From Listing to Longevity: Why Most Tokens Fade After the Hype (And What We Can Actually Do About It)

I recently came across Tyler McKnight’s post on what exchanges actually do after a token is listed. As someone who has worked in marketing — and more specifically in the blockchain/crypto space — I felt it raised some important truths, but also left room for deeper discussion.

So here's my take.

The Post-Listing Phase: Where Most Projects Stall

In the Web3 world, getting listed on a CEX is treated like the finish line. But anyone who’s spent time in this space knows it’s just the beginning — and in many ways, the most brutal phase for a project.

Yes, listings create visibility. But the real challenge? Maintaining relevance once the launch buzz fades. As Tyler notes, exchanges aren’t here to babysit your metrics or fix your community gaps. They provide the rails — it’s up to projects to actually drive.

From my experience, here’s where most teams fall short:

• They pour everything into the listing and forget post-launch retention.
• They treat marketing as a launch tool, not a long-term growth system.
• They lack internal alignment between devs, marketers, and tokenomics designers.

Marketing in Web3 Isn't Traditional — But It Is Strategic

What many crypto founders underestimate is just how different (and harder) user retention is in Web3. Your users aren’t just consumers — they’re token holders, contributors, critics, and sometimes, your biggest threat if things go sideways.

This requires a much more strategic approach to marketing. Not louder. Smarter.

A few things I’ve seen work:

• Narrative building over noise. Give people a reason to believe, not just to buy.
• Cross-channel consistency. Your Discord, Twitter, Medium, and token page should all tell the same story.
• On-chain signals as part of the funnel. Token behavior is marketing data — use it.
• Community activation > community size. Don’t chase followers. Cultivate advocates.

Exchanges Provide Opportunity — Not Sustainability

A listing gives you exposure, but not loyalty. That’s your job.

You need to treat every listing not as a finish line, but as an activation point. If you don’t have a 30–60–90 day plan post-listing — one that combines token utility, community engagement, liquidity planning, and strategic storytelling — you’re probably going to lose steam.

And when that happens, even the best exchange can’t help you.

Final Thoughts

Tyler’s post made one thing clear: the real work begins after the listing. And I’d add this — if you don’t approach your token like a long-term product with users, community, and evolving value, then the listing will be your peak.

And that’s not where you want your story to end.