Let's start with the entry points you'll need: Binance Official Site, Official Binance App, iOS installation guide. Binance Launchpad is Binance's platform for launching new cryptocurrency projects (an IEO, or Initial Exchange Offering), where users hold BNB to participate in new token subscriptions. Across 50+ historical projects, the average first-day gain has run roughly 8-15x (based on Launchpad data from 2019-2024), though as the market has cooled over the past two years, first-day gains on newer projects have dropped to roughly 1-3x.
Binance Launchpad launched in January 2019 as a launch channel for new crypto projects. Early projects like BitTorrent (BTT), Fetch.AI (FET), and WazirX (WRX) saw first-day gains as high as 10-50x, turning "BNB token sales" into one of the most-hyped strategies in crypto.
The table below shows Binance Launchpad's historical milestones:
| Date | Event | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-01 | BTT launch | ~10x first-day gain |
| 2019-04 | Fetch.AI launch | ~4x first-day gain |
| 2020-08 | Cartesi launch | Shift toward smaller, higher-quality projects |
| 2021-04 | Axie Infinity (listed outside Launchpad) | Missed a major hit |
| 2022-2023 | Frequency slows | Bear market impact |
| 2024-06 | Notcoin launch | TON ecosystem project, ~4x first-day gain |
| 2024-Q4 | Multiple Launchpad projects | Pace picks back up |
Binance Launchpad has historically run two different participation models:
Allocation was determined by a user's average BNB holdings during a 7-day snapshot window, with the average participant receiving anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars worth of tokens.
Users lock BNB during the snapshot period (it can't be withdrawn), and tokens are allocated proportionally:
| Locked Amount | Historical Average Allocation | Average First-Day Return |
|---|---|---|
| 1 BNB | ~$5-30 in tokens | ~$50-200 |
| 10 BNB | ~$50-300 in tokens | ~$500-2,000 |
| 100 BNB | ~$500-3,000 in tokens | ~$5,000-20,000 |
| 1,000 BNB | ~$5,000-30,000 in tokens | ~$50,000-200,000 |
Note: the figures above are historical estimates, and first-day gains on projects have clearly shrunk over the past two years, shrinking per-participant returns along with them.
The table below compares issue price, first-day open price, and current price for a selection of representative Launchpad projects from 2019-2024 (source: CoinGecko / Binance announcements):
| Project | Date | Issue Price | First-Day Open | First-Day Gain | All-Time High | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTT | 2019-01 | 0.00012 | ~0.0011 | ~9x | 0.013 | Far below |
| FET | 2019-02 | 0.0867 | ~0.36 | ~4x | 3.46 | Mid-range |
| WRX | 2019-04 | 0.066 | ~0.20 | ~3x | 5.97 | Far below |
| MATIC | 2019-04 | 0.00263 | ~0.026 | ~10x | 2.92 | Mid-range |
| BAND | 2019-09 | 0.473 | ~0.85 | ~1.8x | 22 | Far below |
| WIN | 2019-08 | 0.0001 | ~0.0005 | ~5x | 0.0028 | Extremely low |
| FLOW | 2021-09 | 0.10 | ~16 | Massive | 46 | Mid-range |
| ETERNAL | 2021-10 | - | - | - | - | Went to zero |
| ALPINE | 2022-03 | 1.00 | ~8 | 8x | 33 | Far below |
| HOOK | 2023-01 | 0.10 | ~1.30 | 13x | 5.27 | Far below |
| NOT | 2024-05 | - | - | - | 0.029 | Mid-range |
The trend is clear: Launchpad first-day gains have fallen from 5-10x in 2019 to 1-3x in 2024, driven by more reasonable project valuations, a cooler secondary market, and Binance reining in the "insider windfall" that came from pricing issues too low.
You need to hold BNB 1-2 weeks before the snapshot period. Launchpad announcements are usually posted 5-7 days in advance, laying out the snapshot window.
Open the Binance App → the "Earn" or "Launchpad" page → select "Stake." The lock period is typically 7 days, during which BNB can't be withdrawn.
Once staking ends, Binance distributes tokens proportionally into users' spot accounts. The tokens are usually tradable as soon as they list on the exchange.
| Strategy | Best For | Historical Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Sell everything day one | Short-term arbitrage | Historical average return +50%-200% |
| Hold one week, then sell | Medium-term play | Some projects kept rising, others pulled back |
| Long-term hold | High conviction on fundamentals | 50%+ of projects ended up below issue price |
| Staggered exit (30%/30%/40%) | Steady, risk-balanced | Balances return against risk |
The most common strategy is selling 50%-70% on day one to lock in gains, then deciding on the remainder based on how the project trades afterward.
Actual returns aren't just about first-day gains — you also need to subtract these costs:
| Cost Item | Description | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| BNB lockup opportunity cost | Can't use it for 7 days | Depends on market volatility |
| Trading fees | 0.1% when selling | Small |
| Capital tie-up cost | Large positions need lots of capital | Medium |
| Slippage | Impact from large sell orders | 0.1%-1% |
Example calculation (participating with 100 BNB):
Note: BNB itself can also move up or down during the lock period, so overall returns need to factor in BNB's own price swings.
Binance offers two "BNB token sale" channels:
| Dimension | Launchpad | Launchpool |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Lock BNB, get a one-time token allocation | Continuously stake BNB to farm new tokens |
| Duration | Typically a 7-day lock | Typically a 30-day stake |
| Return format | One-time distribution | Daily airdrops |
| Capital flexibility | Locked, can't move | Can be withdrawn anytime |
| Average annualized return | 5%-20% per round (in BNB terms) | 8%-15% APY |
Launchpool is the steadier option, since BNB can be withdrawn anytime while you earn new tokens proportionally each day. Launchpad is higher-variance, offering concentrated, one-time payoffs.
Binance Launchpad project quality varies a lot — roughly 40% of projects over the past 5 years currently trade below their issue price. Key screening factors include:
| Screening Factor | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Team background | Track record with prior projects, active GitHub |
| Tokenomics | Unlock schedule, initial circulating ratio, long-term inflation |
| Valuation (FDV) | Whether it's reasonable compared to similar projects |
| Sector momentum | Currently hot sectors like AI / RWA / L2 |
| Investors | Backing from top-tier VCs like a16z, Paradigm |
| Roadmap | Verifiable milestones like mainnet launch or product releases |
Red flags: FDV valuation far above comparable projects, tokens unlocking too fast, an anonymous team, or unknown investors.
Q: Is participating in Launchpad guaranteed to make money? Not necessarily. Across 50+ historical projects, roughly 40% currently trade below their issue price — holding long-term instead of selling on day one can mean a loss. The day-one-sell strategy has a historical win rate of roughly 80%, though the upside has narrowed over the past two years.
Q: How much BNB do I need to hold for it to matter? The minimum threshold is usually just 0.1 BNB (about $60) to participate, but allocation scales proportionally, so participating with under 100 BNB usually nets less than $100 in actual return. Returns scale directly with how much you hold.
Q: Can I do anything else with my BNB while it's locked for Launchpad? No. While locked, BNB can't be withdrawn, traded, or used for other activities. This is Launchpad's core opportunity cost — if BNB drops sharply during that window, the paper loss can outweigh whatever you gain from the new token.
Q: How do I know when Binance is running a new Launchpad? Watch Binance's announcement page, the official Twitter account (@binance), and email subscriptions. New projects are typically announced 5-7 days in advance, giving users time to prepare their BNB.
Q: Which is better, Launchpad or Coinbase listings? Launchpad is a direct token launch (users buy at issue price); a Coinbase listing is usually a "secondary market" listing (the project already exists). Launchpad offers bigger early-stage upside, but with correspondingly higher risk.
Q: Has Binance invested in every Launchpad project? Not necessarily. Binance Labs has invested in some Launchpad projects, but others may have no Binance investment at all. Binance applies its own due diligence standards when choosing Launchpad listings, but that isn't an endorsement of project quality.
Q: Can users in mainland China participate? Binance has restricted mainland China IPs. Mainland China residents using an internationalized KYC identity can still access the platform, but they take on the compliance risk themselves. See our "Market News" section for related compliance discussion.
Q: Can I still buy in after missing a Launchpad? Yes. After Launchpad ends, the token opens for trading on Binance's main site, but the first-day open price usually already reflects "listing expectations", so buying in on the secondary market after missing the Launchpad typically leaves only 30%-50% of the upside.
Q: Do Launchpad projects ever turn out to be scams? Binance does basic due diligence, so outright scams are rare. But some projects go quiet on development and community activity after launch, which is effectively a slow fade to zero. Keep tracking a project's activity after you buy in.
Q: Is Launchpad still active these days? Activity is lower than its 2019-2021 peak. Binance significantly slowed Launchpad's cadence in 2022-2023, and project count has been gradually recovering as the market warmed back up in 2024.
Q: Besides BNB, what else can I use for token sales? Binance's main Launchpad uses BNB. Other exchanges run their own schemes: OKX Jumpstart uses OKB, Bybit Launchpad uses USDT, and so on. Rules differ from exchange to exchange.
Q: What are this article's data sources? Official Binance announcements, historical CoinGecko prices, and a compilation of first-day data across various Launchpad projects (based on public data).
Data sources: historical Binance Launchpad announcements, historical CoinGecko prices, CoinMarketCap first-day project data, as of April 2026. This article does not constitute investment advice; participating in Launchpad involves lockup opportunity cost and the risk of a project going to zero.