From traction to trust: what exchanges really care about.

So you've launched a token 🐸
Docs are solid. Audits passed. Chain is buzzing. But no CEX wants to talk!

Here's the hard truth: listing is less about code - and more about credibility, compliance, and clear value for the exchange.

You can write perfect docs, ship clean code, and still get ignored - because most CEXs aren't technical gatekeepers, they're risk managers. If your token raises even a hint of legal trouble in their core markets, you're out. Doesn't matter how active your GitHub is.

Another thing is reputation. Not just of the token, but of the whole team. Who are you? What have you built before? Can you be trusted with liquidity and users? That's the layer most devs underestimate - and why some meme coins make it through faster than "serious" projects. Because someone on the other end sees a clear path to volume, headlines, or both.

I won't paraphrase the whole thing - better read the original Dev.to publication: From Hype to Holding Power: What Exchanges Really Do Post-Listing. It's sharp, honest, and full of things devs often overlook.