MEXC Dominates New Cryptocurrency Listings, Outpacing Gate.io and Bitget by a Wide Margin

At the end of 2024, the cryptocurrency markets experienced a significant surge in investment and capital. This marked the beginning of a strong bullish phase

At the end of 2024, the cryptocurrency markets witnessed a remarkable surge in investment and capital, setting the stage for a strong bullish phase. This phase was characterized by a frenzy surrounding meme coins and the launch of AI-related tokens, culminating in a peak of token listing activity in late December.

These developments sparked significant investor enthusiasm, which was further amplified by social media hype. Bitcoin (BTC) price experienced a strong resurgence, hitting a new all-time high (ATH) of $108,786 in early 2025, while Ethereum (ETH) and other major altcoins followed suit with steady gains. Decentralized Science (DeSci) and celebrity-backed tokens also emerged as prominent trends, attracting retail and institutional interest.

Amidst this backdrop, major centralized exchanges (CEXs) raced to list trending tokens, aiming to capitalize on market momentum and adapt to evolving market trends. A recent report by TokenInsight provided a comprehensive analysis of the top CEXs' performance in new token listings, taking into account listing speed, success rates, and the number of new spot trading pairs.

The report revealed that MEXC had a remarkable lead in new token listings, with an impressive total of 461 new spot trading pairs listed by the end of 2024. This was followed by Gate, which had listed 317 new tokens, and Bitget, which had 102 new tokens.

The report also highlighted that MEXC was the first major exchange to list tokens tied to market trending narratives such as Meme, DeSci, AI Agent, and celebrity tokens. MEXC's expedited listing processes, which integrate automated market analytics and real-time liquidity tracking, allowed it to list tokens faster than competitors — often within hours.

MEXC's speed and efficiency in listing newly launched tokens were depicted by the listing of the TRUMP token, just 2 hours and 20 minutes after its initial on-chain liquidity injection. Other tokens that gained notable traction, such as PNUT, CHILLGUY, BIO, RIFSOL, and VINE, were listed by MEXC before they experienced significant surges.

Furthermore, MEXC's selective listing strategy and focus on projects with long-term potential enabled it to maintain a success rate of 82.46% for its on-chain listings transitioning to the primary spot market, which was significantly higher than Gate.io's 11.76% success rate.

In addition to leading in token listings, MEXC had also strengthened its position in the overall exchange market. Coindesk data showed that MEXC captured the largest market share among centralized exchanges in February 2025, securing a top-five ranking globally.

As the market dynamics continue to evolve, exchanges like Binance and OKX are adopting more risk-averse strategies, focusing on stability and ensuring survivability in response to increasing market volatility and uncertainty. This approach is centered on minimizing risk and ensuring continued survival in a competitive landscape.

However, exchanges like MEXC are striving for a more balanced approach, actively supporting projects with strong on-chain potential and providing traders with early access to such high-potential projects.

Such initiatives not only provide value to emerging projects but also position the exchange as a facilitator of growth and innovation. To remain competitive in today's market, exchanges will need to prioritize a blend of risk management with proactive support for promising, high-potential projects, ensuring they can navigate both the present challenges and future opportunities in the rapidly shifting market.