a total project market cap of close to $2 billion.
The $POLS token has also performed handsomely since its listing in 2020, having added around 180% to its value.
Pros:
- Creative auction system
- Strong reputation
- Impressive token performance
Cons:
- Gated access to token sales
- Focus on major blockchains
6. Enjinstarter: Market leader for GameFi IDOs
Born from successful NFT gaming project Enjin, Enjinstarter is a launchpad for projects in the realm of crypto gaming, including GameFi, NFTs, the metaverse, and more. Its declared mission is to support game developers and creatives by helping them build communities and raise funds.
Enjinstarter enables quick, cost-effective transactions by using its proprietary JumpNet technology, which was originally developed for the Enjin ecosystem. It also targets Efinity in its roadmap.
Holders of $ENJ, the launchpad’s native token, can lock and stake their tokens for a variety of rewards. Users can choose from five different staking pools, ranging from 31 days to 999 days.
$ENJ has seen bumpy performance in recent years, but has been in the process of rebounding lately, its value having surged by a quarter since April 2023.
Since 2021, Enjinstarter has completed more than 80 IDOs, with big names such as The Kill Box, PathDAO and Defina having fundraised on the platform.
Pros:
- Renowned developers
- Strong track record
Cons:
- Specific to the GameFi sector
Best launchpad exchange comparison table
| Platform | Projects funded | Capital raised | Chain(s) | ATH ROI | Market cap |
| Seedify | 90 | $35m | Ethereum, BSC, Solana | 24.56x | $178m |
| BSCPad | 68 | $16m | BSC | 28.08x | $11m |
| Bullstarter | 72 | $10m | All major blockchains | 30.73x | $2m |
| DAOmaker | 153 | $90m | ETH, BSC | 29.81x | $161m |
| Polkastarter | 111 | $40m | All major blockchains | 33.58x | $78m |
| Enjinstarter | 89 | $15m | All major blockchains | 8.79x | $26m |
The different types of crypto launchpad
Several different models are available for raising funds as a new crypto project. Here is a brief overview of each.
Initial coin offering (ICO)
The ICO was one of the original crypto fundraising methods. Simply, the project developers would offer the native tokens to the public (usually at a discounted rate) in exchange for other cryptocurrencies or fiat currencies, and the tokens would be distributed at the end of the presale period.
This method is known for its simplicity, but it also carries risks. For instance, the lack of centralized oversight makes scams more likely. This has gradually given rise to other crypto presale methods.
Initial exchange offering (IEO)
An antidote to the insecurity of ICOs, the initial exchange offering sees new crypto projects listed directly on an exchange platform, such as Binance or OKX.
IEOs offer an enhanced level of trust, as exchanges tend to conduct due diligence on projects before approving them for listings. This means that investors can be more confident about their investments.
From the perspective of developers, IEOs tend to give them access to a ready-made community of the exchange’s customers.
Initial governance offering (IGO)
One of the primary benefits of decentralized finance is the lack of centralized ownership, meaning that projects are often community-owned.
Developers can harness this as a selling point for projects, with investors able to influence decision-making.
In an IGO, tokens are distributed to investors, which can then be used to vote on certain processes.
Initial NFT offering (INO)
With digital token art growing in popularity, some developers have opted to sell NFTs as a means of funding crypto projects.
Once the project launches, the NFTs are distributed to the investors, who can then freely trade them on the secondary market.
As with any cryptocurrency, these NFTs can then be freely traded on secondary markets.
Methodology
Our panel spent several hours researching each product, developing a deep understanding of its features, utility, and pros and cons.
While our panel comprizes mostly seasoned financial experts, some have little to no expertise in the area. This provides us with a wide range of perspectives, ensuring our verdicts are objective.
