IMO + Tokenized hardware
Let me start with my mother language, Chinese to explain my initial research about the topic. The English version is described in the latter half of the article.
2017年的 ICO 大爆炸，以及最近火爆的 IEO，都曾是投資人爭相投資的高風險高回報的投資標的，但是當浪潮過後，我們必須開始思考，販售代幣的初衷究竟是什麼？ ICO、IEO 真的可以達到原本分配代幣所希望得到的結果嗎？
對於功能型代幣而言，分配代幣的目的是希望能夠讓更多人加入這個代幣的生態，讓更多人持有、使用代幣並為這個系統帶來正面的影響。然而， ICO、IEO 的投機性已經與初衷本末倒置，投資人在代幣上架交易所後，在滿意的點位分批或全數下車，這是目前幣圈投資 ICO、IEO 的標準 SOP。如果項目方希望讓自己發行的代幣真的能夠被拿來使用，而不是賺取價差的投機標的，勢必需要採用其他的代幣發行方式，不然繼續走老路，上架後的幣價波動，反而會讓使用者不敢承受大幅波動的風險而望之卻步，放棄使用代幣。
IMO (Initial Mining Offering)
為了避免ICO、IEO 的亂象發生在 FLC 上，FLC 的代幣分配方式將採取類似比特幣的 IMO( Initial Mining Offering ) 模式，也就是說大部分的代幣會藉由用戶在 Flowchain 挖礦產出。
通證化硬體（Tokenized Hardware）
Flowchain 更將代幣與實體的物聯網裝置結合，讓代幣都能發揮其真正的用途，這個創新的概念稱為 Tokenized hardware，意即通證化硬體。硬體供應商在商品出廠之前將一定量的代幣存入硬體設備中，再將硬體販售給消費者。虛擬代幣與實體硬體的結合，代幣賦予硬體裝置區塊鏈的原生特性以及激勵用戶使用的動機，硬體則賦予代幣實際的用途以及載體，讓代幣真的能夠被實際運用！
The ICO Big Bang in 2017 and the recent popular topic about IEO were the high-risk and high-return investment targets that investors are vying for. After the hype is over, it is essential that we start to think about the original intention of issuing tokens. Can ICO and IEO really achieve the desired results of the original distribution of tokens?
For utility token, the purpose of distributing tokens is to allow more people to join the ecosystem of the token, allowing more people to hold and use tokens and have a positive impact on the system. However, the speculative motivation toward ICO and IEO has been reversed from the original intention. It is common that the investors get off the tokens at a satisfactory point in batches or in full after they bought the tokens. This has become the “standard operation process” for ICO and IEO investment nowadays. For project owners, if they want to keep utilization of the token in the ecosystem instead of being a tool as a speculative target of spread, it is necessary to adopt other ways of issuing tokens. If we keep being stuck in the old ways, the price fluctuations after the token issuing would repeat and consequently undermine the development of the tokenomics industries. The users won’t dare to take the risk of large fluctuations and discouragement, eventually, give up the use of tokens.
IMO (Initial Mining Offering)
In order to avoid the chaos of ICO and IEO happening in FLC, the FLC's token allocation method adopts an IMO (initial mining offering) mode, which means that most of the tokens will be mined by the users in the Flowchain network.
Tokenized Hardware
Flowchain combines tokens with physical IoT devices to allow tokens to be used for their real purpose. This innovative concept is called Tokenized Hardware. The hardware providers deposit certain token into the hardware devices before the product is launched from the factory, and then the hardware is sold to the consumers. With the combination of virtual tokens and physical hardware, the token can endue the hardware device with the blockchain’s native features. Also with the incentive system, the hardware gives the token the actual use, so that the token can be actually used!
