The rollercoaster-get-rich ICOs of 2017 are over — crypto companies are waking up to the idea that VC investors aren’t so bad after all. Companies used initial coin offerings (ICOs) to raise some $5.5 billion in cryptocurrency-based funding last year. As an emerging investment system with no regulation, nearly anyone was allowed in. The knock-on effect […]
View More ICOs are increasingly just for venture capitalistsCategory: ICOs
Another day, another $50 million ICO exit scam
Savedroid, a German company that purportedly raised $50 million in ICO and direct funding, has exited with a bang. The site is currently displaying the above image and the founder, one – Dr. Yassin Hankir – has posted a tweeted thanking investors and saying “Over and out.” Thanks guys! Over and out … #savedroidICO pic.twitter.com/PMRtjlbEdD […]
View More Another day, another $50 million ICO exit scamIs venture capital ready for companies with no founders?
Hemant Taneja Contributor More posts by this contributor The tech industry needs to move towards responsible innovation in 2018 Why pulling out of Paris Accord damages America’s economic future Initial coin offerings (ICOs) — a funding mechanism based on the technology behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin — are a hot new way to launch a startup […]
View More Is venture capital ready for companies with no founders?Twitter is suspending some users who solicit crypto
Twitter is taking some steps to combat cryptocurrency scammers on its platform. But these are best classified as ‘baby steps’ at this point. Read More
2018 VC investment into crypto startups set to surpass 2017 tally
For months now, much of the media attention on the crypto space has been directed at ebbs and flows in the price of bitcoin on one side, and whiz-bang ICOs on the other.
The price of the most valuable cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (specifically the BTC chain), has backpedaled significantly from highs set in December 2017. The chart below shows pricing data from the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index… Read More
David Sacks’s new startup wants to make it safer for old-guard industries to jump into crypto
SEC chairman Jay Clayton made clear today that his agency, along with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, remains acutely concerned about initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency trades. In fact, toward that end, they’re now looking for more expansive powers when it comes to protecting customers on cryptocurrency exchanges from fraud. Read More
Equity podcast: Netflix soars, Twitter loses a big bird, Lyft isn’t woke and more ICOs
Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines. This week we once again had the full crew on set: Matthew Lynley, Katie Roof, and myself. And even better, we were joined by Sarah Tavel from Benchmark, who helped us unspool a topic or three. And topics we had. This being earnings season, we had little choice… Read More
Equity podcast: Netflix soars, Twitter loses a big bird, Lyft isn’t woke and more ICOs
Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines. This week we once again had the full crew on set: Matthew Lynley, Katie Roof, and myself. And even better, we were joined by Sarah Tavel from Benchmark, who helped us unspool a topic or three. And topics we had. This being earnings season, we had little choice… Read More
Equity podcast: Dropbox and Xiaomi want to go public, and how big is Telegram’s ICO?
Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines. This week was a corker. Our co-host Matthew Lynley is back, Katie and myself were on hand, and our guest, Shruti Gandhi from Array Ventures, was brilliant. And the news gods were kind, as there was quite a lot to get through. First, we looked into the… Read More
RIP IPO (1602-2018)
In comparison to an anemic 2016 for venture-backed technology IPOs, 2017 was a much better year. Companies as diverse as Yext, Cloudera, Blue Apron, StitchFix, and SendGrid all went public last year, not to mention one of the most anticipated IPO…
View More RIP IPO (1602-2018)Indiegogo now lets you fund via token sale
Crowdfunding service and Kickstarter-competitor Indiegogo is now offering an ICO service alongside its partner, MicroVentures. The company will allow users to participate in SEC-complaint ICOs and, like its slow-burning equity crowdfunding servic…
View More Indiegogo now lets you fund via token saleEuropean financial watchdog latest to warn over ICOs
European Union financial regulator, the ESMA, has become the latest regulatory body to issue a warning about the risks of buying into — and running — ICOs. Read More