Scroll lists on Binance, sparking debate over centralization concerns

As a seasoned analyst with over two decades of experience in the tech and finance industries, I have witnessed the evolution of decentralization from theoretical concepts to practical applications. The Scroll project’s decision to partner with Binance, a centralized exchange, sparks a debate that resonates with my own experiences in navigating the delicate balance between centralization and decentralization.


The Ethereum layer-2 initiative known as Scroll has recently been added to the prominent decentralized crypto exchange Binance, leading to discussions in the digital currency community concerning centralization.

As a crypto investor, I’ve been following the recent listing announcement on October 11th closely. While many are excited about its potential to fuel growth, there’s also a concern that it seems too closely tied to centralized entities. Some question whether this alignment might compromise the project’s core decentralization principles.

As a crypto investor, I find myself questioning Scroll’s decision to list on Binance, which I view as a form of submission or “kneeling” to a centralized exchange (CEX). This was indeed a tough call to make, but I can’t help but wonder about the long-term consequences this move might have.

In their attempt to get a response, CryptoMoon contacted Scroll, yet at the point when the article was published, they hadn’t received any feedback from them.

Scroll lists on Binance, sparking debate over centralization concerns

Strategic decision for global growth

In simpler terms, Ye Zhang, one of Scroll’s founders, stated that collaborating with Binance is an essential step towards widening the reach of their project, specifically focusing on developing markets.

Zhang stated:

“I don’t think partnering with Binance is “kneeling to a CEX for listing” – it’s way more than that, it’s a strategic decision to build a partnership for growth and broader support. However, it is indeed a tough decision.”

Zhang emphasized that Binance will simplify the process for users to transfer funds into and out of the Scroll network by providing on-ramp and off-ramp services, which are essentially entry and exit points on Binance.

Decentralization advocates raise concerns

In the crypto world, not all individuals shared Zhang’s viewpoint. Some expressed apprehensions regarding the collaboration with Binance, fearing it could impact Scroll’s mission to maintain its decentralized structure.

Jiajun, an Ether (ETH) advocate, expressed disappointment, saying:

“Imagine @VitalikButerin paying 5.5% to @okx when @star_okx refused to list $ETH.”

Some users on platform X proposed that Binance shouldn’t have been the initial exchange to list Scroll. Their reasoning was that, given sufficient activity and user base on the chain itself, Binance might have listed it naturally, eliminating the need for a partnership.

Scroll lists on Binance, sparking debate over centralization concerns

Finding a balance

In response to the criticism, Zhang defended the partnership:

“If we want to build a competitive ecosystem with real global reach, compete with Tron in these markets, and attract different categories of users to the Ethereum ecosystem, strong CEX support is absolutely crucial.”

In simpler terms, when discussing The Scroll, its co-founder also tackled issues about how tokens are distributed. They made it clear that the funds for the launch pool come from the ecosystem and growth sector, meaning that the community’s airdrop would not be affected by this distribution.

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2024-10-13 19:17