[seibelj]

All big ICO's are through Switzerland and only allow accredited US purchasers if they allow US at all. SEC will kill the next decade of technology companies and let the EU take it over unless they issue clear guidance like the Swiss. You can apply to FINMA for $15k CHF and go through a standard process to be a verified token. Would love that in USA. After Brexit, expect more ICO's in the UK as well (Funfair is a good example) as they try to do anything possible to boost their economy.

Fact: crypto currency will be a mechanism for fundraising startups. Either deal with it or stick your fingers in your ears.

[karmasimida]

> SEC will kill the next decade of technology companies and let the EU take it over unless they issue clear guidance like the Swiss

If you don't bother to elaborate, I will just call it as hyperbole.

[matt4077]

Fact: Switzerland is not in the EU. Deal with it[0].

[0]: It's ok. Everyone does.

[s17n]

The only advantage that crypto currency has as a means for raising capital is that it is currently unregulated. When that changes, there is no reason not to just use dollars.

[wmf]

You make it sound like VCs and CoinList don't exist.

[seibelj]

I am well aware, but YC is extremely anti-ICO as is HN, so I am trying to communicate reality to the general commenters here.

[omarchowdhury]

You'd think HN would be pro-ICO, but there's too many people here with sunk costs in the VC paradigm.

[seibelj]

VC isn't against ICO, VC has a very important part to play in the ICO system in terms of due diligence and "stamp of approval". I know many prominent VC's who are serious about tokens, but usually they are spinning out new funds without the LP agreements they currently have.

The scary thing to the current system is that entrepreneurs are getting more power. The bullshit common in fundraising (i.e. last minute changes that threaten to blow up the raise, unreasonable asks from capital, multi-month full-time fundraising, I can go on...) will become abnormal as raising money gets easier.

[nikcub]

People forget that VCs also raise money. Setting up a venture fund that is backed by an ICO token would be a good way to give public accredited investors access to the private market.

[QAPereo]

To which this quasi-legal shitshow of a shell game is the solution?!

[omarchowdhury]

Compare the time to liquidity and global access between VC investments and tokens, and you'll see its the beginning of a solution. But you all would rather see it trampled before being optimized for the benefit of all, for some reason.

[QAPereo]

I see one benefit coming with a hoard of downsides, and nothing like an attempt or desire to fix those downsides, which in fact play like financial upsides to the ICO providers and high-level players with money to lose.