How to Launch an ICO in 2026: The No-BS Guide
Most ICO guides waste your time with theory. This one doesn't.
→ Launch your token and ICO now — for free
Here's the exact process to go from idea to live token sale on Ethereum or TON — in one sitting.
TL;DR
- Design your token model
- Pick a chain (Ethereum or TON)
- Set sale parameters
- Deploy with One-Shotted (free — gas only)
- Fund the contract and go live
Total time: 10–20 minutes. Total platform cost: $0. You pay only blockchain gas fees (~$4.50 on Ethereum, ~$0.30 on TON).
Step 1: Design Your Token Before You Touch Any Tool
Skip this and you'll join the graveyard of ICOs that raised money for nothing.
Before deployment, nail down:
- Token utility — What does your token actually do? Governance? Access? Payment?
- Total supply — How many tokens exist? Ever.
- Price per token — What's 1 token worth at ICO?
- Hard cap — Maximum raise amount
- Allocation — How much goes to ICO vs. team vs. reserves?
Write this down in a single document. If you can't explain your token model in one page, it's not ready for investors.
Step 2: Choose Your Chain
This isn't religious — it's strategic.
| Factor | Ethereum | TON |
|---|---|---|
| ICO deployment cost | ~$4.50 gas | ~$0.30 gas |
| Your audience uses... | MetaMask, Rainbow, Rabby | Telegram wallets |
| Ecosystem depth | Deepest DeFi & liquidity | 900M+ Telegram users |
| Best for | EVM-native crypto users | Mobile-first, Telegram communities |
Rule of thumb: Go where your first 1,000 buyers already are. If they're in Telegram groups, choose TON. If they're in Discord/DeFi, choose Ethereum.
If you choose TON, use the dedicated rollout guide: How to launch an ICO on TON. For EVM-first projects, use How to launch an ICO on Ethereum.
Step 3: Set Your Sale Parameters
On One-Shotted, you'll configure:
- Token name & symbol (e.g., "MyProject" / "MYP")
- Total supply (e.g., 1,000,000,000)
- Price per token (in ETH or TON)
- Description — Tell buyers what your project does
- Website & socials — Link your project's online presence
That's it. No Solidity. No FunC. No GitHub. One-Shotted handles the smart contract deployment for you.
Step 4: Deploy Your ICO
Here's the actual flow — it takes about 5 minutes:
- Go to one-shotted.xyz and select your chain
- Connect your wallet (MetaMask/WalletConnect for ETH, TON wallet for TON)
- Create your token — enter name, symbol, supply
- Configure the ICO — set price, description, website, socials
- Confirm & sign the deployment transaction
- Fund the ICO contract — send your tokens to the deployed sale contract
Your ICO is now live. Buyers can find it on the Explore page and purchase tokens directly.
Or let an AI agent handle it — set up the ONE-SHOTTED MCP and deploy via Claude, Codex, or any MCP-compatible agent.
Step 5: Post-Launch — Don't Ghost Your Investors
Your ICO going live is the beginning, not the end.
First 24 hours:
- Share the ICO link with your community
- Monitor wallet interactions on-chain
- Be available for questions
First week:
- Track buy transactions and conversion rate
- Update your community with progress
- Address any buyer confusion immediately
Ongoing:
- Deliver on your roadmap
- Keep communication transparent
- Report treasury usage
Common Mistakes That Kill ICOs
Launching without clear utility — "We'll figure out the token use case later" is a death sentence.
Setting wrong decimals or supply — Double-check before deployment. Smart contracts are immutable.
No risk disclosure — Every ICO should clearly state that token purchases carry risk. This protects you and your buyers.
Overpromising returns — Never guarantee profits. Besides being unethical, it's illegal in most jurisdictions.
Ignoring legal review — ICO regulations vary by country. Get legal advice for your jurisdiction before launching.
Quick Launch Checklist
- Token model documented (utility, supply, price, allocation)
- Chain selected based on audience, not hype
- Sale parameters validated and double-checked
- Project website/docs live with risk disclosure
- Legal review completed for your jurisdiction
- ICO deployed and funded on One-Shotted
- Community notified with direct link to buy
Ready to Launch?
→ Ethereum ICO: one-shotted.xyz/eth/create → TON ICO: one-shotted.xyz/ton/create
No fees. No code. Just gas and go.