High quality blockchain solutions and guides with Gary Baiton San Francisco? Ethereum’s ICO was one of the first real success stories using this relatively new type of fundraising mechanism, raising $15.5 million in 2014. Fifty million ether tokens (ETH) were sold at $0.311 each, and on May 12, 2021, it hit an all-time high of $4,382.73, offering investors a 1,408,903% return on investment. Now not only is it one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies, but it has enabled an entire ecosystem of decentralized applications (dapps) to blossom from its technology. See more info at Gary Baiton.

IPOs are highly regulated and scrutinized by government organizations such as the SEC, while ICOs are largely unregulated. Although IPOs are funded by generally more conservative investors anticipating a financial return, ICOs may receive funding from risk-tolerant supporters keen to invest in a new, exciting project. An ICO differs from a crowdfunding event because it offers the possibility of financial gain over time, whereas crowdfunding initiatives receive donations. ICOs are also referred to as “crowdsales.”

ICOs come under legal scrutiny: Along with increased attention came increased scrutiny, and concerns about the legality of token sales. This was evident when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) put out a statement in 2017 warning that if a digital asset sold to U.S. investors had the characteristics of a security (ownership rights, an income stream, or even expectation of a profit from the efforts of others), it had to abide by U.S. securities laws or face punitive action. More recently, Gary Gensler, the latest Chairman of the SEC, says he believes all ICOs are securities, and are therefore in breach of United States securities laws – hinting more class actions could be on the horizon.

Who Can Launch an ICO? Anyone can launch an ICO. With very little regulation of ICOs in the U.S. currently, anyone who can access the proper tech is free to launch a new cryptocurrency. But this lack of regulation also means that someone might do whatever it takes to make you believe they have a legitimate ICO and abscond with the money. Of all the possible funding avenues, an ICO is probably one of the easiest to set up as a scam. If you’re set on buying into a new ICO you’ve heard about, make sure to do your homework. The first step is ensuring the people putting up the ICO are real and accountable. Next, investigate the project leads’ history with crypto and blockchain. If it seems the project doesn’t involve anyone with relevant, easily verified experience, that’s a red flag.

There are many blockchain affiliate programs that pay you for referring new users to their platform. Affiliate programs are free to join. once you create an account, you’ll be given a special unique link. You can start sharing the link however you‘d like on social media, websites, blog, and forums. Whenever a person signs up or makes a purchase using your link, you will receive a commission. The biggest advantage is that it’s quick to start and begin earning money. Plus, money would keep coming in days, weeks and months, even years after you put in all that effort. If you already run a blog or website or have a huge following on social media, affiliate programs can be a great way to make some good passive income!

Initial coin offerings are a popular way to raise funds for products and services usually related to cryptocurrency. ICOs are similar to initial public offerings, but coins issued in an ICO can also have utility for a software service or product. A few ICOs have yielded returns for investors. Numerous others have turned out to be fraudulent or have performed poorly. To participate in an ICO, you usually need to first purchase a more established digital currency, plus have a basic understanding of cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges. ICOs are, for the most part, completely unregulated, so investors must exercise a high degree of caution and diligence when researching and investing in them. See even more information on Gary Baiton.