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12 Fintech Startups Driving Innovation with Blockchain

Top Fintech Startups

Blockchain fintech companies have revolutionized the financial sector over the last 10 years by upending established banking procedures and changing the landscape. Their innovative technologies have brought them to the forefront and profoundly changed the financial services industry, along with shifting customer demands.

The term “fintech,” or financial technology, describes advanced technology that attempts to improve things by automating the usage and provision of financial services. Fintech is used to assist various businesses, customers, and entrepreneurs in managing all of their financial operations and procedures more effectively in order to enhance things all around. Blockchain is one of the main elements of fintech.

A number of firms have emerged recently to leverage blockchain technology appropriately in order to help expedite the financial revolution. Now, let’s look at a few of the most well-known fintech blockchain companies that are transforming the finance sector.

How is Fintech Blockchain Technology Transforming the Banking Sector?

The digitalization wave propels fintech success by enabling faster innovation to satisfy changing client demands. By reducing transaction fees and operating expenses, they have increased accessibility to financial services. Think about these instances:

  • Services for sending money abroad that are quicker and less expensive.
  • Digital banks, sometimes known as Neobanks, offer no-fee accounts, flexible credit and debit cards as well as business credit cards, expedited onboarding, and tools for budgeting.
  • Payment Infrastructure as a Service, or PIaaS, is a scalable and adaptable method of managing operations and payments. Providing businesses with an easy way to take payments.
  • Embedded finance is the process of integrating different platforms with banking, insurance, stock trading, wallet-as-a-service, and other services.

The requirements of the contemporary digital consumer are met by the widespread use of digital wallets and mobile banking applications, which provide a more affordable and practical method of payment. Fintech services are increasingly synonymous with personalized customer experiences and customized financial advice, strengthening client loyalty and confidence.

How Much Switching to Digital Will Cost?

Fintech blockchain is growing, but because of their complicated legacy IT systems, traditional banks are having trouble keeping up with technology. The return on investment in new digital banking services has not yet been completely realized, despite attempts to remain competitive. Banks are incorporating fintech technologies into their systems to expedite procedures and lower development costs in order to meet client demand.

Crypto fintech companies offer better experiences and products, but profitability is still a problem. In periods of limited capital, banks are crucial partners for fintech survival due to their extensive operations and varied range of products. Nevertheless, the process of establishing financial alliances takes time.

1. Fireblocks

Fireblocks is a pioneering fintech company in the crypto space, revolutionizing how financial institutions manage and transact with cryptocurrencies. With a suite of innovative solutions, Fireblocks addresses critical challenges faced by traditional finance companies venturing into the crypto realm. Offering secure wallets for crypto money transfers, Fireblocks ensures the safe and efficient movement of digital assets across borders, empowering fintech crypto companies to embrace the opportunities presented by blockchain technology without compromising on security.

Moreover, Fireblocks caters to the evolving needs of fintech crypto companies by providing robust tools for automated governance and control of crypto transactions. By leveraging blockchain’s inherent transparency and immutability, Fireblocks enables institutions to implement comprehensive compliance measures and monitor transactions in real-time, ensuring regulatory adherence and mitigating the risk of fraud or misuse. With its innovative approach to crypto finance, Fireblocks will catalyze the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies and drive the transformation of traditional financial systems into decentralized, blockchain-powered ecosystems.

2. ANote Music

ANote is transforming the music industry’s financial industry by tapping into blockchain technology. Serving as Europe’s primary and secondary marketplace for music royalties, ANote brings transparency, security, and accessibility to an asset class previously reserved for industry insiders. By using blockchain in fintech, ANote facilitates direct investments in songs, allowing individuals to buy rights offered by musicians, record labels, and publishers. This technology ensures trust and integrity in ownership and transfers by making transactions immutable and decentralized, removing the need for intermediaries and simplifying the investment process for everyone involved.

Furthermore, ANote introduces a fresh financial opportunity independent from traditional investments, broadening investors’ portfolios and horizons. By establishing new valuation standards for royalties throughout the EU, ANote creates a transparent marketplace where music rights’ worth is dictated by market forces and investor interest, rather than obscure industry practices. Through its blockchain-based platform, ANote democratizes access to music royalties, providing artists with new revenue streams and offering investors a chance to engage in the music industry confidently and easily.

3. AnChain.AI

Fintech blockchain companies are utilizing AI as a driving factor, with a focus on blockchain analytics enabled by AI-driven platforms. AnChain.AI, which oversees millions of dollars in weekly transaction volumes, provides essential security to some of the biggest crypto exchanges, protocols, and DApps globally, all with the main goal of strengthening the global crypto environment. Its defensive approach is centered on the Situational Awareness Platform (SAP), an advanced technology designed to proactively protect cryptocurrency holdings.

AnChain.AI’s SAP isn’t merely reactive; it’s a proactive fortress, harnessing proprietary artificial intelligence, knowledge graphs, and threat intelligence on blockchain transactions. This advanced platform not only identifies and neutralizes potential threats but also precludes their manifestation, ensuring the security and trustworthiness of financial transactions within the blockchain ecosystem. As the fintech industry increasingly pivots towards blockchain integration, AnChain.AI’s groundbreaking approach establishes new benchmarks for security and risk management, providing indispensable support to the fintech blockchain technology.

4. Aragon

Aragon is a fintech firm that is leading the way in providing blockchain solutions for fintech that are designed to transform the way businesses are established and run. Their idea is based on the knowledge that the Internet and blockchain are radically changing the way businesses function and what motivates them to exist. Leading this change is Aragon, which creates solutions, especially for the future generation of businesses ready to take advantage of these changes in the fintech blockchain business environment.

By providing blockchain solutions for fintech, Aragon aims to simplify and democratize the creation and maintenance of companies and other organizational structures. Their innovative approach uses the power of blockchain technology to offer transparent, secure, and efficient solutions for entrepreneurs and organizations. Through Aragon’s platform, individuals can establish and manage entities in a decentralized, trustless manner, bypassing traditional intermediaries and red tape. This not only fosters greater accessibility and inclusivity in the world of finance but also paves the way for new business models and organizational frameworks that fully capitalize on the potential of blockchain and the Internet.

5. Zabo

Zabo is a leading innovator in the fintech crypto companies, providing an innovative cryptocurrency banking platform that combines traditional banking with blockchain technology. Users may now get their salary in Bitcoin thanks to Zabo, which is a big step in the right direction towards the widespread usage of digital currencies in regular financial transactions. Zabo makes it easier to make the smooth transfer from fiat to cryptocurrency in the future when cryptocurrencies will play a major role in personal finance.

Zabo’s core product is an API-based cryptocurrency application that acts as a bridge to link cryptocurrency accounts to other apps with little to no coding knowledge. By enabling developers and companies to quickly integrate cryptocurrency features into their platforms, this simplified method opens up new avenues for financial innovation. Zabo also offers a full range of services, such as physical bank accounts that accept hardware wallets, allowing users to easily purchase, sell, or transfer cryptocurrency while still having the ease and security of traditional banking. Zabo stands out as a forerunner, advancing the fusion of blockchain technology and conventional banking with its user-friendly and adaptable platform as blockchain fintech companies continue to transform the financial environment.

6. Horizon Blockchain Games Inc.

Horizon is spearheading a transformative journey toward a New Dimension where internet economies are vibrant, accessible, and inclusive for all participants. At the core of their vision lies Sequence, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at ushering in a new era of user-friendly blockchain solutions for fintech. The sequence comprises two pivotal components: firstly, the development of the first-of-its-kind smart wallet tailored for crypto, NFTs, Web3, and the metaverse. This intuitive wallet not only simplifies the complexities of blockchain technology but also opens doors to new realms of digital asset management and interaction.

Secondly, Horizon introduces a developer platform integral to the Sequence ecosystem, facilitating the seamless creation of Web3 applications on Ethereum and other EVM chains. By offering developers user-friendly tools and resources, Horizon empowers them to embark on their own ventures within the blockchain space, fueling innovation and expanding the horizons of fintech blockchain companies. With Sequence, Horizon aims to democratize access to the benefits of blockchain technology, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where finance intersects with modern technology to drive positive change and empower individuals worldwide.

7. Argent

With the use of fintech blockchain technology, Argent becomes a leading force in the finance sector by providing a straightforward yet effective solution in the shape of a smart wallet made exclusively for Ethereum. Argent gives people direct access to the potential of cryptocurrencies, democratizing identity management and digital asset access. Argent gives consumers the ability to take charge of their financial destinies by offering an intuitive mobile interface that allows them to save, save, transmit, borrow, earn interest, and invest in cryptocurrency.

Argent’s fintech blockchain service is centered on a dedication to accessibility, security, and simplicity. With no need for middlemen, this non-custodial smart wallet guarantees that consumers always have complete control over their funds. In the blockchain financial space, Argent raises the bar for usability and security by fusing a sophisticated aesthetic with strong security measures. Furthermore, Argent is a worldwide financial inclusion advocate since it provides its services to anybody with an internet connection, regardless of location or nationality. Argent is a shining example of innovation in the financial sector, bringing the world of cryptocurrencies closer to the reach and convenience of everybody. This is due to the ongoing change in the fintech industry by blockchain technology.

8. Phemex

Phemex is a fintech blockchain company that is leading the way in building the most reliable cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform globally. Phemex’s ethos is centered on its dedication to a “User-oriented” approach, which puts the trust and happiness of users first. Using this perspective, Phemex painstakingly creates strong features that outperform those on current exchanges, giving traders unmatched comfort and confidence while purchasing and disposing of contracts.

Phemex uses blockchain technology to provide customers with a smooth trading experience while also guaranteeing the security and immutability of transactions. Because of the platform’s user-centric design, traders may conduct transactions in a reliable environment with confidence, knowing that their interests are protected and their assets are given top priority. Phemex is well-positioned to transform the cryptocurrency derivatives trading market and establish new benchmarks for functionality and dependability in the fintech blockchain industry thanks to its commitment to innovation and user empowerment.

9. Aurus

Aurus is at the forefront of finance using blockchain technology, revolutionizing the traditional precious metals industry through its innovative products and services. By using blockchain-based solutions, Aurus transforms the accessibility and usability of gold, silver, and platinum, making these precious metals more readily available to people worldwide. Through Aurus’s platform, individuals can seamlessly buy, store, and trade gold, silver, and platinum in a highly fractionable, portable, and accessible manner, all while enjoying the benefits of spot pricing and minimal storage and transaction fees.

As one of the leading crypto fintech companies, Aurus’s mission is to democratize access to precious metals and reshape the way they are bought, sold, and stored. By leveraging blockchain technology, Aurus eliminates barriers to entry and enables individuals to participate in the precious metals market with ease and transparency. Through its innovative approach, Aurus not only expands access to traditional assets but also unlocks new avenues for financial inclusion and empowerment, driving forward the evolution of finance in the blockchain era.

10. Bakkt

Bakkt stands as a leading startup in the fintech blockchain domain, committed to developing technology that facilitates the integration of cryptocurrencies across diverse industries. With a focus on enhancing customer loyalty and delivering exceptional experiences, Bakkt empowers companies to leverage crypto assets to create immersive and interconnected experiences for their customers. By unlocking the utility of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, Bakkt equips its business partners with the tools to offer innovative opportunities that drive deeper engagement and satisfaction among consumers.

Through its innovative solutions, Bakkt bridges the divide between traditional finance and the blockchain ecosystem, opening up new avenues for the application of cryptocurrency in everyday transactions. By providing tailored tools and solutions, Bakkt empowers businesses to embrace blockchain technology and leverage its benefits to enhance customer loyalty and stimulate growth. As a key player among fintech blockchain companies, Bakkt is spearheading the evolution of finance by unlocking novel possibilities for businesses and consumers in the digital era.

11. Billion

Billon is a blockchain-based financial firm that is leading the way in developing a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) protocol and system that is designed for large-scale national currency payments and document storage. Through rigorous compliance with regulatory standards, Billon addresses major obstacles to the financial industry’s broad adoption of blockchain technology. Billon wants to unleash the disruptive power of blockchain technology in the regulated financial sector with its novel protocol, which is designed for high throughput and low maintenance costs.

Billon aims to transform traditional finance by utilizing blockchain technology in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Financial institutions can confidently adopt blockchain technology and reap its advantages while maintaining regulatory compliance with Billon’s scalable and compliant national currency payment and document storage platform. Being a driving force in the blockchain in fintech industry, Billon is utilizing blockchain technology to its fullest extent in regulated environments, therefore bringing about a new age of increased efficiency, transparency, and creativity.

12. Balancer

Using blockchain technology, Balancer emerges as a trailblazing startup in the financial space, upending the conventional approach to portfolio management with its cutting-edge automated portfolio manager and liquidity provider. Balancer completely reimagines the idea of an index fund, turning the traditional approach on its head. Rather than charging portfolio managers to rebalance investments, customers may now charge traders to do so by taking advantage of arbitrage possibilities. This ground-breaking method democratizes portfolio management and returns control to customers by doing away with the need for expensive middlemen.

Through its innovative model, Balancer unlocks new possibilities for dynamic fees and introduces liquidity bootstrapping pools (LBPs), which are particularly advantageous for launching new tokens and facilitating token swaps. By utilizing blockchain technology, Balancer provides a decentralized and efficient platform for managing portfolios and providing liquidity, offering users greater flexibility and control over their assets. As one of the leading blockchain fintech companies, Balancer is at the forefront of driving innovation in decentralized finance (DeFi), reshaping the landscape of traditional finance and opening up new opportunities for financial inclusion and empowerment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the fintech revolution is being propelled forward by the innovative efforts of startups using the power of blockchain technology. These 12 startups showcased in our blog are at the forefront of driving transformative change in the financial industry, offering solutions that enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility. 

From decentralized lending platforms to blockchain-powered payment networks, each startup is reshaping traditional finance and paving the way for a more inclusive and decentralized financial future. As these startups continue to push the boundaries of innovation, the fintech revolution will undoubtedly accelerate, bringing about a new era of financial services that are faster, cheaper, and more secure for everyone.

FAQs

1. What is blockchain technology and how does it benefit fintech startups?

Blockchain technology is a decentralized and immutable ledger system that records transactions across a network of computers. Fintech startups leverage blockchain for its transparency, security, and efficiency. By using blockchain, startups can streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance trust in financial transactions.

2. How do these startups use blockchain to revolutionize finance?

These startups utilize blockchain in various ways, such as facilitating cross-border payments, providing decentralized lending and borrowing platforms, creating tokenized assets, and improving transparency in financial transactions. By harnessing blockchain, they offer innovative solutions that challenge traditional financial systems and empower users with greater control over their finances.

3. Are blockchain-based fintech solutions secure?

Yes, blockchain-based fintech solutions offer enhanced security due to the decentralized nature of blockchain networks. Transactions are recorded on a distributed ledger that is immutable, making it extremely difficult for unauthorized parties to tamper with data. Additionally, cryptographic techniques ensure that transactions are secure and private.

4. How accessible are these blockchain fintech solutions to the average user?

Many of these startups prioritize user-friendliness and accessibility, offering intuitive platforms and interfaces that make it easy for individuals to participate in blockchain-based financial services. Whether it’s using a decentralized wallet for cryptocurrency transactions or accessing decentralized protocols, these solutions aim to democratize finance and empower users of all levels of expertise.

5. What regulatory challenges do blockchain fintech startups face?

Blockchain fintech startups often navigate complex regulatory landscapes as they operate in a rapidly evolving industry. Regulatory challenges can include compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations, as well as navigating licensing requirements in different jurisdictions. However, many startups work closely with regulators to ensure compliance and foster trust in their platforms.

How Does the Blockchain Work?

How does Blockchain Work

Blockchain technology has transformed the way we handle digital transactions and data storage. It serves as a secure and decentralized platform that records and verifies information without intermediaries. 

Imagine a digital ledger that’s shared among a network of computers, where each transaction is securely recorded, transparently visible, and impossible to alter. That’s the core idea behind blockchain—a revolutionary concept with the potential to reshape how we interact online. In this blog, we’re here to break down the basics of blockchain in simple terms. We will learn about how does blockchain work and the intricacies involved in blockchain technology! But first, let’s get to know what blockchain is all about!

What is Blockchain Technology?

Blockchain is a technique for storing data that makes it difficult or impossible for outside parties to alter, hack, or manipulate the system. A distributed ledger, or blockchain, is a network of computers that replicates and disperses transactions between itself.

Blockchain technology is a framework that uses many databases, referred to as the “chain,” connected by peer-to-peer nodes, to store public transactional records or blocks. This type of storage is commonly known as a “digital ledger.”

The digital signature of the owner authorizes each transaction in this ledger, ensuring its authenticity and preventing any manipulation. Because of this, the data in the digital ledger is extremely safe.

To put it another way, the digital ledger is essentially a network of several computers sharing a Google spreadsheet where transactional data are kept according to real purchases. The intriguing aspect is that while everyone may view the data, it cannot be altered.

How Does the Blockchain Technology Work?

You may have seen that a growing number of companies worldwide have been utilizing Blockchain technology in recent years. But how does the blockchain work specifically? Is this a little addition or a big change? Let’s start by dispelling some of the myths surrounding Blockchain technology, as these developments are still in their infancy and might become revolutionary in the future.

Blockchain combines three innovative technologies:

  • Cryptographic keys
  • A distributed ledger on a peer-to-peer network
  • A kind of computation that stores the network’s records and transactions

The two keys used in cryptography are the public key and the private key. These keys facilitate the effective completion of transactions between two parties. These two keys belong to each person, and they are used to create a safe digital identity reference. Perhaps the most significant feature of Blockchain technology is this encrypted identification. This identification, known as a “digital signature” in the context of cryptocurrencies, is used to authorize and manage transactions.

The peer-to-peer network and the digital signature are combined, and a lot of people who function as authorities use the digital signature to agree on transactions and other matters. A mathematical verification confirms their approval of a contract, leading to a successful safe transaction between the two network-connected parties.

Types of Blockchain

Types of Blockchain

There are different types of blockchain. They are as follows.

  • Private Blockchain Networks

Private blockchains run on closed networks and are best suited for private corporations and organizations. Companies may utilize private blockchains to tailor their access and permission preferences, network characteristics, and other critical security features. A private blockchain network is managed by just one authority.

  • Public Blockchain Networks

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies evolved from public blockchains, which also helped popularize distributed ledger technology (DLT). Public blockchains also assist to avoid some obstacles and issues, such as security weaknesses and centralized control. DLT distributes data throughout a peer-to-peer network rather than storing it in a single location. A consensus technique is used to verify information validity; proof of stake (PoS) and proof of work (PoW) are two popular consensus approaches. 

  • Permissioned Blockchain Networks

Permissioned blockchain networks, also known as hybrid blockchains, are private blockchains that provide unique access to approved persons. Organizations generally build up these sorts of blockchains to obtain the greatest of both worlds, as it allows for better organization when determining who may join the network and in which transactions.

Read Blog: Permissionless Blockchain: An Overview

  • Consortium Blockchains

Consortium blockchains, like permissioned blockchains, feature both public and private components, but they are managed by numerous organizations. Although these sorts of blockchains are initially more difficult to set up, once operational, they can provide superior security. Furthermore, consortium blockchains are ideal for collaboration across various enterprises.

  • Hybrid Blockchains

Hybrid blockchains combine both public and private blockchains. In a hybrid blockchain, certain sections of the blockchain are public and transparent, but others are private and only available to authorized members. This makes hybrid blockchains excellent for applications that demand a mix of openness and secrecy. For example, in supply chain management, numerous parties can view some information but sensitive data is kept secret.

  • Sidechains

Sidechains are parallel blockchains that provide extra features and scalability. Sidechains allow developers to get creative with new features and apps without compromising the main blockchain’s integrity. Sidechains can also be utilized to manage transactions of the main blockchain, reducing congestion and enhancing scalability.

  • Blockchain Layers

Building several blockchain layers on top of one another is referred to as “blockchain layers.” Every layer can have its own rules, functionality, and consensus mechanism that can communicate with other levels. Due to the capacity to handle transactions concurrently across many levels, this guarantees increased scalability. As an illustration, the Lightning Network is a second-layer solution that facilitates quicker and less expensive transactions by opening up payment channels between users and is built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain.

Read Our Blog: Layer-1 Vs. Layer-2: The Blockchain Scaling Solutions

What is Blockchain as a Service? 

Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) is a cloud-based service that allows users to develop, host, and deploy blockchain applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the underlying infrastructure typically associated with blockchain technology.

Similar to other “as a Service” models like Software as a Service (SaaS) or Platform as a Service (PaaS), BaaS provides users with access to blockchain capabilities on a pay-as-you-go or subscription basis. This means that users can leverage the benefits of blockchain technology, such as decentralization, transparency, and immutability, without needing to invest in hardware, software, or specialized expertise.

Blockchain Development Company

Here’s how it works:

1. Cloud-Based Infrastructure: Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) providers offer blockchain infrastructure hosted on their cloud platforms. This infrastructure typically includes all the necessary components for deploying, managing, and scaling blockchain networks.

2. Pre-Built Solutions: BaaS platforms often provide pre-built blockchain solutions and templates tailored for specific use cases, such as supply chain management, identity verification, or financial transactions. These solutions come with predefined smart contracts, consensus mechanisms, and other necessary features.

3. Development Tools: BaaS platforms offer a range of development tools, APIs, and SDKs that enable developers to easily build, test, and deploy blockchain applications. These tools abstract away much of the complexity associated with blockchain development.

4. Scalability and Flexibility: BaaS platforms typically offer scalability features, allowing customers to easily scale their blockchain networks based on demand. They also provide flexibility in terms of choosing the underlying blockchain protocol, consensus mechanism, and other configuration options.

5. Managed Services: BaaS providers handle various operational aspects of the blockchain infrastructure, such as security, maintenance, and upgrades. This allows customers to focus on developing and deploying their applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

How is Blockchain Used?

Blockchain technology has found applications across various industries, revolutionizing processes and enhancing security and transparency. Let’s explore how blockchain is utilized in different sectors:

1. Finance

In the financial industry, blockchain is widely used for secure and transparent transactions. It has facilitated faster cross-border payments, reduced transaction costs, and minimized the need for intermediaries. Smart contracts powered by blockchain technology automate processes such as loan approvals and trade settlements, streamlining operations and reducing the risk of fraud.

2. Healthcare

Blockchain is transforming the healthcare sector by improving data management and patient care. Electronic health records stored on blockchain platforms ensure data integrity and confidentiality, enabling secure sharing of information among healthcare providers. Additionally, blockchain in healthcare facilitates drug traceability, ensuring the authenticity of pharmaceutical products and combating counterfeit drugs in the market.

3. Supply Chain Management

Blockchain technology is reshaping supply chain management by enhancing transparency and traceability. By recording every step of a product’s journey on a of transparency builds trust among stakeholders and improves overall supply chain efficiency.

4. Real Estate

In the real estate industry, blockchain is revolutionizing property transactions and ownership records. Smart contracts on blockchain platforms enable secure and transparent real estate transactions, eliminating the need for intermediaries such as brokers and lawyers. Blockchain-based property registries ensure accurate and tamper-proof records of ownership, reducing the risk of fraud and disputes in real estate transactions.

Read Blog: Revolutionizing Real Estate With Blockchain Technology

5. Energy

Blockchain technology is being leveraged in the energy sector to enable peer-to-peer energy trading and enhance grid management. Through blockchain-based platforms, energy producers can sell excess energy directly to consumers, creating a decentralized energy market. Smart meters integrated with blockchain technology enable real-time monitoring of energy consumption and transactions, promoting energy efficiency and sustainability.

These examples showcase the diverse applications of blockchain technology across industries, highlighting its potential to revolutionize processes, enhance security, and drive innovation in various sectors.

Features of Blockchain Technology

Features of Blockchain Technology

Here are the key features of blockchain technology:

1. Decentralized: Blockchain is a decentralized system, meaning that there is no single central authority controlling the network. Instead, it is maintained by a network of nodes (computers) that work together to validate transactions.

2. Immutable: Once a transaction is recorded on the blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted. This is because each block is linked to the previous block through a unique code, making it impossible to change or manipulate the data.

3. Transparent: All transactions on the blockchain are transparent, meaning that anyone can view the entire history of transactions on the network.

4. Distributed Ledger: Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology, meaning that multiple nodes on the network maintain a copy of the entire blockchain, ensuring that all parties have access to the same information.

5. Security: Blockchain technology uses advanced cryptography and encryption techniques to ensure that all transactions are secure and tamper-proof.

6. Upgradability: Many blockchain networks are designed to be upgradable, allowing for changes to be made to the protocol or underlying code without disrupting the network.

7. Scalability: While blockchain technology has made significant progress in terms of scalability, some networks still face limitations in terms of transaction speed and capacity.

8. Interoperability: Blockchain technology is being developed to enable interoperability between different networks, allowing for seamless communication and data exchange between different ecosystems.

Bitcoin vs. Blockchain

Since its first release in 2009, Bitcoin has grown to become the most well-known and prosperous virtual currency to date. Due to its decentralized nature—that is, the lack of a central bank or body overseeing its supply—Bitcoin has become extremely popular. This implies that utilizing Bitcoin entails no transaction costs and anonymous transactions.

Blockchain is a database of past transactions between two parties. As new transactions occur, blocks of data containing details about them are added to the chain in chronological order. The amount of blocks generated following a record makes it harder to modify over time, therefore the Blockchain is always expanding as new blocks are added to it.

Applications of Blockchain

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries and sectors beyond its original use case in cryptocurrency. The decentralized and secure nature of blockchain makes it an attractive solution for a wide range of applications, including:

  • Financial Services: Blockchain can be used to create secure and transparent financial instruments, such as smart contracts, digital identities, and decentralized exchanges. Banks and financial institutions are exploring blockchain technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
  • Voting Systems: Blockchain-based voting systems can increase transparency and security in elections. Countries such as Australia and Switzerland are exploring blockchain-based voting systems.
  • Cybersecurity: Blockchain can be used to create secure and decentralized cybersecurity solutions, such as decentralized blockchain identity management and encrypted data storage.
  • Intellectual Property: Blockchain can help protect intellectual property rights by creating a tamper-proof record of ownership and provenance.
  • Gaming: Blockchain can be used to create decentralized gaming platforms, allowing for secure and transparent transactions, and enabling players to own their digital assets.
  • Identity Verification: Blockchain-based identity verification solutions can help create secure and decentralized digital identities, reducing the risk of identity theft and improving security.
  • Food Safety: Blockchain can help track the origin and movement of food products, reducing the risk of food contamination and improving transparency.
  • Education: Blockchain-based education platforms can help create secure and transparent digital credentials, reducing the risk of degree fraud and improving accessibility.
  • Government Services: Blockchain can be used to create secure and transparent government services, such as voting systems, taxation systems, and identity verification.

Benefits of Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has numerous benefits that make it an attractive solution for various industries and sectors. Some of the key benefits of blockchain technology include:

1. Increased Transparency: Blockchain technology provides a transparent and tamper-proof record of transactions, making it easier to track and verify the authenticity of data.

2. Improved Security: Blockchain technology uses advanced cryptography and encryption techniques to ensure that data is secure and tamper-proof, making it difficult for hackers to access or manipulate data.

3. Reduced Costs: Blockchain technology can reduce costs by automating processes, eliminating intermediaries, and increasing efficiency.

4. Enhanced Efficiency: Blockchain technology can automate processes, reduce the need for manual intervention, and increase speed and accuracy, making it an attractive solution for industries that require fast and efficient processing.

5. Increased Trust: Blockchain technology can increase trust between parties by providing a secure and transparent record of transactions, making it easier to establish trust in digital transactions.

6. Decentralized Control: Blockchain technology allows for decentralized control, giving individuals and organizations more control over their data and transactions.

7. Improved Data Accuracy: Blockchain technology can improve data accuracy by providing a single source of truth, reducing the risk of errors and inconsistencies.

8. Reduced Risk of Fraud: Blockchain technology can reduce the risk of fraud by providing a secure and transparent record of transactions, making it difficult for fraudsters to manipulate data.

9. Increased Accessibility: Blockchain technology can increase accessibility by providing a secure and transparent way for individuals and organizations to access and share data.

10. Scalability: Blockchain technology can scale to meet the needs of growing industries and sectors, providing a secure and transparent way to manage large amounts of data.

11. Improved Compliance: Blockchain technology can improve compliance by providing a secure and transparent record of transactions, making it easier to meet regulatory requirements.

12. Reduced Counterfeiting: Blockchain technology can reduce counterfeiting by providing a secure and transparent way to track the origin and movement of goods.

13. Improved Supply Chain Management: Blockchain technology can improve supply chain management by providing a secure and transparent way to track the movement of goods.

14. Enhanced Customer Experience: Blockchain technology can enhance customer experience by providing a secure and transparent way to manage customer data and transactions.

15. Increased Value: Blockchain technology can increase value by providing a secure and transparent way to manage digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies.

Overall, blockchain technology has the potential to bring significant benefits to various industries and sectors, from improved security and transparency to increased efficiency and accessibility. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications of blockchain emerge.

Leading Blockchain Platforms

There are a lot of blockchain platforms out there. The Ethereum blockchain, Hyperledger Fabric, and OpenChain are the three most well-known.

1. Ethereum: Ethereum stands as one of the most widely utilized and respected blockchain platforms in the industry. It is celebrated for its open-source nature and adaptability, making it a preferred choice for various enterprise applications. One of Ethereum’s groundbreaking contributions to the blockchain space is the introduction of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). These innovations have significantly expanded the potential use cases of blockchain technology beyond simple transactions. Ethereum boasts a robust and expansive developer community, fostering continuous innovation and development within its ecosystem. Its native cryptocurrency, Ether, serves as the fuel for executing operations on the platform.

2. Hyperledger Fabric: Hyperledger Fabric caters to specific industry needs, particularly in the finance and manufacturing sectors. It is an open-source blockchain platform designed primarily for permissioned networks. However, it can also support decentralized hosting and storage of applications leveraging smart contracts. Hyperledger Fabric offers a modular framework that empowers organizations to build private blockchains customized to their unique business requirements. This flexibility, combined with its support for smart contracts, enables diverse applications across various industries.

3. OpenChain: OpenChain addresses the requirements of organizations looking to efficiently manage and safeguard digital assets. As an open-source blockchain platform, it allows administrators to establish the rules governing the ledger. Users can then engage in value exchange on the ledger while adhering to these predefined rules. OpenChain’s focus on providing a customizable and scalable solution makes it suitable for a wide range of use cases, from supply chain management to digital asset issuance and tracking.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the blockchain represents a revolutionary technology with the potential to transform numerous industries by providing secure, transparent, and decentralized solutions for various applications. Its underlying principles of immutability, decentralization, and cryptographic security make it a robust and reliable platform for storing and exchanging digital assets and information. From financial transactions and supply chain management to identity verification and decentralized applications, the blockchain offers endless possibilities for innovation and disruption.

As businesses and organizations continue to explore the benefits of blockchain technology, partnering with an experienced blockchain development company becomes crucial. SoluLab stands out as a leading provider of blockchain solutions, offering expertise in developing custom blockchain applications tailored to specific business requirements. With a team of skilled developers and blockchain specialists, SoluLab empowers businesses to harness the full potential of blockchain technology. Whether it’s creating decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, supply chain tracking systems, or secure digital identity solutions, SoluLab delivers reliable, scalable, and innovative blockchain solutions. Contact us today to embark on your blockchain journey and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation.

FAQs

1. What exactly is blockchain technology?

Blockchain technology is a decentralized digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers in a secure and transparent manner. Each block in the chain contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, creating a chronological and immutable record of transactions.

2. How does blockchain ensure security and trust?

Blockchain ensures security and trust through its decentralized nature and cryptographic mechanisms. Transactions on the blockchain are verified and recorded by multiple participants in the network, making it extremely difficult for any single entity to tamper with the data. Additionally, cryptographic techniques like hashing and digital signatures provide further security by encrypting and authenticating transactions.

3. What are smart contracts, and how do they work on the blockchain?

Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. These contracts automatically execute and enforce themselves when predetermined conditions are met, eliminating the need for intermediaries. Smart contracts run on blockchain platforms like Ethereum, leveraging the platform’s decentralized infrastructure to ensure transparency and security.

4. Is blockchain only useful for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin?

While blockchain technology gained prominence with the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, its utility extends far beyond digital currencies. Blockchain can be applied to various industries and use cases, including supply chain management, healthcare, finance, voting systems, and identity verification. Its decentralized and immutable nature makes it suitable for any scenario requiring secure and transparent record-keeping.

5. How can businesses leverage blockchain technology?

Businesses can leverage blockchain technology in numerous ways to streamline operations, enhance security, and drive innovation. Some common applications include supply chain tracking to improve transparency and traceability, digital identity management to securely verify user identities, and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms for efficient and transparent financial transactions. By incorporating blockchain into their operations, businesses can gain a competitive edge and unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency.

Best ICO websites List: Top 10 ICO Review Sites 2022

 

Participating in new token purchases today requires pitching tents with the best ICO websites. What makes an ICO website ideal can be determined from an objective standpoint using a range of metrics for measuring performances. These metrics must be researched by the proposed investor, and from there, make a decision on which ICO launch platforms to commit funds for token purchases with.

In this article, we have the list of the top 10 ICO sites. ICO rating sites or token listing platforms serve early-stage cryptocurrency investors today. Let’s start with a comparison of the top 10 ICO websites providing quality ICO listings to invest in.

What are the Best ICO Websites? Here’s Our Top 10 List:

Of the top sites where new coins can be purchased, only a few can be ranked as one of the best ICO websites around today. It should be noted that the blockchain or cryptocurrency ecosystem has evolved in a lot of ways, and the ICOs are either in the form of Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOS), or Initial Decentralized Exchange Offerings (IDOs).

If you are new to Initial Coin Offerings, then please make sure you first understand: what is an ICO. Secondly, if you haven’t done it before, you should also read how to participate in ICO before you scroll through any ICO websites.

The list below will feature the top platforms split between the ICOs and the IDOs. All have their uniqueness and varying mode of offering the gems hosted on their platforms. Let’s dive into the list, shall we?

1. Binance Launchpad (best ICO website overall)

Binance Launchpad Logo

Binance Launchpad is by far one of the best token sale platforms. The launchpad feature is an extension of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange platform, a Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and altcoin trading website that ranks as the largest in the world by trading volume. The Binance launchpad is a full-service offering outfit that helps both projects, and investors get the best of any new project.

Through the launchpad, token issuers can find enthusiastic investors for their projects, while investors can also gain early access to handpicked and promising tokens. The launchpad has hosted a total of 48 projects thus far according to data obtained on the platform, with as much as $104 million pulled in funds. Additionally, the Binance launchpad has recorded a total of 1.81 million all-time unique participants since the service was launched.

What makes Binance Launchpad unique

The Binance launchpad is ideal for technologically sound projects looking for an avenue to push their superior fundamentals to a ready market. Through the backing of the underlying exchange and its millions of users worldwide, all projects gain enough global exposure to market their products.

The party issuing the tokens will also be exposed to a tested token distribution model that will be appreciated by the token buyers. Investors are on the winning side as the Initial Coin Offerings are always succeeded by an instant listing on the Binance exchange. 

According to data from CryptoRank.io, the All-Time High (ATH) Average Return on Investment (ROI) on the Binance launchpad is pegged at 16,590%, a valuable metric for investors. 

Top ICO projects featured on the Binance Launchpad

The Binance launchpad is relatively new in hosting crowd sales for new blockchain technology startups with tokenized smart contracts. However, since its inception, the platform has hosted a number of innovative projects including Tocrypto, an Indonesian cryptocurrency exchange, Linear, A Cross-Chain Compatible, Decentralized Synthetic Asset Protocol, and the most recent project, Coin98, a multichain DeFi platform.

2. AscendEx (top pre-sale platform)

AscendEx Logo

AscendEx is the rebranded name of the BitMax crypto exchange and is one of the top platforms for launching active ICOs. With the cryptocurrency market known for a massive amount of digital currencies, AscendEx chooses digital assets for listing based on a rigorous vetting process.

In order to carve out its own niche in the new service offering for all classes of cryptocurrency ICO investors, AscendEx has developed a unique approach for its token listing process. ICO tokens are often listed up for “Auction” on the AscenEx fundraising launchpad. Prospective investors are required to participate in a bidding process, which when won, will guarantee allocation to the new ICOs respectively.

The performance of projects on the AscendEx platform has been impressive to date, with Cryptorank data showing an ATH ROI of 3269.1%.

What makes AscendEx unique?

AscendEx boasts of being a strategic partner for both blockchain projects seeking to conduct crowdfunding, and crypto investors alike. The platform relies on advanced algorithms that were designed by a group of Wall Street quant trading veterans. The auction platform provides an excluding listing for top prospective tokens while offering comprehensive marketing and infrastructure support.

There is a ready exchange or trading platform for auctioned crypto assets, a reliable way for projects to gain an easy entry into the market.

Top ICO projects featured on the AscendEx auction platform

Thus far, AscendEx has pioneered the public market debut of the following projects:

  • UltrAlpha (UAT) is a non-refundable functional utility token that will be used as the payment medium of service exchange between participants on the UAT platform
  • Freela (FREL) is a decentralized freelancing platform powered by DeFi. The Freela ecosystem utilizes the strengths of blockchain to offer conveniently settled, effectively mediated, and commission-free services to freelance workers and the people and businesses who want to hire them
  • Bonfida (FIDA), a flagship Serum GUI that brings Solana Data analytics to the field

3. Huobi Prime (great pre-sale platform)

Huobi Prime Logo

Huobi Prime is the exclusive token listing platform for upcoming ICOs on the Huobi Global trading platform. The platform can be said to be for the elite investors in the crypto market, as the minimum subscription rate for the ICO is a holding of 300 Huobi Tokens (HT). At the current market value of 1 HT which is $13.49, making the minimum subscription amount on Huobi Prime is $4,047 USD.

There are various levels of access to the token sale event on the launchpad. According to the past, ICOs conducted on the platform, prospective investors can also increase their tier by holding 600 to 1000, a range that extends to a holding of more than 5000 HTs. The more the number of HT tokens held, the more allocations possible into the presale.

Typically, to participate in any of the Huobi Prime listed presales, potential investors must stake the access tokens for a specified number of days, and the snapshot of the holdings is taken based on a unique algorithm. While it is not a rule of thumb, the ICO sale process on the Huobi Prime platform takes place in two stages, however, the firm ensures the process is well communicated to concerned investors in advance.

What makes Huobi Prime unique?

Huobi Global is a very established cryptocurrency trading platform that caters primarily to Asian crypto lovers. The launchpad is ideal for a project that wishes to market its innovations to the broader Asian populace. The exchange has sufficient liquidity to power all ICO token listings on its trading platform and provides after-launch support to make the projects navigate the murky waters of the crypto market aright.

Top ICO projects featured on the Huobi prime platform

Here are two of the most prominent projects that have been featured on the Huobi Prime platform:

  • TOP Network (TOP), is a high-performance blockchain with a powerful array of service-level infrastructures, including the world’s first decentralized cloud communication services
  • Newton Project (NEW), is a protocol that allows anyone to use the technology named “Atom Hashing” to create a unique digital identity of a product across the network

4. KuCoin Launchpad (best IDO pre-sale platform)

KuCoin Launchpad Logo

KuCoin Launchpad is one of the top-performing platforms for decentralizing the process of ICO token sales. Abbreviated simply as KCLP, the platform is the pioneering Initial Decentralized Offering (IDO) platform for the KuCoin community chain. The launchpad was uniquely designed to cut out the undue interference of bots in token presale events while guaranteeing fair access to all participants.

The KuCoin launchpad has a number of advantages it offers to both token issuers and the community of investors that depend on the platform’s ICO list. One of the strengths of this IDO launchpad is that it provides a very robust marketing plan for new projects while giving investors early access to promising projects.

The KuCoin launchpad works based on a tier system with unique names. The lowest option is the Globeltrotter which gives distributes 30% of all ICO tokens to subscribers. Subscribing to these options requires the staking of 625 tokens, with an accompanying 7-days lock-up period after the token sale.

The other tiers include ‘Believers’ and ‘Devotees’ which both issue 25% of the total tokens each, and the ‘Legend’ which releases  20% of the tokens to subscribers.

Top IDO projects featured on the KuCoin launchpad platform

The KCLP platform has promoted two major projects including the Big League NFT (BGLG), a platform that powers sport-related NFT innovations, as well as its native token, the KCLP tokens.

5. Gate.io Startup (valuable pre-sale platform)

Gate.io Logo

Gate.io Startup service as the name implies is a platform for startup blockchain projects to kickstart their journey as outlined in their whitepaper. The token sale service is offered as a discount offering platform to offer investors innovative cryptocurrency projects at a discount.

The platform is known for the launch of various tokens which it says are well-vetted before being introduced to investors in the ecosystem. With a great affinity to Asian markets, the Gate.io platform has grown to develop compliance models to wade off candidates from ineligible countries. Investors who wish to participate in all token sales hosted on the Gate.io Startup platform must verify their eligibility by country of residence.

Access to new tokens comes with the holding of the exchange’s native currency, the Gate Token (GT). The Gate launchpad also has a token tier system in which the more the number of $GT held, the more the number of new tokens that can be purchased. One of the uniqueness of the Gate startup platform is that it opens new tokens to the mother exchange which already has international recognition on social media for its robust trading pairs.

The launchpad is also known according to Cryptorank.io to have a high performance per the Return on Investment of its launched tokens. This figure is placed at 2233.49% at its all-time high value.

Top ICO projects featured on the Gate.io Startup launchpad

Here are a few names in the fintech and crypto ecosystem which have made  Gate.io their trusted partner:

  • Fanadise (FAN), is one of the world’s first influencer Utility NFTs platforms. With Fanadise users can collect, stake, buy and sell NFTs, experiences, and services from their favorite creators
  • Splinterlands (SPS), is a blockchain trading card game that allows gamers to play anytime, trade anytime, and earn with every win
  • CoinBurp (BURP), is a protocol that offers a blend of utility and governance over the CoinBurp suite of products

6. Kick.io (top IDO sale platform)

Kick.io Logo

Kick.io is an all-in-one IDO launchpad that helps usher in quality projects to the public. The primary target of the Kick platform is to facilitate easy and transparent presales while guaranteeing allocation to all token investors.

According to the Kick Whitepaper, the project’s motivation is represented by the ongoing scams and rug pulls that are presently destroying the potential of decentralized finance. The concept of rug pulling is not new to the digital currency space. It involves project team members abandoning their projects after cashing out from a public sale. The model for rug pulling may differ, however, they all capitalize on trending interest in their project by unsuspecting investors.

The Kick launchpad is built on the Binance Smart Chain, opening up access to scalable and cheap transaction services. It also functions as an incubator for new projects, providing the needed support for them to attain maturity. On the Kick platform, token issuers can opt-in to choose to conduct private and public sale rounds, with any tokens left unsold in the former being allocated for users in the later round.

Kick.io is a unique launchpad whose process is completely automated through the use of smart contracts. The funds raised via the IDO are sent to PancakeSwap where they are locked in the DEXs smart contracts. This model prevents the likelihood of rug pulling in the ongoing ICO or IDO as the case may be.

The ICO rating of Kick.io per the ROI of projects it has launched is high. According to Cryptorank’s data, this ATH ROI is currently pegged at 6,352.39%.

Top IDO projects featured on the Kick.io platform

Here are a few IDOs that have soared through the KickPad platform:

  • StartFi (STFI) is a Web3 based Multi Channel Network for NFT Creators and their community
  • Crop Finance (CROP), a protocol that makes yield farming easy with immediate onboarding
  •  Polylastic (POLX), a DeFi Index protocol designed to track token performance within the ever-evolving Elastic Finance industry (EFi)

7. CoinList (best token sale platform)

CoinList Logo

CoinList is a dedicated multifunction platform known for hosting the best pre-ICO and other related ICO drops events. CoinList is arguably one of the most popular token launchpads today and also serves as a trading platform with a host of unique functions. The CoinList platform is tagged as one of the best ICO listing sites because it offers token presale under strict regulatory adherence.

CoinList has grown to have a committed pool of investors who trust the platform to handpick the most innovative of products in the ever-growing pool of token markets to support. Besides the early access to tokens, CoinList works with some of the best digital currency custodians in the industry to provide bank-grade security for all assets hosted on the platform including tokens from all presale events.

A major unique strength of the CoinList launchpad is that it offers a complimentary staking product for all its ICOs with a multi-month lockup schedule. As a way to offer its token investors a higher value for their investments, CoinList locks the assets first to prevent a form of scam by the token issuer. In complement, the platform pays out a regular reward at a competitive industry returns rate to the investor. This regular payout is not locked and is often accessible by the investor before the end of the main token’s lockup period.

Despite the regular market dips, listed assets on the CoinList platform have recorded a return on investor growth rate from 1000% to more than 20,000% to date.

Top ICO projects featured on the CoinList launchpad

Unlike the other top icobench or websites known, CoinList is known to regularly host new projects on its platform, and the most prominent thus far include but are not limited to:

  • Filecoin (FIL), is a decentralized storage network that turns the world’s unused storage into an algorithmic market, creating a permanent, decentralized future for the web
  • Solana (SOL), a high-speed blockchain, currently supports 50-65k transactions per second and 400ms block times with 50 nodes on its public testnet
  • Flow (FLOW), is a new generation of games, apps, and the digital assets that power them

8. DAO Maker (top decentralized finance-based token launchpad)

DAO Maker Logo

DAO Maker is a leading digital token launchpad that leverages the power of Social Mining and its omnipresent exposure to help projects acquire a community. The platform complements its role in the project by using its token to convert the community into value-adding and value-assessing members of a DAO.

Arguably one of the best protocols that take up the role of marketing and fundraising for a new project, lets the team members focus on their product development. The social mining approach of DAO Maker is hinged on sustainability, with a drive to convert short-term flippers to longer-term investors. The model also places a compatibility focus on developers with the right skill set to guarantee longer-term project success.

The DAO Maker ecosystem also operates in full compliance with international Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering checks. The protocol leverages advanced models involving facial recognition, ID verification, and the exclusion of people from sanctioned regions. 

Top IDO projects featured on the DAO Maker platform

Here are some of the top projects that have benefitted from the DAO Maker platform to raise funds and secure an ecosystem of early-stage backers:

  • Vent Finance (VENT), is a Community Launchpad Ecosystem that comes off as the first full-stack Cardano-Polygon platform that enables sustainable growth
  • DeRace (DERC), is a platform that simulates real-life horse racing and gives players the ultimate horse racing experience almost in real-time

9. Polkastarter (top IDO platforms for new token listings)

Polkastarter Logo

Polkastarter primarily seeks to become a world-class top ICO list platform by helping idea incubators to raise money in a decentralized fashion. Polkastarter is built atop the Polkadot blockchain network, and it has interoperability with other chains, giving it a high level of flexibility in backing projects from other networks.

With Polkastarter, a wide range of decentralized projects will be able to raise and exchange capital cheap and fast. Users will be able to participate in a secure and compliant environment and use assets that go way beyond the current ERC20 standard.

The unique features of the Polkastarter launchpad include cross-chain swaps, fixed and dynamic swaps, permissionless listings, KYC integration, anti-scam features, and a Governance model. The protocol operates based on an audited smart contract and it recorded a 1,100% market growth in 2020. The growth of the DeFi ecosystem this year and the success of the projects launched on the platform can further help push the growth metric of the platform much higher in 2021.

Top IDO projects featured on the DAO Maker platform

Here are a few of the notable featured IDOs on the Polkastarter platform to date:

  • ChainGuardians (CGG), is a protocol designed to enable the mass adoption of blockchain gaming by creating imaginative, innovative, and immersive cross-chain gaming experiences
  • SuperFarm (SUPER), is a cross-chain decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol built to facilitate the launching of new non-fungible tokens (NFTs) without the need for programming

10. BSC Launchpad (top ICO listing websites)

BSC Launchpad Logo

BSC Launch Pad is the first decentralized IDO platform for the Binance Smart Chain Network. The platform is dedicated to powering the crowd sale programs for BSC-supported protocols. The ecosystem works through a token rewarding system in which the native token holders have an inclusive opportunity and access to new promising tokens.

With the determination to eliminate all unfair approaches to existing launchpad models, the BSC Pad has a two-round system that makes every tier level guaranteed an allocation. Based on its adopted model, the platform guarantees there is no luck, no lotteries, and no bots in its system; only fair distributed rewards for all participants. 

Top IDO projects featured on the BSC Pad platform

Here are some of the projects that have been launched through the BSC Launchpad:

  • Xion Finance (XGT), is a protocol bringing cross-chain decentralized payments, loyalty, and financial rewards to a global commerce industry. Think ‘Stripe’ for Web
  • Swapz (SWAPZ), is a decentralized exchange known for its blockchain agnostic, and zero slippage feature

Which Of The Ico Listing Sites Is Right For Me? Our Conclusion

Every investor must develop the right strategies to back any investment in ICOs. The right choice of an ICO listing site is dependent on a number of factors top of which includes regulations in your country, and the technical details/requirements for participating in a particular platform. If they provide an ICO alert it’s always recommended to use it and stay up to date.

The token launch ecosystem is a growing niche, and new innovative approaches to token sales and listings will be introduced by new platforms as time goes on. It is crucial to do your own research about a particular platform, and project, however, you can start off with our top 10 picks of the best ICO websites. 

Blog Credits: IMI Blockchain

Blockchain for Finance, banking and Capital Markets

Blockchain for Finance, banking and Capital Markets

Blockchain technology is slowly but surely making its way to the banking and financial services industry. It will also transform the overall security of the finance and banking sector. From securities trading to cross-border payments, blockchain technology is poised to impact how international transactions are carried out greatly, and digital assets are kept secure. 

Large financial institutions leverage blockchain to remodel investing and accounting services such as banks, stock markets, insurance, and asset management. These significantly improve efficiency, security, and transparency, which is crucial in modern times. 

And also, India’s largest federal financial institution, the Reserve Bank of India, recently announced a foray into Central Digital currency. And not only India but other larger economies have also started to develop their digital currency. These countries include the Bahamas, Nigeria, Russia, China, Sweden, Jamaica, and more. They are taking their first step into the digital transition of money. 

The Central Bank Digital Currencies will act as digital money, managed on a distributed or centralized network: Advantages of CBDC for central banks provision on retail and wholesale levels, including an efficient interbank settlement infrastructure. CBDC also increases financial inclusion for individuals without decent access to bank branches or real cash. 

Companies are eager to participate in the latest digital economic system powered by DeFi apps. The DeFi apps, usually known as dApps, handle transactions and run various blockchains available around different regions to propel the adoption and utilization of distributed finance.

Let’s get more insight into how blockchain will transform capital markets, banking, and decentralized finance.

How are Capital Markets subject to thrive in a decentralized ecosystem?

The capital markets are divided categorically between Issuers, fund managers, investors, and regulators. These four entities collaborate to keep the capital markets floating in global or domestic trade.

In the capital markets, issuers create, record, and sell securities to develop funds for various operations. Fund managers take responsibility for executing investment strategies by overseeing the fund’s trading activities. And investors put money throughout the capital markets for greater returns on investments; these investments can range from equities, securities, debt funds, and tax saving schemes. Finally, regulators are responsible for creating and managing standards for capital markets to function fairly and competently.

Blockchain to automate settlements for issuers

Issuing new bonds and securities is a time and cost-consuming practice. To reduce the time of issuance, banks and corporations can utilize smart contract functionality to keep all the standards relevant. The blockchain also offers a faster speed of transacting, ultimately leading to lesser settlement time than their respective traditional systems. 

Apart from the speed and certainty of the transaction, the efficiencies also improve with lower transaction costs.

Blockchain to restrict data alteration for fund managers 

Reducing operational costs is a profound opportunity practiced by fund managers to maximize profits while taking efficiency and effectiveness into consideration. Fund managers can take advantage of better service delivery by integrating blockchain applications to break new ground in the services industry. Managers and investors can utilize blockchain in fund management to cut costs sharply and enhance data credibility, accuracy, transparency, immutability, and accountability. 

All this happens according to the blockchain security function that disables data alteration within decentralized data storage. 

Blockchain offers reduced costs and more liquidity for investors.

Investors need exchanges they can trust and trade freely without extreme restrictions. Blockchain technology solves that and provides an improved, open, and free global trade exchange that can’t function by single entities controlling all the rules, regulations, and transactions. 

Blockchain also reduces the cost of issuing new trades and, at the same, improves the speed of transactions that result in a healthy environment for investors to buy and sell securities. It also tackles the problem of low liquidity in the market by reducing the costs of issuance and trade transactions. The programmable nature of assets and securities also reduces the risk of falling rates in capital management.

Blockchain for regulators to sustain automation

Government agencies and regulatory organizations can leverage blockchain technology to track and verify all transactions – thanks to blockchain’s transparency and availability of the data at all times of the day, data sharing is easy and secure. Blockchain allows regulators to automatically audit and check data compliance, as the data can never be changed or hampered within a blockchain. 

Due to blockchain’s integration, regulators can mitigate risks and focus solely on risk prediction analysis, improving the management of transactions and security. Blockchain will also enable regulators to primarily focus on protecting the investor’s time and money. 

Categoric collaboration between Issuers, fund managers, investors, and regulators keeps the capital markets floating in global or domestic trade.

How Is Blockchain Changing the Banking System?

Blockchain can potentially rebuild the banking industry and drive it more transparent, inclusive, protected, and cost-effective. Banking can use “smart contracts,” self-executing contracts programmed on the blockchain, automating manual operations from claims processing and compliance to automating tasks and notifications of critical financial metrics.

For organizations that don’t require a greater extent of decentralization but could profit with more promising coordination — Blockchain’s cousin, “distributed ledger technology (DLT),” could enable institutions to designate better administration and benchmarks around data sharing and partnerships.

Take Credit Suisse for example, many scandals have hit the giant bank, from defrauding investors to forging signatures to servicing businesses. All these could be avoided if better governance and compliance were coordinated in its operations.

Blockchain-equipped banking systems can reduce settlement time, automate financial recording and strategy analysis, and proffer security over inter-party risks. 

Blockchain technology and DLT can largely improve profit margins of the $5T+ banking industry by removing intermediaries from the key services. Some of benefits of Blokchain include the following:

Payments: Providing fast and cheap money transfers. It is especially true for cross-border transfers and micropayments, where bank fees can be comparable to the transfer amount. While in banks, such transactions take a long time (up to 3-5 business days) and are expensive (from 1% of the amount). On a global scale, this is a considerable expense. In cryptocurrency networks, transfers take several minutes and are significantly cheaper.

In the domestic and global payments market, blockchain has eased the payment process. Blockchain-enabled payment has reduced two nightmares like heavy processing fees and long processing time, etc. 

Blockchain helps the cross-border payment system by limiting the number of intermediates in the chain. Smart Contracts and dApps automate processes like immutable recording, providing edging security, so third-party surveillance and maintenance are unnecessary. 

Clearance and Settlement Systems: DLT can optimally decrease operating costs and carry us closer to real-time trades between financial institutions.

Customer KYC and Fraud Prevention: Blockchain technology can help in secure communication and transactions between financial institutions. It can securely store customer information in a decentralized block. Cryptographically hashed encrypted keys prevents duplication, data manipulation and fraud. It further prevents hacking and malware attacks. It will take years for hackers to break down the hashcode chain and enter the network. 

Fundraising: Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are testing a new standard of financing that simplifies access to capital rather than traditional capital-raising services and businesses.

Loans and Credit: Blockchain technology enables higher security in borrowing money and provides lower interest rates by removing the condition for porters in the loan and credit industry.

Trade Finance: Blockchain technology can devise openness, safety, and trust among various trade parties globally by replacing the bulky, paper-heavy bills in the trade and finance industry.

Auditing

For auditing purposes, blockchain is a very secure and flexible surveillance system. Blockchain-enabled systems can transform once-a-year auditing processes into real-time monitoring systems. Moreover, transactions being recorded in a blockchain ledger are immutable, and the real-time process will record every minute detail to bring attention to them. Auditing processes will be easy to maintain, less costly, and full transparency to organizations over ownership of the historical data records. 

Audit engagements are an important part of any business, as they help identify potential losses and fraud, which can lead to a significant financial loss for businesses. This is why it is vital for businesses to be able to audit their own operations and processes in order to prevent fraudulent activities from occurring.

The use of blockchain technology has helped auditors achieve this objective by verifying transactions and records with a high degree of accuracy. Blockchain technology has allowed businesses to increase their ability to record and verify transactions, which has led them to increase their confidence levels when conducting audits.

Governance & Security:

Blockchain makes it possible to get rid of complex workflows. It improves traceability and interoperability between systems. The technology guarantees the security of the data while excluding the human factor. There are already projects on the blockchain that issue loans, identify customers, and implement corporate financing. 

Besides recording and processing transactions from all groups, blockchain builds stronger trust between groups doing business together. The immutable record of all the transaction history, which is available in real-time, allows regulators to govern, audit, and disable any breach in the documents that could harm the organization. 

Asset Management

Assets like stocks and reserve assets are managed by asset management funds, and people can’t spare time to manage their assets depending on these asset management firms. Tasks like raising funds, real estate buying and selling, and portfolio management are becoming tougher, as people’s demand and economic protocols are more variable today. 

Banks and other institutions handle money and securities administration for users. Blockchain aids end-to-end fund transactions, automating financial events such as dividend proceedings, coupons, holding rights, fund maturity, and pricing. 

Blockchain-infused asset management systems can embrace new possibilities for managing liability risk, reducing process complexity, and more like – 

Increasing transparency among investors and stakeholders 

Stakeholder voting management and right determination and surveillance 

Automated fund launch

Managing upcoming investments passionate customer base 

Other than these features, efficient capital management and automated fund administration like facilities can embrace constantly evolving blockchain technology. 

What is Decentralized Finance or DeFi?

DeFi refers to a transition from traditional centralized financial order controlled by banks and other large financial institutions to a more democratic, open, and all-inclusive digital economic system. It embodies peer-to-peer finance fostered by decentralized technologies created on various blockchain networks. It removes any intermediary and reduces the cost and time between crypto transactions. Smart contracts are fuelling this digital economy with automated and precise management of transactions, making DeFi error-free and secure.

DeFi maximizes the participation of small and large companies, individuals, and developers, building new standards for better financial access, trust, and opportunity for everyone.

The DeFi ecosystem has scaled into an extensive and comprehensive network of integrated protocols and financial tools. There are now billions of dollars of value locked in blockchain smart contracts, making DeFi a most active sector in the blockchain ecosystem.

Now let’s move on to understand what factors truly define Decentralized Finance.

These factors are:

Interoperability 

Several blockchains, including Etherium, Polygon, Solana, and Algorand, ensure that DeFi applications and protocols combine and complement one another. The DeFi system enables developers and platforms to customize interfaces, develop new protocols atop existing protocols, and integrate third-party applications to make DeFi more scalable.

Programmability

The programmable nature of smart contracts enables the automatic execution of protocols. It allows the creation of diverse digital assets and financial tools autonomously. 

Transparency

On the distributed networks, each and all transactions are visible to other users of the blockchain. All blockchain members store and verify the data, enabling paramount transparency. The data availability also allows developers and data analysts to create and execute strategies required to enhance the distributed network’s capabilities.

Immutability

The blockchain’s decentralized architecture offers inviolable data coordination. It allows the network to enhance security and auditability.

Permissionless

As discussed before, DeFi is open, meaning a crypto wallet holder can access dApps with the internet irrespective of their geography and fund availability.

Self-Custody

The most important application of DeFi is accountability for your-own digital assets, keys, and passwords. Web3 wallets like Metamask enable you to do so while you interact with permissionless financial protocols.

Apart from DeFi, there is one more restricted version which could be beneficial for  creating an inter-governance model for private institutions.

What Is CeDeFi And Why It’s Complementary To Traditional Finance and Banking

CeDeFi, alias Centralized Decentralized Finance, is among the best blockchain innovations. The term clearly explains the motive behind this new blockchain realm, which is to combine elements of centralization dear to traditional finance and leverage blockchain’s benefits to improve the organization’s governance and efficiency. 

CeDeFi offers authority custodians over decentralized systems. With CeDeFi, organizations can expand their business with blockchain without fearing losing control over their inner dynamics. Moreover, organizations get the best of both traditional finance systems and the limitlessness of the Defi application. DeFi products like liquidity aggregators, DeFi smart lending protocols, yield farming tools, and techniques, in exchange for a minimal transactional fee. 

Above all, blockchain’s capability to help create a backbone governance model for traditional businesses will profit from auditing systems and processes. Improve traceability, data security, and interoperability between systems. The encrypted immutable nature of blockchain can prevent fraud and cyber attacks on financial systems. 

For example, CeDeFi lets institutions operate with less transactional fees, better KYC support, end-to-end security, and myriad use cases built into blockchain smart contracts. 

For possessing these features, CeDeFi is quite complementary to traditional finance systems. Traditional finance needs process efficiency, improved data security, and the entire value chain governance. CeDeFi, from all perspectives, fulfills every conventional finance requirement. So, the claim is affirmative.

SoluLab is working with leading financial institutions to transition their business to blockchain.,

Contact us to know more.

ICO Website Script For Crowdfunding Platforms

ICO Website Script For Crowdfunding Platforms

An Introduction to ICO Website Script

A compatible plan for launching a crowdfunding platform!

In recent years, most people have shifted their vision toward the crypto site to generate passive income. The crypto platform has gained global attention due to the implementation of crypto tokens and cryptocurrencies.

Crypto tokens are a subset of cryptocurrencies that are highly desirable on the crypto platform for access to sites such as crypto crowdfunding, gaming, and the arts.

Although there is talk of a site generating revenue in the crypto space, crypto crowdfunding is the best option. You all know the initial coin offering(ICO) site. The ICO platform is one of the best and largest crowdfunding platforms, according to records, which has raised capital for multiple start-ups and an individual organization business plan, a notable feature.

The Importance of Initial Coin Offering

An initial coin offering is a support platform for fundraising. Companies interested in raising capital can use the ICO site to promote the program among global investors. Also, the process of launching an ICO operating system is quite simple because no legal compliance is required to launch a fundraising platform.

Favorable terms for launching an ICO operating system

  • Includes global participants
  • Improved token sales activities
  • Easy to get started
  • Cash flow factor and so on

Steps to launch the ICO operating system

  • Creating a business idea
  • Select countries that support cryptos (cryptocurrencies)
  • Create a tab
  • Draft white paper

In particular, when creating a token, select the appropriate blockchain available in a crypto ecosystem such as Ethereum, or Tron. Token creation by choosing the right token standards based on your business needs.

How to start an ICO?

The process of starting an ICO is easy because you can either create a new one or go to the ICO script.

Read also: How to Launch a Successful ICO?

Initial Coin Offering Software is an automated program integrated with high-tech features to launch a crowdfunding site. Also, the advantage of using the software is that it has low cost and affordable, customizable features, fast deployment, reliability, security enhancement, and so on.

Using ICO software can save effort and time and make crowdfunding operations more flexible and smooth.

Technical characteristics of ICO website script

  • Support multiple currencies
  • Mobile smart wallets
  • The dashboard is easy to use
  • Token price control
  • Bonus system
  • 2FA control
  • Security systems
  • Custom UI / UX

If you are interested in starting your own ICO operating system using software, choose the right service provider to purchase the ICO website script.

Blog Credits: Medium

Top 5 Potential Blockchain Projects for Future (Excluding Bitcoin & Ethereum)

For the vast majority of people, Blockchain is synonymous with Bitcoin and Ethereum. Yet there’s a lot more to learn about the Blockchain ecosystem. As of January 2021, there are over 4,000 cryptocurrencies in existence. Navigating this space can be difficult, particularly with new companies entering the market on a regular basis to take advantage of the expected exponential growth. Other than Ethereum and Bitcoin, we’ll learn about and discuss the top 5 blockchain projects in this guide.

1. Libra

Introduction

It is an effort by Facebook to transform the worldwide financial environment. It can be used as an easy and low-cost currency worldwide.

Features

Stablecoin:
It is a stablecoin because it is backed by a basket of assets that includes global currencies and government debt securities.

Move:
There’s also a new programming language called Move and a new digital wallet called Novi to go along with the new currency. The relationship between Move and Libra is similar to the relationship between Solidity and Ethereum.

Libra Association:
It is backed by the Libra Association, a group of powerful businesses like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and eBay are among the members of Association. The Libra Reserve is managed by the Association, and they are the only entities that can create or destroy tokens. All platform choices are made by a two-thirds majority, which is hardcoded into the protocol.

Advantages

Backed up by Real Assets:
It is backed up by real assets. Other cryptocurrencies are backed by real-world assets. Most, however, are tied to a single currency. Libra, on the other hand, makes use of a basket of major currencies as well as government debt instruments.

Low Volatility:
Low fees and a real asset-backed reserve, which results in low volatility, make it a more practical mainstream medium of exchange than many other cryptocurrencies, unlike the majority of popular cryptocurrencies which are held as a store of value.

Disadvantages

Less Decentraization:
It is not completely decentralized. While the white paper mentions a goal to become decentralized, it will not be considered a true cryptocurrency before this occurs. Regulators’ concerns about privacy practices could prevent Libra from becoming a mainstream currency. The Cambridge Analytica controversy affected Facebook in March 2018. In one of the worst data privacy attacks in history, the personal information of over 50 million Facebook users was compromised.

2. Polkadot

Introduction

It was established by Gavin Wood, another member of the Ethereum project’s core founders who had opposing views on the project’s future. It is a proof-of-stake cryptocurrency designed to provide interoperability with other blockchains. Its protocol connects permissioned and permissionless blockchains, as well as oracles, allowing systems to collaborate under one roof.

Structure

Relay Chain:
It is the base Polkadot chain that links all of the individual chains. As a result, they can resolve interoperability problems between the linking chains gradually.

Parachain:
It refers to parallelized chains that run through the Polkadot network. These assist in device scaling by parallelizing operations.

Bridge Chain:
It links blockchains that do not obey Polkadot’s governance protocols.

Advantages

Consensus Mechanism:
Since different blockchains use different consensus mechanisms, they offer a transparent and adaptable consensus mechanism to host them.

Hard Forks:
It can accept updates without needing big hard forks to implement upgrades.

Security:
The blockchains that bind to it can be protected by a single security umbrella which will aid in the protection of small chains that lack successful security.

Transaction Fees:
Relative to Ethereum, it appears to have lower transaction fees.

Disadvantages

Smart Contract:
There are various smart contracts platforms available right now, and all of them are competing for attention in the crypto world due to which it faces a big obstacle from Cardano to Ethereum.

Unpredictable:
As a result, if it does not demonstrate that it has a future in smart contracts, it will be difficult for the blockchain to succeed.

3. Cardano

Introduction

It is a cryptocurrency network and open-source project with the aim of operating a public blockchain platform for smart contracts. Ada is the name of Cardano’s internal cryptocurrency. Charles Hoskinson, one of Ethereum’s five original founding members, co-founded the project. He left Ethereum after some disputes with the path it was going and later helped to establish Cardano.

Features

Ouroboros protocol:
While other Proof-of-Stake blockchains exist, the Cardano team argues that none of them have a completely random method of choosing a validator. This protocol builds on the traditional Proof-of-Stake model by ensuring that everybody has an equal chance of winning the award. This is often referred to as The Honest Majority because it means that if people have a significant stake in the blockchain (for example, holding a large number of ADA coins), they have an opportunity to ensure that the network stays safe, stable, and honest.

Daedalus Wallet:
Cardano has its own official wallet for holding ADA coins.

Advantages

Multiple Layers:
It would be the first blockchain to employ several levels of protection (settlement and computational layer). The settlement layer has been constructed and is now fully operational. Users will now send and receive ADA coins from wallet to wallet. This is equivalent to how users can transfer Ethereum (ETH) to one another. The computation layer is currently under development. When it is released, users will be able to create and enter into smart contracts.

Trust:
The creator has worked on successful projects like BitShares and Ethereum.

Transactions:
It has low-cost and fast transactions.

Disadvantages

Development:
Since the blockchain is still under development, some of the Cardano arguments are hypothetical.

Wallet:
The Daedalus wallet has several flaws which include being unable to link to the network, sync barriers, and transfers that do not hit the recipient.

4. Tezos

Introduction

It is a blockchain network that is connected to a digital token known as a tez or a tezzie. Tezos is not focused on tez mining. Instead, token holders are credited for engaging in the proof-of-stake consensus process. Between October 2019 and February 2020, the price of tez more than tripled and hit all-time highs. Tezos was gaining momentum again as of February 2020.

Features

Liquid Proof of Stake:
Tezos is a liquid proof-of-stake model that enables a certain number of Tezos tokens to be staked in order to engage in blockchain consensus. Baking refers to the method of staking Tezos tokens (XTZ).

On-Chain Governance:
You can participate in the protocol’s governance if you own Tezos. It allows token holders to vote on future expectations.

Advantages

Consensus Mechanism:
It employs the Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, in which participants provide only the computational resources needed to keep the network going at a low cost.

Upgrade:
It is through self-amendment that the network can propose and adopt new technological innovations as they arise.

Agreement:
It encourages every stakeholder to engage in the consensus process and rewards them for contributing to the network’s security and stability. It provides stakeholders with structured and systematic protocols for reaching an agreement on proposed protocol amendments.

Disadvantages

Unpredictable:
Tezos is currently viewed as an inexperienced network by blockchain developers so it is impossible to foresee what its transaction fees and speeds will be as the technology becomes more commonly used.

5. Chainlink

Introduction

It is a well-known Ethereum blockchain-based decentralised oracles project that has become the major interconnection pillar between the real world, DApps, and the DeFi ecosystem.

Features

Bridge:
Chainlink and other oracles aim to build a bridge that will allow us to securely transfer information from our real world to the blockchain world and its smart contracts.

Node operators:
Chainlink node operators operate in decentralised oracle networks, allowing reliable and secure access to external data. They are in charge of running the oracle architecture, which allows smart contracts on each network to access the real-world data they need to function properly.

Link:
LINK is an ERC-20 token, which means it operates on the Ethereum network. It is in charge of providing an opportunity for node operators to do well. With each node deployed and each information request addressed appropriately, the nodes and their operators collect Link tokens, which are delivered as payment for their efforts.

Advantages

Compatibility:
The Chainlink project allows for compatibility with Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as the inclusion of banks and financial providers in the system.

History:
Since 2014, the SmartContract company, which served as the backbone of Chainlink developers, has been involved in contract automation.

Trust:
Collaboration with the largest corporations like Google Cloud, Oracle, and SWIFT helps in building trust.

Disadvantages

Less Decentraization:
It is not completely decentralized due to use of oracles.

Attacks:
A malicious attacker can launch a Sybil attack against the network, adding false data and manipulating the data provided by the network, impacting those who request the manipulated information. While this is an impossible possibility, but the dilemma still persists.

Conclusion

Blockchain’s disruptive ability is often compared to that of the Internet. There are many prospects in these fields for individuals interested in working in the blockchain industry. Apart from these top five blockchain projects, there is a range of other outstanding projects that have the potential to be game-changers. Decentralized finance (Defi) and Stablecoins are a few examples.

Top 5 Upcoming Cryptocurrency ICO’s in 2022

Top 5 Upcoming Cryptocurrency ICO’s in 2022

Nowadays, it seems like a major corporation announces a new IPO every other day. Big IPOs like Paytm and Nykaa have hit the market in recent years. The same is done with digital or cryptocurrency coins as well. If you’ve been around the cryptocurrency scene for any time, you’ve probably heard of “initial coin offering.” It is abbreviated to ICO for short.

Demand is rising with more companies embracing cryptocurrencies as a form of payment and investing substantially in them. The level to which the crypto market has attracted attention with time cannot be adequately described using words alone. By leveraging blockchain and digital currencies, businesses may now do fundraising in a decentralized and efficient manner.

Read also: ICO Consulting 101 – Your Ultimate Guide Before Launching an ICO

This type of fundraising goes by various names, including IDO, ICO, FLA, and others. Initial coin offerings (ICOs) come with the possibility of generating significant profits. Individuals can choose the proper investment project. Compared to traditional stock IPOs, initial coin offerings (ICOs) are widely recognized as simple to implement.

Below is the list of top 10 forthcoming ICOs in 2022 — But first thing first,

What is ICO, and how do they work?

What does ICO mean?

An initial coin offering, also known as an ICO, is a method a cryptocurrency might use to acquire funding. An initial coin offering (ICO) is a method that can be utilized by a corporation to accomplish the goal of raising capital. These funds can be used for a new coin or to create apps or services in the blockchain.

It is the same as making an initial public offering platform (IPO), which many traditional firms undertake to raise funds. Those who are interested in investing can participate in the offering to get coins that have been issued by the company. An initial coin offering (ICO) is a sort of stock, just like an initial public offering (IPO).

It is not an accurate comparison because there are cases in which the ICO can be helpful for the software service or product being provided. There have been initial coin offerings (ICOs) that have generated massive profits for their investors. On the other hand, some initial coin offerings (ICOs) have been revealed to be scams or just bad investments overall.

Similar to an initial public offering (IPO), investing in a start-up comes with the possibility of either huge profits or a complete disaster. One of the dangers of investing in early access is that you could lose money. But ICOs are typically unregulated. Before putting money into an initial coin offering (ICO), investors should do extensive due diligence.

How ICO works?

When a cryptocurrency firm plans to acquire funds through an initial coin offering (ICO), it will often produce a whitepaper for the offer. In it, firms can describe the project, its goals, the resources required, expected returns from investors, and so on. You will be required to purchase some of the project’s tokens to participate in the initial coin offering (ICO).

This can be done with either other crypto coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum or a fiat currency such as the US dollar. The coins that you have purchased are known as tokens in this context. They are like the shares of a company that investors buy during an IPO. There are only two conceivable outcomes for investing in an ICO:

  1. The investors’ funds may be returned if the ICO fails and insufficient funds are raised.
  2. If the ICO goes well, the funds raised will be put toward realizing the project’s objectives.

Even though ICOs are not governed by any regulations, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stepped in on several occasions to defend investors’ rights.

List Of New Cryptocurrencies In 2022

Investors in cryptocurrencies are known to keep a close eye on initial coin offerings (ICOs) to spot the next big thing.

Take Ethereum as an example, a crypto coin that is both financially and socially influential. Most people are unaware that the initial coin offering (ICO) price for Ethereum was only $0.31. ETH is currently trading at $3,073.98 and is recognized as one of the few initial coin offering (ICO) success stories in the last decade.

These tokens could be the next big thing. Their asks range from a modest $100,000 to a whopping $8,000,000, and they are among the most popular ICOs that will release in the next 30 days.

  1. TofyCoin is a digital currency that functions in the NFT sector of the market. It is compatible with use as a payment mechanism in mobile, web, and personal computer games.
  2. PangoLinu is the primary kind of currency used throughout the Pango. It allows you to create, breed, care for, and engage in combat with your Pangolinu pets.
  3. REBEL utility coins functions within the Rebel Society’s blockchain-based ecosystem of services and applications. Its goal is to create a safe circular economy ecosystem for its members by using disruptive blockchain technologies.
  4. MineCoin is a decentralized digital coin that is aided by the MineHouse Organization. It’s a platform designed to facilitate the most rapid cross-chain crypto services and the most secure financial transactions possible.
  5. USPC (United States Property Coin) is real estate’s digital future. USPC is unique. Instead of being connected to the inflation-plagued dollar, it’s backed by US metropolitan real estate, which has historically gained value.

End Note

The hype surrounding an ICO is usually the result of extensive marketing for the project selling the tokens. Although this may appear thrilling, you mustn’t be distracted by the gimmicks. Many studies have shown that just a tiny percentage of ICOs are sustainable over the long run.

There is no way to tell what makes a solid ICO in 2022 when ICOs are still in their infancy. Therefore, investors should evaluate the project’s strength before putting money into the unpredictable and hype-driven world of cryptocurrencies.

Blog Credits: Medium

5 Things You Should Know About Conducting ICO

5 Things You Should Know About Conducting ICO

An ICO is a discounted sale of a cryptocurrency that can be traded for goods and services. Currencies whether digital or fiat are mediums of exchange in an economy, not fundraising instruments. By buying a cryptocurrency, you take a bet that its value and the value of the associated economy will rise; allowing you to exchange a greater volume of commodities in the future.

Cryptocurrencies support an entire ecosystem of services and not just a company. Floating these blockchain-based currencies in the open market presents a completely different set of variables and problems. They are still a relatively new concept and most countries are yet to take a stand. Once you have decided whether an ICO launch platform would be the best option for your business, you can start working on how to go about conducting it. Here are five tips to help you out:

Create a Whitepaper

A well-written whitepaper is detailed and easy to understand. It is very often that in the first place people will look for information about your token and offers. The whitepaper contains all the core information that investors need to know about the currency and the offering.

Read also: Latest ICO Regulations Update You Should Definitely Know!

It should include detailed descriptions of the problem you are trying to solve, why the problem exists and how your solution will solve the problem. You should present a detailed roadmap outlining your strategy and timeline along with the associated cryptographic functions built into your currency’s protocol.

People buying your currency look at your whitepaper to find the justification for the capital being raised in the ICO, so do include a section on that.

Check for Compliance

The lack of regulations on ICOs in many countries has created an air of uncertainty. If your country is yet to formulate laws, investors could suffer significant losses if the final decision of the government turns out to be unfavorable. While some have banned companies from convening ICOs altogether, a few have released a mandate that allows only accredited investors to purchase cryptocurrencies in an ICO. Only a few countries like Japan, Switzerland, Russia, and Singapore have offered clear support.

It is advisable to conduct a KYC of all participants to ascertain their nationality prior to commencing the ICO.

Find an Expert Advisory Team if Needed

Since blockchain technologies and ICOs are uncharted territories for many, convening one could get tricky and prove to be time-consuming. There are teams of experts who advise newcomers and can guide you through the process of developing your platform and structuring your ICO. An expert legal team can also help guide you through any legal and/or regulatory requirements that your ICO may be subjected to.

Reach Out to ICO Listing Platforms

ICO listing websites are a very popular means to promote your ICO and get your name out in the broader community. These are sites that maintain lists of completed, active, and upcoming ICOs. Many of them provide their services for free, while others have listing fees to discourage listings for scams. Some of the most popular ones conduct background checks before listing your ICO on their site. Many even provide marketing and promotional services through either their own or partner networks.

Building an Active Community

The community that grows around your ICO will form the initial user base of your currency. Actively maintaining and expanding this community ensures a strong foundational base for your token.

With so many channels available online, building a community has become easier but it still requires an active effort from the team. You must remain active on your channels continuously interacting with your users. Apart from running your own channels, be it on Slack or Telegram, it’s always good to participate in open forums like bitcointalk.org. It is the biggest and one of the oldest forums for cryptocurrencies. Having a presence there is very useful when building a reputation in the crypto community.

Blog Credits: Entrepreneur

Five Things to Keep in Mind while Raising Funds through an ICO

 

Five Things to Keep in Mind while Raising Funds through an ICO

Raising funds for a new business has always been a rigorous and tedious task. The long process of regulatory clearance makes most startups look for feasible alternatives. There are three ways in which a startup can raise funding – equity-based funding, debt-based funding, or crowdfunding. ICOs are nothing but crowdfunding campaigns in which contribution is in the form of Cryptocurrencies.

Over the last 4-5 years, blockchain-based solutions have started to make their presence felt in the business landscape. Through Initial coin offerings or ICO, these startups offer utility tokens and pre-sell the rights to use the product/service that they are developing to crowdfund their campaign.

Read also: ICO Fundraising – The Advantages of Fundraising with an ICO

ICOs offering security tokens sell fractional ownership in the company. The process can be easily initiated without multilevel regulatory clearance. It also provides high liquidity with minimum transaction costs. Globally, ICOs are changing the way the start-up ecosystem operates. Based on the trend and its increasing popularity, below is a guide for other companies that may be looking to raise funds through ICO:

Jurisdiction, regulation, and compliance

Even though ICOs allow capital formation by raising funds through cross-border sources, the business still needs to consider the regulations of the country where the ICO platform has originated as well as from where it expects to receive funds. Regulators all around the world have been evaluating possible risks regarding ICOs, especially for retail investors.

Some countries like France have already started curating formal guidelines about ICOs. All that a company aiming for an ICO has to do is to keep a tab of the existing regulations and be absolutely compliant with these. In most cases, banks do not convert Cryptocurrency into Fiat currency if the KYC of contributors has not been done by the company.

Fund requirement and utilization

Just like a red-herring prospectus during an IPO or an investment pitch to VCs, the business should clearly communicate the requirement of funds and how it plans to utilize them. This is fundamental to get the investor’s attention and to assure them that the company aims to utilize the funds effectively.

However simple it may sound, the importance of this communication cannot be overstated.

What kind of tokens should be issued?

Tokens issued during an ICO can be divided into three basic categories. These are Security Tokens that mirror the features of financial security, Utility Tokens, that allow the investors to access the services provided by the company, and lastly, Payment Tokens that are used for payment.

The company should clearly state the type of token, the strategic purpose of the solution, and things that differentiate it from others to receive the desired subscription.

Safety and Security

While blockchain is largely considered the safest method for developing smart contracts and making transactions, there have been instances of security breaches in the recent past. Therefore, the company looking for raising funds through ICO should clearly state the safety mechanism, i.e., how the company plans to protect the issued tokens from hackers, scammers, and phishers. This could be done in-house or by outsourcing the system security to a third party.

Moreover, the security mechanism cannot be static. It needs to be a step ahead of those looking to make a dent in the system. It is a must to get the ICO Smart Contract audited by a reputed audit company to safeguard Investor funds. Any new Cryptocurrency or payment token should immediately release its source code to allow the community to find any backdoors or malicious code that can be used to siphon off investor funds. The company should also have robust security measures in place to safeguard its social media channel access and an active strategy to protect prospective investors from phishers.

Building and managing the community

An ICO is just the start of the journey. To sustain in the long run and raise follow-up funds, the company needs to work on building and managing the community all the time. This community involves investors, regulators, security experts, analysts and advisors, and other relevant influencers. This is just like any other community management campaign. The key to this campaign is real-time communication that builds trust and respect.

Blog Credits: Entrepreneur

Redeem-and-retain NFTs are the future of luxury goods

You get a push notification. Your favorite designer is releasing a new limited-edition pair of sneakers. No need to worry about waiting in line, clicking furiously to catch the drop on a buggy website, or dealing with scalpers. You cryptographically, provably own two items from this designer already, so your wallet is whitelisted. On release day, you send some ETH to the address on your own time. You get an NFT featuring a rendering of the sneaker that is wearable in all top metaverse venues. Before even collecting the shoes IRL, you are rocking them in your favorite online gathering place. You also try them on with the AR lens on your phone.

The redemption window opens, and you redeem the NFT for the physical item. No burning required: you get to keep the NFT as well as the physical version. The NFT itself, built on a mutable standard, simply toggles its ‘redeemed’ trait to YES. The sneakers arrive in the mail. The logo is impregnated with a polymer containing thousands of minuscule diamond particulates, creating a unique, scarcely visible, and unforgeable signature. You scan it with your smartphone camera and it takes you to the shoe’s corresponding NFT. For good measure, the tongue of the shoe also contains an NFC chip.

Wearing the shoes around, locational triggers grant you further experiences. Your wallet fills with goodies — a POAP here, a rebate there. You discover that the NFT comes with access to events thrown by the designer. Your ticket to their next art show consists of the chip embedded in the shoe. You earn a skin from attending the event and promptly use it to customize the digital version of your shoe. Basic biometric monitoring tracks your time spent wearing the shoe and builds a usage profile together with the locational data. Some users prefer stealth mode, but you don’t mind sharing the data — you permission its release to the manufacturer in exchange for a direct USDC payment to your NFT-associated wallet.

Later, you decide to sell the shoes. You strike a deal with a buyer, putting the NFT and the funds in escrow, while you mail the shoes. When they get the package, they scan the tag, safe in the knowledge that they are receiving the genuine item. They verify the shoes are in good condition and the escrow releases the NFT to the buyer and the funds to the seller.

Read this also : Fractional Nft Ownership: A Beginner’s Guide

This consumer lifecycle may seem far-fetched, but all the tools required to make it a reality exist today. As I’ll explain here, consumer products, especially high-end or luxury ones, significantly benefit from being paired with accompanying NFTs. The realization of these experiences is underway, and the more complete version is just a matter of time. The ‘digital twin’ or ‘phygital’ model will significantly outmatch standard luxury consumer experiences and I expect it to accelerate the mainstreaming of NFTs.

An NFT is a discrete digital payload. Sometimes the actual content of the NFT is present on the blockchain itself, as is the case with Artblocks or other on-chain art NFTs which are generated from code present on chain. No external reference required. More commonly, an NFT is just a pointer connecting the onchain object to an offchain data blob stored on IPFS or Arweave. (For a detailed guide to competing taxonomies of NFT on-chain-ness, see this piece from Takens Theorem.) Most NFTs exist “as is” — that is, they don’t offer a claim to anything other than a tradable receipt.

Increasingly, some NFTs come bundled with ancillary claims. They don’t just track the ownership of some scarce digital content but also give you access to services rendered by the issuer. Some examples include entry to events, membership in certain clubs, participation rights in future sales or drops, or admittance to shows and gigs.

Another dimension that can divide NFTs is their relationship to the real world. The vast majority are purely interested in the digital world. Arguably, the value of these digital-only NFTs is pure speculative premium. It scarcely needs mentioning that there is serious backlash emerging against NFTs, especially in the art community.

NFTs that entitle you to a real-world product aren’t as exposed to this accusation, because they possess an ultimate and easily assessed floor value. This is safer for brands and creators who might fear recriminations from their association with the NFT space. Countless brands are dealing with the fallout of poorly considered NFT drops which have soured their relationships with their fans.

Read this also : Benefits Of An NFT Marketplace On Cardano

The NFTs we discuss here fall into this latter category. They give you a claim on actual physical merchandise. The default model here is the burn, in which you destroy the NFT in exchange for the product, whether it’s a tungsten cube or a pair of socks. You can have either the NFT or the product; you can’t have both.

A new, better model is emerging, though. In practice, holders want to keep the digital product alongside the analog one. They have distinct, complimentary uses. The digital one can be used to provably flex in the digital world, where flexing mainly occurs these days; it can optionally serve as a persistent digital ticket, granting you access to subsequent experiences; it is a proof of purchase and can be used to institute strong anti-counterfeiting mechanics.

Consider Damien Hirst’s NFT art project, The Currency. As a holder, you can either keep the NFT, or burn it and receive the corresponding unique physical print.

But that’s an inferior model overall, because collectors would prefer to get the physical and keep the NFT. You don’t just hang the print on your wall. You put in on your IG, your Gallery and your Twitter. The NFT lets you prove that you actually own it.

Weirdly, Damien made all of the art up front. Perhaps he assumed that most fans would redeem the NFTs for the physical? In practice, it was about a 50/50 split. So now he has to physically burn 4,851 unique pieces of art.

[Note: in my first draft, I listed the example of Unisocks as an either/or case of physically-redeemable NFTs, because holders had to burn their tokens to redeem for the sock, but it turns out that post-burn Unisocks holders actually get another NFT back proving that they had redeemed, so it does function in practice like an ersatz redeem-and-retain token. Thanks to Will Price for pointing this out.]

In a sense, these NFTs are like tradeable receipts, which also carry the ghost of the product. The term ‘digital twin’ is getting traction as the default name for this idea. Other terms that have been floated include physi-digital and phygital. Bennett at Endstate says he prefers ‘entangled, borrowed from particle physics — which I like, because it suggests a unity despite the separation of the objects. To be pedantic, ‘digital twin’ implies a distinction and a mirroring, whereas the ultimate objective should be to get collectors to think of the NFT and the physical good as inherently the same thing, just existing in different metaphysical realms.

Personally, I have taken to calling these ‘full stack’ consumer products, because you get the entire item, from the physical instantiation to its platonic form in the digital rendering. (Cameron from Kong points out that you can take this even further, creating NFTs that consist of coordinates to render 3D printed objects [which you then anchor to the NFT with a chip], effectively uniting code and physical in a wholly unique data blob.)

This digital twin idea has been embraced by a number of brands, although the model itself has yet to stabilize. Burberry was an early mover in taking their brand to the metaverse, launching in 2021 a custom character in Mythical Games’ NFT-focused Blankos metaverse RPG, although the vinyl characters remained digital-only.

Last December, Adidas partnered with BAYC, selling 30k NFTs for 0.2 ETH apiece ($22m at the time), each redeemable for physical merch — hoodies, tracksuits, and beanies. Dolce & Gabbana released a set of mysterious glass boxes redeemable for a variety of merchandise options alongside digital access and benefits. Nike acquired RTFKT and issued the popular Cryptokicks collection, although that batch of sneakers were confined to the virtual world. Subsequent drops have extended to physical redemption for merchandise, which RTFKT calls ‘forging’. Nike’s patent hints at plans to unite the physical and the digital representation of the merchandise as well as track authenticity and provenance. From my survey of the current players in this space undertaken for this article, Nike/RTFKT in my opinion is the most advanced in their thinking and execution on the digital twin front.

Just a few days after I first published this article, Tiffany jumped into the fray with one of the most impressive offerings to date in the luxury/NFT space: called NFTiff, it is a 250 NFT issue of physical gem-encrusted pendants crafted to resemble existing Cryptopunks. Only existing Punks holders are eligible to mint an NFTiff; and they retail at a cool 30 ETH, the equivalent of 50,000 inflationary US dollars. In addition to the physical pendant, which will contain 30 gemstones and diamonds, holders get an accompanying digital twin NFT (independent of the Punk they already own).

This is interesting in a number of ways: instead of launching digital twin NFTs to accompany their own first party products, they chose to build on top of an established NFT franchise with a community of wealthy diehards. Punks owners like to flex (see their abundant PFPs on Twitter and LinkedIn) and they are, by definition, rich. Hardly a better audience for a luxury jewel-encrusted pendant retailing for 30 ETH. From an IP perspective this also demonstrates the strength of emerging NFT models. Cryptopunks owners Yuga Labs weren’t involved in the partnership; Yuga notes that their forthcoming Punks IP agreement allows owners to take advantage of their Punks’ likeness for derivative projects such as the NFTiff.

I think Tiffany’s offering is one of the most creative we have seen from a luxury brand to date. It wasn’t tone deaf — Tiffany’s EVP Product and Comms Alex Arnault is a proud Punks holder. They appealed to an existing hugely popular NFT franchise. The product will undeniably be popular. They avoid the accusations of ‘selling out’ by creating an actual product with a twinned NFT.

The reception was almost universally positive, which must have set off alarm bells among other luxury retailers hanging around the hoop. I imagine that there’s more than a few executives crafting presentations with titles like “NFTs are no longer toxic” and “we figured out how to issue NFTs without enraging Leftist Art Twitter.”

New web3 native brands have sprung up in this category. One pursuing the redeem and retain model is the footwear brand Endstate (disclosure: CIV portfolio company). They issue their own brand of sneaker-redeemable NFTs entitling buyers to both the rendered metaverse and the physical version. Rags uses Arx chips to create “soulbound NFT streetwear,” “[blending] the street futurism of the early 2000s with premium NFC enabled fashion.” Back in 2020, Zora facilitated the drop of 30 Nike sneakers customized by Reverse Land via the sale of the $REVERSE token. In March 2021, FEWOCiOUS teamed up with RTFKT and sold 600 NFTs for $3.1m, redeemable for physical sneakers. LNQ creates “blockchain enabled hardwear” including clogs and hoodies which come embedded with NFC chips, although the precise use cases are still vague.

A number of high-profile luxury brands are sniffing around the space, although they haven’t made their intentions clear just yet. Breitling and Vacheron Constantin invested in Arianee, a ‘digital passport for luxury goods’. PwC and others launched Virgo, a platform for luxury brand retail certification. Most notably, LVMH, Mercedes Benz, Prada and others launched the Aura blockchain consortium aiming to unite luxury brands under a single standard of traceability. Hublot for instance creates unique fingerprints based on visual cues from the watches which are embedded on the Aura blockchain and can be verified with a smartphone. Prada appears to be putting some of these tags into action too. Many of these initiatives tend to involve bespoke blockchain creation, which seems unnecessary. The digital twin model works fine with chip-embedded merchandise and an accompanying NFT.

‘Supply chain blockchain’ quackery has existed since at least 2016, but this new wave is different, and more promising. Merely entering data into a blockchain doesn’t make it special. What’s different here is that, like proof of work connecting computation to the physical world, the embedded chips or signatures link the physical goods to the NFT. And both collectors and issuers have an incentive to maintain the NFT record and to circulate the NFTs when the collectibles trade in the secondary market.

A number of startups are working to facilitate this transition. On the enabling side, Arx creates NFT/NFC chips designed to link merchandise with digital counterparts. IYK also produces NFC chips designed to be inserted into clothing that users can scan to unlock the linked NFT. Digital Twin (founded aptly by the Soto-Wright twins) works with jewelers and artists to create NFTs which are the counterparts to physical retail goods. Castle Island portfolio company TYB helps brands locate and reward their most loyal users and fans with NFTs and digital collectibles — many of which are now redeemable for physical products, alongside other perks. Appreciate uses NFTs to create proofs of purchase for buyers of luxury goods in order to drive post-purchase engagement between brands and buyers. Interestingly, Appreciate doesn’t mention “crypto” or “blockchain” anywhere on the website. In my view, crypto jargon is likely to be phased out and we will see a rebrand of “NFTs” in the consumer sector the same way “crypto” was rebranded to “web3” recently.

Most tech-savvy luxury brands probably thought about ‘doing an NFT’ last year. Hopefully, they thought better. Now that the hype has cooled, these brands will start to realize that the real innovation is not exploiting fans by selling them overpriced JPEGs with dubious utility, but by twinning merchandise with a persistent digital property. This elevates a hoodie from just a piece of cloth with a logo on it, to a verifiable representation of the brand in emerging digital spaces, a long-term ironclad communications channel between consumer and issuer, a counterfeit-resisting device, and a means of fair secondary exchange.

I believe that a large fraction of luxury consumer goods will eventually be issued this way. I cover a few more benefits of the model below.

Flexing is increasingly digital

Ultimately, this is the main reason I expect digital twins to catch on. Quite simply, the main place young people go to show off is online, not in the analog world. If you are super excited about a new luxury purchase, you rush to show it off on IG. You don’t even have to wear it much (or at all) IRL. More people that you care about will see it if you post it online.

Hexagon avis on Twitter are a good first demonstration of cryptographically-verifiable flexing. The problem is most people don’t care about images of Apes or Punks. You are flexing for a very narrow audience. A lot more people know about Gucci or Richard Mille.

Digital twins are a perfect match for this model of online-first flexing. They let you show off luxury physical goods you own, while also adding a new dimension of verifiability. You can prove that your sick ride you’re posing with isn’t a rental and that that AP or Grand Seiko is really yours. (Granted, you can rent NFTs. The meta at this point would then move to users putting identifying information in the NFT metadata to prove their ‘true’ ownership.)

What’s more, if metaverses actually take off (I can’t say I’m particularly impressed by any of the ones that exist today, but I am sure one will eventually be popular), you can strut around kitted out top to bottom in your verified Louis Vuitton trackies à la Richard Heart. Brands will likely want to push the NFT-verified approach, because they will want to participate in the top metaverses, but they won’t want a ton of counterfeits and unauthorized derivatives running around.

So NFTs allow you to flex not just your digital collectibles online, but actual physical luxury goods in a provable way. The future might be all about digital-only goods, but for now, people still like actual watches, cars, hoodies, and shoes.

Digital twins offer strong anti-counterfeiting properties

This is one of the strongest value propositions for digital twins. If you embed a tag linking the physical good to the NFT (in the above example, I consider an example in which DUST is used, but there are numerous ways to do this, mainly with NFC chips so far), sellers can have strong assurances that they are purchasing the genuine item, with a digital chain of custody tracing its ownership back to origin. Note that simply putting a QR code linking to the NFT on the product isn’t sufficient, because any counterfeiter could do this. Ideally, you’d want the tag to be embedded or, better, incorporated into the merchandise. You’d want this to be done in a non-revocable way, because if the chips can be removed and inserted into a compelling fake, you can be fooled. (Note that this is still better than default luxury goods counterfeiting, because you are still limited by the number of NFTs and linked chips, so you still escape illicit inflation.)

In a sense, the anti-counterfeiting properties of an NFT-twinned physical item mirrors the transition from physical cash to cryptocurrency. Like cash, luxury merch first had to differentiate itself based on hard-to-replicate physical properties, making clones difficult. But now with embeddable tags linking to persistent digital objects, counterfeiting is very difficult.

NFTs solidify the brand-consumer relationship

One thing I’ve noticed with NFTs, whether they’re music NFTs or artwork, is that creators feel a sense of ongoing obligation to their collectors, whether or not this is explicitly codified. It’s very common for creators to give priority access to future mints to buyers of past mints. This is trivial, as buyers often operate from persistent on-chain addresses, so these serve as a proxy for their identity. Imagine the logistical challenge of trying to do this with physical merchandise and paper receipts. How do you go about proving that you bought a specific product from a specific manufacturer years ago?

Digital twins simplify all of this, making it downright simple to identify fans and even determine their track record of allegiance to the brand. The NFT also opens up the prospect of a communications channel from the seller back to the buyer, to be used for promotions or payments (in either direction). And once these relationships are established, token-gated experiences, whether digital or analog, are trivial to implement. Lastly, it’s trivial to include provenance information so the collector (and anyone they might sell the item on to) can learn a bit more about the origin of the item itself.

NFTs offer better auction models

There’s nothing inherent about NFT auctions that makes them better than standard ‘drops’ done on ecommerce websites, but the fact is that the crypto industry has been innovating aggressively on the auction model for years and has dealt with the problems of congestion, botting, and spam under an extremely high stakes environment for a long time now. All things equal, I expect crypto to provide the best tools to foster fair auctions.

Zora calls the issue of botted sneaker launches the “Yeezy problem.” Imagine that Kanye wants to sell his sneakers at $220, but the market clearing price is $2000. This means he is installing a price ceiling, which naturally leads to shortages. So instead of queues, you get botted launches, where a few tech savvy folks instantly buy up the inventory and then scalp it on the secondary market. Kanye earns less (because he’s giving up 89% of his primary sneaker revenue) and his loyal but non HFT-savvy fans pay a huge markup. Zora suggests instead a dynamic pricing model, whereby you sell tokens equivalent to the amount of merch you want to produce, and let these float on the open market. They even suggest a model whereby creators would recognize revenue equal to the market value of the token or NFT at the time they are redeemed, rather than at the price of initial issuance. I am skeptical creators would want that, because you’d see strategic redemptions by holders at low prices. That saddles creators with undesirable unpredictability around revenue and margins.

Legacy luxury goods buying seems like a game of access, loyalty, and relationships (as with watches or limited-run sports cars), waiting in long lines (as with sneakers), or dealing with scalpers and sketchy secondary markets. With NFT auctions, prices can float in real time and rules can be formalized and rules around whitelists can be fair and transparent. There are also the standard additional benefits of using digital bearer assets for payments. Issuers don’t have to deal with chargebacks, and sales can be global (as long as issuers are willing to ship globally), unencumbered by payment system restrictions.

Merch-redeemable NFTs introduce new efficiencies for manufacturers

One interesting feature of full stack merchandise is the inventory management efficiencies that issuers can benefit from. Though there is scant precedent, most of these drops work as follows: there is an NFT sale, followed by periodic redemption windows in which holders can choose to redeem their NFT for the physical product. This is great for sellers because they get all the funds up front and only have to deliver the product later, with predictability around timelines. They don’t have to take as much inventory risk. In practice, not everyone will redeem their NFT too (although issuers will have to set expectations that the convertibility feature of the NFTs may eventually expire if they terminate their manufacturing run.)

As issuers gain more data about redemption profiles — trivially attributable to specific users, they will be able to better plan around product runs and redemption rates. Eventually manufacturers will be able to predict by product how many collectors are likely to redeem, and how many typically redeem per window. Undoubtedly they will be able to sell more NFTs than they have to make units of merchandise. Inventory management isn’t a sexy concept but it certainly is a plus for brands here.

Wearable NFTs open up a brand new design space

Other interesting applications become possible when you pair luxury consumer goods with the innate financialization of NFTs. You could lend your NFT to your buddy for a small fee so they can verified flex on IG for a week. You could borrow against your sneakers, with the repo agreement specifying that the lender gains custody of the NFT if you default — voiding your digital counterpart (significantly devaluing the physical product). As mentioned in the opening story, you could receive payments or other on-chain goodies from the manufacturer in exchange for visiting certain places, agreeing to share data, or triggering certain usage patterns. Secondary sales are safer and can involve escrow and existing p2p infrastructure.

Because your watch, hoodie, or necklace now contains a chip that is linked to your on-chain wallet and identity, you could in theory transform the device into an (extremely insecure) tool for contactless payments. Perhaps more usefully, you can prove cryptographically that you (or your on-chain alias) were at a specific place at a certain time. With sufficient ancillary infrastructure built up (this would require biometrics on the physical device proving that it’s ‘really you’ wearing it, you are effectively leaving a cryptographically-attested-to trail throughout the real world which you can selectively reveal when convenient or necessary. Your sneakers might one day be your crypto alibi.

Postscript: Do you need a blockchain?

A lot of this seems doable without a blockchain. For instance, you could maintain a personalized receipt of purchase between the brand and the buyer, issued via email and accessed with normal credentials. You could in theory build a marketplace to trade these receipts, although you’d have to define a standard from scratch and persuade people to use it. You can certainly embed an NFC chip in a piece of merchandise and link it to an entry in a corporate database containing the relevant metadata, but again, you’d have to develop some scheme to transfer that entry upon sale. You would need to find somewhere to store the record. You would have to bootstrap liquidity for all these uses. And there’s the additional issue of bit rot and all of the entropy associated with regular corporate databases, especially as these companies churn, get acquired, and go out of business. Blockchains aren’t great at many things, but retaining immutable, highly available data for long periods of time is one of their undisputed strengths.

So arguably, yes, you probably do need NFTs and blockchains to accomplish the things I am talking about here. NFTs give you digital persistence, and they exist on an open infrastructure that anyone can build on, query, and refer to. And there’s a huge market for NFTs that already exists, with lots of crypto-nouveau-riche buyers ready to go, and tons of already built financial infrastructure, so it just makes sense to build this there.

Yes, there’s might be a way to do some of this without blockchains, but why would you want to? It’s a bit like rolling up outside of Burning Man and pointing out that you don’t need to use that patch of land to throw a music and art festival in the desert. You could do it anywhere! Of course you could, but why would you start from scratch? Why wouldn’t you just… attend the gigantic, popular one that already exists?

NFTs started as a purely speculative market for digital-only goods. Over time, some of these came to possess artistic merit. In my view, there is a sound basis for the valuation of some purely digital NFT projects, especially those with clever mechanics around actually embedding the data on the blockchain. Generative projects, whether art or music, are also particularly compelling — they represent a novel artistic approach which aims to produce beauty and order with as little human oversight as possible. But it’s undeniable that most NFT projects are derivative, unoriginal, and frankly lame, and the NFTlash is well underway. Merchandise-redeemable NFTs offer brands a way to make their entry into this space without risking ripping off their clients. Moreover they offer a compelling value proposition, even if all of the pieces are still being assembled.

‘Physical’ NFTs seem very early to me. I am seeing a lot of fumbling around, false starts, and trial and error. But the category is compelling and gaining steam, despite the broader cooling off in NFT markets. A few years from now, I expect that people will think of purely analog luxury goods as a kind of anachronism. They will feel naked without their digital counterpart. Physical NFTs confer to the owner genuine, provable ownership, a persistent linkage with the issuer, and a conduit for safe secondary sales — not to mention the version you can wear in the metaverse . Given how much of our lives we spend online, it’s only a matter of time until the digital versions are more real than the analog ones.

Blog Credit : Medium

 

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