How to Launch a successful ICO? : Everything you wanted to know
What is an ICO?
Initial coin offering or ICO is a medium of exchange or trading of cryptocurrencies of liquid value for future cryptocoins. It is used to raise money to form a new cryptocurrency project. ICO’s are done by the project’s supporters and developers to mutually gain from it by distributing and regulating initial coin supply.
How ICO’s work?
ICO usually takes place in the early stages of the project. Initially, ICO’s were introduced with the idea to pre-sell coins/tokens to investors and fund new projects. A whitepaper is presented by the entrepreneur describing the technical specifications and business model of the project. A timeline is set and a coin distribution and target budget are decided. At the crowdfunding stage, new tokens are purchased with established cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Blockchain.
Essentials to launch your ICO
- Proper back end infrastructure
- Roadmap and Whitepaper
- Checking regulations and ensuring there aren’t any security violations.
- Managing and maintaining Escrow account
- Marketing and PR
We have summarized the major steps that will give you an insight on “How to launch a successful ICO”?
Step 1 : Creation of new cryptocurrency on a protocol such as Openledger, Ethereum or Counterparty.
Step 2: An arbitrary value is assigned by the team based on network’s worth at the moment.
Step 3 : Determination of price dynamics based on market demand and supply.
Token dividing is done on basis of individual investment of a person i.e more tokens are allotted to person who has invested more. More awareness about the new cryptocurrency is generated to encourage participation and reach a point when the actual price surpasses ICO price.
Pricing mechanisms of ICO
- Undetermined Price ICO : In such ICO’s, initially the developer may not sell his tokens thereby allowing investors to take new tokens proportionally based on their investment. Such ICO’s enable 100% ownership of new tokens by a single investor too.
- Fixed Price ICO : The developer fixed a price or exchange rate of the new token. Such an arrangement allows multiple token purchase at a fixed price. Fixed price ICO’s are usually accompanied by a freezing period which is a lock in period where they can’t trade their tokens. Post the freezing period, investors can list and trade their tokens.
- Dutch Auction ICO : In such ICO’s the token sale starts with the highest price and token price decreases proportionally till the end of token sale.
- ICO with price rise : A fixed exchange rate is set by the team and early investors get best price per coin ratio as the rate increases steadily with time.
How are ICO’s like IPOs and crowdfunding?
Just like an IPO in an ICO the tokens are offered to raise funds in a pre decided time frame. The tokens when purchased can be traded on publically accessible exchanges.
ICO’s are also like crowdfunding and in fact in initial stages were referred to as “crowd sales”. They can be used to fund projects, investors may purchase rights to trade tokens.
Let’s take Launch of 6th highest funded crowdfunding project Ethereum ICO as an example. It was the second most successful ICO held! Tokens distributed were 60,000,000 and were mined through proof of work protocol that later on changed to proof of stake. Application type was decentralized and smart contract based. ICO was held for 42 days ( 20th July 2014 to 2nd Sep 2014) and 31.5k BTC (worth approximately 18.4 million at that time).
Concerns associated with ICO’s
No doubt ICO’s solve the problem of initial coin distribution however in lieu of some controversies and failed ICO’s investors are a little hesitant to invest in ICO’s.
10 tips for investors to pick the right ICO
1.Codebase
Codebase helps in making the process more transparent and enables investors to look at accomplishments, issues and current state of the project.
2.Whitepaper
The whitepaper should provide all the required information in a succinct form so that potential investors can make an informed choice.
3.Technical Expertise of the development team
This determines the feasibility and fruition of the project. Team should be technically sound and should have the required skills to develop the project. The team should be truly involved at each stage to ensure that milestones decided are achieved within the agreed timeframe.
4.Projected value of the token
Investors should check if the token they are about to acquire would grant a return on their investment eventually and would actually be useful. They should astutely check the distribution strategy to assess incentives in the longer run.
5.Beta Preview
A beta preview is a proof of an early version of the product and is a great assurance.
6.Projected Launch Date
A clear road map and a launch date are vital elements. They establish accountability and gauge commitment.
7.Freezing or lock-in period
Is there any freezing or lock-in period? Will you get access to the new tokens or coins within 3–4 months of the ICO? These answers need to be well thought about to determine the ownership and trading opportunities and taking calculated risks.
8.Cap on coins/tokens?
Proper information on number of coins to be created should be given. Some teams opt for creating more coins if need be. Its advisable to have a cap so supply is fixed and demand can be regulated.
9.Fair Fund Allocation
Prospective investors should check and evaluate the allocation of tokens
10.Don’t avoid red flags
If there are many red flags and unresolved concerns then probably the investor should reconsider risks and decide accordingly.
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We believe that cryptocurrencies are of great value and can coexist with fiat currencies. You can contact us and get more insights on “How to launch a successful ICO”? Our team of experts have developed a blockchain based decentralized platform which aims to streamline the cryptomarket and prevent the greed to capitalise.
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