The cryptocurrency industry’s expansion brought a number of new techniques to the field. Proof-of-Stake, Atomic Swaps and Initial Coin Offerings all emerged to solve problems with the original business design. Just as with any company, crypto-developers benefit from an assured source of income during the early stages of creation. ICOs offer a means for supporters to help bring those ideas to fruition – although the concept is closer to crowdfunding than the IPO process it is named after.
The size and number of ICOs exploded in late 2017 as the market suddenly boomed. Everyone was attempting to enter the game, and saturation of the market may have contributed to the early 2018 crash. However, fortunes continue to be made overnight – and investors continue to pour money into new projects. The top grossing ICOs thus far have brought in a staggering amount of money – these five alone reached nearly $6.5 billion.
1. EOS – $4 Billion USD
EOS is a decentralized application-focused blockchain that raised a shocking $4 billion USD throughout a year-long ICO. Although not directly competing with Ethereum, the two overlap significantly and their founders are often at odds over social media. EOS is notorious due to late night host John Oliver, who specifically called out their cryptocurrency during his show. He stated;
“Who knows? Maybe EOS is going to be the next Google. I don’t think it is, and I certainly don’t think it can be worth over a billion dollars at this point, but I could be wrong. I’m absolutely not, but I could be.”
2. Telegram – $1.7 Billion USD
Although their public offering ultimately collapsed, Telegram’s private sales generated an astonishing $1.7 billion USD. Given their status as the de-facto standard for cryptocurrency communication, it comes as no surprise that their entrance into the market itself caused shockwaves. While the private sale went better than could be imagined, early investors quickly began capitalizing on the excitement. As the price continued to grow, smaller investors grew wary that a bubble was forming before the token was even released.
3. Dragon Coin – $407 Million USD
Another cryptocurrency focused on gambling, Dragon Coin’s ICO raised $407 million USD. Specifically oriented towards the Chinese market, Dragon Coin hopes to create a work-around to Chinese regulations on removing money from the country. An entire industry exists to help facilitate this – but incorporating cryptocurrency will make the process both easier and safer. Cryptocurrencies based in China have traditionally done well – NEO and ONT being the most prominent – and Dragon Coin is no exception.
4. FileCoin – $257 Million USD
FileCoin’s goal is to monetize cloud storage in a way that benefits the average person. Their platform allows users to offer their extra storage space as cloud storage for clients. Blockchain’s decentralized nature is perfect for this, and helped drive the ICO value up to $257 million USD. The FileCoin project takes an unused resource – excess storage space – and provides a means to make passive income from it.
5. Tezos – $232 Million USD
Attempting to tackle the #2 blockchain, Tezos would like to usurp Ethereum as the smart contract platform of choice. Designed with scalability and Proof-of-Stake from the start, Tezos improves on some of the legacy aspects of the Ethereum blockchain. However, toppling a giant like Ethreum is a massive undertaking. Tezos raised $232 million USD in 2017, but soon ran into severe internal issues. The removal of their foundation head cleared them to proceed, and progress is now being made.
Article By: Adam Stone
