The EU's zero-threshold Travel Rule now requires full identity data for every crypto transaction, no matter how small. Here's what businesses need to know to stay compliant after December 30, 2024.
Zero Threshold: Crypto Projects with No Fees, No Users, and No Safety Net
When a crypto project claims zero threshold, a system or service with no barriers to entry, like zero trading fees or zero user requirements, it sounds too good to be true. And in crypto, it almost always is. These projects—whether it’s a zero fee crypto exchange, a decentralized platform that charges no trading fees but lacks users or liquidity, or a token with no real utility—often exist only to attract attention, not value. They lure you in with promises of free tokens, no costs, and easy gains, but behind the scenes, there’s no trading volume, no support, and no real reason to believe they’ll last.
Look at Core Dao Swap or FreiExchange: both advertise zero fees, but neither has enough users to fill a single trade. That’s not innovation—it’s a ghost town with a fancy website. Same goes for 1BCH.com or WagyuSwap’s expired airdrop: they made noise, collected attention, then vanished. These aren’t failures—they’re designed to burn out. The no liquidity crypto, a token or exchange with so little trading activity that buying or selling becomes impossible without massive price swings trap is real. You think you’re getting in early, but you’re actually the first and last buyer. And when the airdrop links stop working or the exchange won’t let you withdraw, you realize: there was never a safety net. Just a flashing sign that says ‘zero threshold’—meaning zero protection, zero accountability, zero future.
What’s worse? These projects often piggyback on trusted names like CoinMarketCap or Binance to look legit. Ariva’s fake airdrop, Bullieverse’s tournament, APENFT’s 45 billion token drop—all used real brand names to trick people into clicking. The unregulated exchange, a crypto platform operating without oversight, licensing, or legal accountability doesn’t need to be legal to look convincing. It just needs a slick logo and a promise of free money. But if no one else is using it, if no one’s reviewing it, if the team is anonymous and the code isn’t audited—then the only thing you’re getting is exposure to risk. The real winners in crypto aren’t the ones chasing zero threshold gimmicks. They’re the ones who walk away from the noise, check the numbers, and ask: who’s actually trading this? Who’s holding it? And why does no one else talk about it?
Below, you’ll find real breakdowns of these exact projects—why they exist, who got burned, and what to look for instead. No fluff. No hype. Just the facts behind the zero threshold illusion.