2026 Token Launches: The New Bar for Retail Trust and Business Models

As 2026 approaches, token launches face a new reality: retail investors are no longer swayed by hype alone, and platforms like CoinTerminal must prove their projects have real-world utility.

Maximiliano Stochyk Duarte, Head of Sales at CoinTerminal, emphasized the shifting landscape: Retail is becoming much more do I want this token?

"Retail is becoming much more do I want this token?" as the 2026 market demands higher standards for token launches.

The platform operates a 650,000-user community that contribute into the sales before they go out on exchanges, highlighting its dual focus on capital formation and distribution.

Duarte outlined CoinTerminal's screening criteria, which include matching valuation tiers with good exchanges, assessing KOL strategy quality, and verifying an actual path to sustain the product.

CoinTerminal's refundable model allows participants to claim or refund tokens within 12 hours post-launch, described as risk-free for users and a discipline mechanism for founders. This approach creates non-negotiable signs of project viability, Duarte noted.

Maximiliano Stochyk Duarte warned: Many teams still lack a revenue model or durable plan after raising, highlighting the tension between crypto-friendly regulation and bad actors.

"Many teams still lack a revenue model or durable plan after raising," highlighting the tension between crypto-friendly regulation and bad actors.

Look, the shift in retail investor behavior toward utility-driven decisions isn’t just a trend—it’s a recalibration of the entire token economy.

Platforms that can’t demonstrate tangible value beyond speculative narratives will find themselves stranded on Tire one exchanges, where liquidity and trust are already scarce.

⚠️ LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.