Coinbase Faces Criticism Over Alleged ‘Listing Fees’ Claims by Industry Leaders

Allegations by Justin Sun and Andre Cronje

Tron founder Justin Sun and Sonic Labs co-founder Andre Cronje have accused Coinbase of charging substantial listing fees, despite the exchange’s CEO, Brian Armstrong, reiterating that asset listings are free. The claims emerged following Armstrong’s response to a post by Moonrock Capital’s CEO, Simon Dedic, about high listing costs at top exchanges.

Coinbase's Listing Policy and Earn Program Debate

Armstrong linked to a 2022 blog post affirming that listings on Coinbase come with no fees, yet Cronje and Sun allege otherwise. Cronje claimed that Coinbase requested fees ranging from $30 million to $300 million for listings, emphasizing that while these may be tied to the "Earn program," they effectively represent a cost of entry. Sun echoed similar sentiments, citing a $250 million deposit requirement.

Responses and Clarifications

Former Coinbase engineer Luke Youngblood defended the platform, stating that Earn fees are optional and unrelated to listing decisions. However, Cronje contended he could provide proof of these requests. The controversy continues to spark debate over what constitutes a true listing fee and if additional service charges blur the lines of Armstrong's claims.