Pre-IDO

Pre-IDO describes the period, and any sales held during it, before a token's initial decentralised offering (IDO), the moment when it is first sold to the public through a decentralised exchange or launchpad. During this stage a project may raise money from seed and private investors at lower prices, collect sign-ups for a whitelist of buyers allowed into the public sale, run community campaigns or airdrops, and set lock-up and vesting terms. Some platforms also sell "pre-IDO" allocations directly, letting buyers commit funds before the official sale. Early buyers often pay less, but they face significant risks: projects may never list, tokens are frequently locked for months, insiders who bought cheaply may sell at launch, and the stage attracts scams that copy real projects. Depending on the country, such sales may also fall under securities rules. Also see token pre-sale.