Navigating ICOs: How to Choose Projects and Avoid Scams?

During the years 2018-2019, the market for digital assets experienced a sharp decline, with decreasing capitalization and waning interest and trust in ICO projects. This was primarily due to numerous instances of exit scams, reaching their peak during that period. As a result, ICOs evolved into IEOs, IDOs, and other formats, adopting a more regulated structure under the guidance of crypto exchanges. However, the term "ICO" continued to be used colloquially to describe various token sale formats.

In the present day, ICO projects have not vanished completely, as new token sales continue to emerge regularly. Some of these projects manage to achieve success, similar to early players such as Ether, NEO, and IOTA, which initially launched through ICOs. Both in the past and now, projects with robust technological foundations and innovative services have the potential to generate substantial returns for early investors. In this article, we will explore methods for monitoring ICO projects, distinguishing "unicorns," and identifying the riskiest ventures.    

An Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is a form of crowdfunding that serves as a common method for early-stage cryptocurrency startups to secure investments. Project teams offer native tokens or coins in exchange for funding, typically in established cryptocurrencies. This process bears resemblance to the traditional sale of securities during an initial public offering (IPO) in the stock market. The acquired native assets can be utilized within the project's ecosystem, traded on exchanges, or used for transactions. 

The value of a project's native token tends to increase if the team consistently executes its innovative plan according to the roadmap. This, in turn, boosts its demand in the market. Hence, successful ICO projects are of interest to investors. However, it is crucial to distinguish promising projects from unreliable ones and be aware of the potential risks involved.

Every ICO project begins with the team's presentation, the release of a whitepaper describing the project's idea and objectives, and a roadmap outlining the planned milestones. 

Once investors review these documents and assess the project's potential, they may choose to purchase the native tokens. The funds raised are then allocated towards further development, enabling the project to execute its planned steps following the roadmap. This represents an ideal scenario.

However, it is essential to recognize that ICOs operate in a mostly unregulated environment, necessitating caution when investing. Conducting thorough due diligence is crucial to verify the project's legitimacy and assess its viability. Moreover, investors should ensure that the team is committed to the project's success rather than solely focused on fundraising before potentially disappearing.

When evaluating an ICO project, it's crucial to focus on the key individuals leading the startup into the market. Typically, investors are interested in the qualifications, reputation, and previous experience of the project's team members in the cryptocurrency industry. It's also important to gather any information about the team's involvement in fraudulent activities.

Technical documentation and the project roadmap are also significant factors to consider. The roadmap should provide a realistic development and implementation timeline for the project, at least for the next few years. The whitepaper should offer a clear and detailed explanation of the project's objectives, the technologies involved, and the problems it aims to solve. By thoroughly analyzing these documents, investors can gain a better understanding of the project's potential and determine whether it's worth investing in.

In addition, marketing aspects play a crucial role in evaluating such projects. If a project promises extravagant or guaranteed passive income, or heavily relies on a referral program that generously rewards "referrers" (those who invite users to join the project), it could be a potential sign of a fraudulent project. It's advisable to search for user reviews on informational forums. If there's a significant number of negative posts or complaints about the project, it may indicate fraudulent activity. 

The best approach for monitoring ICO projects is to utilize specialized analytical platforms. For example, CoinMarketCap publishes and regularly updates an ICO calendar. However, the most comprehensive and detailed information can be found on Coincheckup, Cryptorank, and FoundICO. The latter resource specializes in token sales and provides not only a description of each ICO project but also evaluates various aspects such as documentation, marketing, team, product, financials, and assigns an overall rating score (ICO score). While it's important to verify all information independently, FoundICO excels as a reliable guide in the world of ICOs.