Crypto Leaders Accuse Coinbase of Hidden Listing Fees, Sparking Transparency Debate
In a wave of claims from high-profile figures in the cryptocurrency industry, Tron founder Justin Sun and Sonic Labs co-founder Andre Cronje have challenged Coinbase’s assertion that its asset listings come at no cost. Contrary to Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong’s statements—and a 2022 blog post affirming a zero-fee listing policy—Sun and Cronje allege that Coinbase demands substantial fees, reportedly in the millions, for token listings.
This controversy was triggered when Moonrock Capital CEO Simon Dedic claimed that Binance had previously asked a major crypto project for 15% of its total token supply for a listing, an arrangement that could cost anywhere between $50 million to $100 million. These revelations have raised concerns within the crypto community about high listing fees draining project resources and destabilizing token valuations.
Armstrong responded by urging projects to reach out, reaffirming Coinbase’s free listing policy. However, Cronje countered by claiming that Coinbase had quoted fees ranging from $30 million to $300 million for listing, offering to provide proof. Coinbase’s former engineer Luke Youngblood suggested Cronje may have interacted with a scammer posing as a Coinbase agent, but Cronje insisted his information was legitimate.
Youngblood further clarified that Coinbase’s "Earn" program, which offers optional educational campaigns, is separate from the listing process and any fees there are strictly voluntary. Cronje, however, argued that these optional "Earn" fees effectively serve as listing costs for projects seeking higher visibility.
Adding to the claims, Justin Sun shared on Monday that Coinbase had allegedly requested 500 million TRX tokens (worth $80 million) alongside a $250 million BTC deposit in Coinbase Custody, purportedly to enhance listing performance.
These allegations have ignited discussions on transparency and fairness within centralized exchanges, with crypto leaders calling for a more equitable system that would allow projects to gain exposure without requiring massive financial commitments.
