Just two years ago, ICOs were uncommon enough that there was no point in having a listing site for them. However, 2017 saw a sudden explosion of projects with their own ICOs, while 2018 continues the trend. There are dozens of ICOs running at any given time, with more always on the horizon. It would be nearly impossible to keep track of them on your own which has lead to the establishment of crypto ICO list sites.
It’s no wonder that ICOs continue to be a popular method for projects to raise money. Back in April, it was reported that ICOs had already raised $6.3 billion, surpassing the amount raised in 2017. Who knows how much will be raised by the year’s end?
Despite their popularity, there is no guarantee that any individual ICO will succeed. Blockgeeks has spelled out how and why 90-99% of ICOs will end in failure. Honestly, it’s like any business venture. Success requires a combination of factors to work out in your favor. You should have a good idea, a right team to make it happen, there has to be a big enough audience willing to pay a fair price for what you’re offering, and if all of that aligns you might still be laid low by a disaster outside of your own control.
Some will point to this failure rate as a sign of doom for the crypto industry, but restaurants fail all the time and no one’s calling for an end to that industry. It’s a sad truth that not everyone will succeed. Not every idea is a great one, and not every team has the ability to pull off what they’ve promised.
Let’s focus instead on the success stories. Ethereum is perhaps the most notable one, as they not only ran a successful ICO but then produced a product so powerful that many other ICOs use it to power their own tokens. But other projects have also found success for themselves and for their investors by releasing solid products and providing coins that have increased in value.
How Do You Find the Next Successful ICO?
There’s no guaranteed formula to determine the success of a product (and anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to tell you something). But visiting an ongoing ICO list is a good place to start. Browse the ICOs on offer and look for the ones that have good indicators. A few key points to look for:
- A clear vision.
- A product that serves a need or solves a problem.
- A well-developed and experienced team.
- Realistic goals.
One should be aware of any project that appears to lack any of these, or which makes outlandish claims about the chance for profit. Likewise, be on the lookout for projects that have great ideas but rely on technology that hasn’t been developed yet. Some people get excited about future tech predictions and start an ICO project when they should wait a few years until all of the tools they need are readily available.
Many ICO listing sites, such as Cointelligence’s ICO listing, make use of a rating system, which helps to highlight projects that have an especially promising idea or a great team. These ratings may be paired with some expert analysis that can help would-be investors make the decision of whether or not to contribute funds.
Crypto news sites can also be a good source of information about ICOs, though always read carefully to determine whether you are reading genuine reporting or a press release published without comment.
Watch Out for Upcoming ICOs
Because the public portion of an Initial Coin Offering can be as short as a month, it may be beneficial to visit an upcoming ICO list and see what is on the horizon. Investors with limited funds should especially use this option as it will help you make sure that you don’t miss out on the projects that excite you the most because you over-invested earlier in the year and haven’t seen a good ROI yet.
A list of upcoming ICOs is also a great resource for any aspiring ICO teams out there, as it gives you a good picture of what’s already happening in the market. By looking at the past, ongoing, and upcoming projects, you can scope out the competition and take them into consideration when planning your own offering and marketing plan.
What is Next for the World of ICOs?
ICOs are here to stay, but the current growth rate doesn’t seem sustainable. It’s sure to level off, and we’ll see fewer projects and more modest sums being raised. However, as investors continue to learn how to spot the best blockchain projects, we’re also likely to see more success stories. Funds will be reaching the people who will best know how to use them, and we’ll start to see blockchain innovations infiltrating more and more industries.
There’s even the possibility of ICOs going mainstream. A crypto journal recently reported on two new platforms for ICOs, including one from crowdfunding giant Indiegogo (another one is Republic). It stands to reason that these sites will be user-friendly and may attract more curious investors from outside the crypto community.
As good ICOs get easier to find and people become more familiar with the community, the technology, and the possibilities of the blockchain, they’ll become as normal as every other method of fundraising. No one blinks an eye at a bake sale for a school trip or venture capital for businesses. Soon, ICOs will be just as commonplace.
Every crypto ICO list is full of exciting new projects. People are still flocking to forums and Telegram chats to learn more about the latest ICOs. The interest in this industry is not flagging, even if some people have wisely grown more cautious and do more research before committing to an investment.
We can look at the list of the 10 most successful ICOs from Invest in Blockchain for inspiration. What did these projects do that brought them success? What elements can we identify and look for in future projects? How do we foster innovation and encourage success?
It is up to the cryptocurrency community to support the projects that we want to see thrive, and to help bring more people into the community so that they understand what ICOs really are and the value they can bring to so many industries.
About the Author
On Yavin is the Founder and CEO at Cointelligence, the data layer for the crypto economy. He has extensive experience as a serial entrepreneur and an angel investor, as well as more than 20 years of experience in the tech industry. Having earned the reputation of crypto expert, On continues to contribute to this industry in ways that advance cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. On uses his deep hands-on experience and knowledge of SEO, PPC, and ORM to create successful online marketing strategies for ICOs, crypto, and blockchain companies.
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