What are Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and how do they work?

• TL;DR: Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are a method of gathering resources for cryptocurrency-related projects. They involve the distribution of new cryptocurrency tokens to participants. The process of an ICO can be structured in various ways, and while they may provide benefits, they also carry risks due to lack of regulation.

An Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is a fundraising mechanism in the cryptocurrency industry, akin to an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the traditional financial sector. Companies aiming to gather resources for the creation of a new coin, application, or service can launch an ICO. Participants interested in the project can acquire tokens during the ICO and receive a new cryptocurrency token issued by the company. This token may have utility related to the product or service the company provides or represent a stake in the company or project.

When a cryptocurrency project aims to gather resources through an ICO, the first step is to determine the structure of the coin. ICOs can be structured in several ways. For instance, a company can set a specific resource goal or limit, meaning each token distributed in the ICO has a preset price, and the total token supply is static. Alternatively, an ICO can have a static supply of tokens and a dynamic resource goal, meaning the amount of resources received in the ICO determines the overall price per token. Some ICOs have a dynamic token supply but a static price, meaning the amount of resources received determines the final token supply.

ICOs differ from traditional fundraising methods in several ways. Unlike venture capital or crowdfunding platforms, ICOs can gather resources directly from anyone with a crypto-wallet, anywhere in the world. This method of gathering resources is direct, provides liquidity, and requires minimal bureaucracy. However, it's important to note that while ICOs can provide a funding mechanism and an innovative approach for startups to gather resources, they also carry risks. Due to the lack of regulation and enforcement of securities law, ICOs have been the vehicle for scams and fraud. Therefore, participants must exercise a high degree of caution and diligence when researching and participating in them.

ICOs may provide several benefits, including directness, liquidity, and the absence of gatekeepers. They can attract early adopters and align the early user base behind the success of the project. However, they also come with significant disadvantages. ICOs are, for the most part, completely unregulated, which means participants must exercise a high degree of caution. Numerous ICOs have turned out to be fraudulent or have performed poorly, and fewer than half of all ICOs survive four months after the offering.

Ethereum's ICO was one of the early success stories using this type of fundraising mechanism, gathering $15.5 million in 2014. Fifty million ether tokens were distributed at $0.311 each, and on May 12, 2021, it hit a high of $4,382.73, providing participants with a return. Now, Ethereum is a recognized cryptocurrency, and it has enabled an ecosystem of decentralized applications to develop from its technology.