🔷 Why Is a Public Round Needed, and Does It Increase a Project’s Chances of Success?
Some projects do public rounds. Some don’t. Some raise millions, while others keep it small. Ever wondered why?
Ever since we announced our public round on DegenPad (link), the questions haven’t stopped rolling in. And honestly, I get it, most people don’t fully understand how public rounds work.
So, let’s clear things up.
😏 Why Open a Public Round?
There are usually five main reasons:
• To allow launchpad and project communities to invest before the project gets listed.
• To attract retail investors, increase exposure, and expand the number of holders.
• To bring launchpads on board as partners, helping with fundraising, MM, KOLs, branding, GTM strategies, and more.
• To raise additional funds for marketing, liquidity, and post-launch activities.
• And, if possible, to create additional FOMO.
Not every project needs a public round, but when done strategically, it can provide more than just capital, it helps position the project for long-term success and visibility.
✈️ Getting Listed on a Top Launchpad Not as Easy as It Looks
These platforms are selective for a reason. To even get considered, a project needs:
✅ A solid team with a track record.
✅ Big-name investors backing them.
✅ Key opinion leaders (KOLs) who can actually move the needle.
✅ A project narrative that the launchpad’s community finds exciting and worth betting on.
Why? Because launchpads have one goal — grow their community and make money. If they pick the wrong projects, their reputation takes a hit, and nobody wants that.
In return for raising funds for a project, they take a cut, usually between 5% to 15% of the total raise, depending on how strong the project is. That’s why they always try to grab as much allocation as possible. The bigger their slice, the bigger their payday.
But here’s the catch, for top projects, raising money isn’t the point. The real value of a public round? Exposure. Holder growth. Community expansion. That’s why public rounds almost always have the smallest allocations and the best terms.
And if you’re wondering why most launchpads use refund models, it’s simple. It protects their community. No refund? That means the launchpad is putting its own skin in the game, and that tells you a lot.
😳 Reading Between the Lines
A public round can tell you more about a project than you think. Here’s what to look at:
1️⃣ Which launchpad is hosting it?
If a project is listed on Legion, ChainGPT/DegenPad, Ape Terminal, or Seedify, that’s a green flag. These are some of the best in the business.
2️⃣ How big is the allocation?
A general rule of thumb: The larger the allocation, the weaker the project. Strong projects don’t need to sell large amounts of tokens at low prices with favorable terms, demand is already there. Some top-tier projects even launch at a valuation ten times lower than their previous round with a 100% unlock at TGE, just to generate buzz and attract attention.
3️⃣ Is there a refund option?
If a refund is available, it means all funds stay with the launchpad, reducing their exposure. But if there’s no refund option, that means the launchpad is taking on the risk, which only happens if they are highly confident in the project’s potential. Even in non-refund models, there may be additional agreements in place, but they don’t fundamentally change the equation.
💼 Case Study: WAGMI HUB’s Public Round on DegenPad
DegenPad
announced the IDO for WAGMI HUB with a $140K allocation and no refund.
What does this tell us?
• DegenPad is a Tier-1 launchpad. Getting listed there means passing serious due diligence.
• $140K is a tiny allocation. Most projects get $300K–$500K, but WAGMI HUB doesn’t need to sell that much.
• No refund. This means DegenPad believes in WAGMI HUB’s success enough to share the risk themselves.
The launchpad is confident, the allocation is small, and the strategy is smart. That’s what you want to see.
Final Thoughts: Stay Committed to $GMI, and We Are All Gonna Make It.
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