IDO
In short An IDO, or initial DEX offering, is a token sale run through a decentralized launchpad, with trading starting on a DEX right after.
An IDO, short for initial DEX offering, is a way to launch a token by selling it through a decentralized launchpad and then listing it straight on a decentralized exchange. It grew out of the ICO model after 2019, aiming for quicker trading and less reliance on centralized exchanges.
A typical IDO runs through a launchpad contract on a chain like BNB Chain, Ethereum, Solana, or Base. Participants often have to stake the launchpad's own token or win a lottery to get an allocation, and may need to pass KYC. They commit funds during a sale window, and when it closes the launchpad adds part of the proceeds and some tokens to a DEX liquidity pool. Trading opens, and buyers claim their tokens, sometimes all at once and sometimes on a vesting schedule.
For buyers, the attraction is early access at a set price with trading starting immediately. The downside is that allocations are often small, the cost of qualifying through launchpad staking can be high, and many IDO tokens drop below the sale price once participants and bots start selling. A launchpad's vetting also varies widely; listing on one is not proof that a project is solid.
Before joining, look at the total raise compared with the liquidity that will be added, the initial market cap at listing, and how much supply unlocks on day one. Check the launchpad's track record with past sales and how it handles refunds if a project fails. Make sure you are using the launchpad's real site, because fake IDO pages are a common phishing lure.