Top blockchain technology news and tips and tricks from Gary Baiton? ICO stands for “initial coin offering,” and refers to a formerly popular method of fundraising capital for early-stage cryptocurrency projects. In an ICO, a blockchain-based startup mints a certain quantity of its own native digital token and offers them to early investors, normally in exchange for other cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin or ether. As a type of digital crowdfunding, ICOs enable startups not only to raise funds without giving up equity but also to establish a community of incentivized users who want the project to succeed so their presale tokens rise in value. Read even more info at Gary Baiton.
Initial Coin Offering (ICO) vs. Initial Public Offering (IPO): IPOs raise money for companies seeking funds from investors and result in the distribution of shares of the company’s stock to investors. For ICOs, crypto companies raise funds through the sales of coins or tokens. In both cases, investors are bullish about the company or the cryptocurrency and invest based on the belief that the asset’s value will increase over time. The primary difference between an ICO and an IPO is that investing in an ICO doesn’t secure an ownership stake in the crypto project or company. ICO participants are gambling that a currently worthless currency will later increase in value above its original purchase price.
Risks of investing in ICOs: Any token sold via an ICO is considered a high-risk investment. The market is still under-regulated, scam ICOs are rife and investors have no protection if an ICO fails or turns out to be fraudulent. A 2018 Satis report prepared for Bloomberg stated almost 80% of ICOs at the time were believed to be fraudulent sales. For anyone looking to participate in an ICO, it’s important to include the following in your due diligence process: Review the project’s team to see if they have demonstrable experience creating successful businesses. Ideally, team members should also list their social media accounts so they can be contacted.
There is no guarantee that an investor won’t be on the losing end of a scam when investing in an ICO. To help avoid ICO scams, you can: Make sure that project developers can clearly define what their goals are. Successful ICOs typically have straightforward, understandable white papers with clear, concise goals. Look for transparency. Investors should expect 100% transparency from a company launching an ICO. Review the ICO’s legal terms and conditions. Because traditional regulators generally do not oversee this space, an investor is responsible for ensuring that an ICO is legitimate. Ensure that ICO funds are stored in an escrow wallet. This type of wallet requires multiple access keys, which provides useful protection against scams.
As blockchain has expanded into the mainstream consciousness, so has the opportunity to work in the blockchain industry. You could work for any of the hundreds of blockchain currencies themselves, or for other companies or industries looking to take advantage of the blockchain boom. In addition to developers, blockchain companies need to hire for all the other roles of a growing business, including marketing, human resources, and cyber security.
The project releases the white paper as part of its ICO campaign, which it designs to encourage enthusiasts and supporters to buy some of the project’s tokens. Investors can generally use fiat or digital currency to buy the new tokens, and it’s increasingly common for investors to pay using other forms of crypto such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. These newly issued tokens are similar to shares of stock sold to investors during an IPO. What Happens to the Funds? If the money raised in an ICO is less than the minimum amount required by the ICO’s criteria, the funds may be returned to the project’s investors. The ICO would then be deemed unsuccessful. If the funding requirements are met within the specified period, the money raised is spent in pursuit of the project’s goals. See additional information at Gary Baiton.