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The Initial Coin Offering (ICO) Process: Regulation and Risks

Author

Listed:
  • Oksana A. Karpenko

    (Finance and Credit Department, Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia)

  • Tatiana K. Blokhina

    (Finance and Credit Department, Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia)

  • Lali V. Chebukhanova

    (Law Institute, Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia)

Abstract

ICOs are very attractive for investors and issuers. ICOs allow funding raising in exchange for cryptographically secure tokens, which are a means of paying for future projects or services. However, there is insignificant regulation of this process all over the world. Some countries have banned crypto assets; others have allowed the free use of tokens but do not give them official status. In this paper, the authors present an overview of the legal regulation of ICOs in different countries, dividing them into three groups: in the first group are the countries with developed legal norms and rules for conducting ICO, they have the subsequent circulation of tokens on their territory; in the second group are the countries that are most friendly to ICOs; the third group of countries has a wait-and-see attitude. The author connect the insufficient law regulation and risks of ICOs in different countries. The types of ICO risks are divided into three main categories: financial, technical, and analytical. The main ways to reduce these risks, depending on their types, are highlighted in this study. They are connected with the improvement of the legal regulation of the publication of a White Paper, the KYC procedure, and the involvement of escrow agents.

Suggested Citation

  • Oksana A. Karpenko & Tatiana K. Blokhina & Lali V. Chebukhanova, 2021. "The Initial Coin Offering (ICO) Process: Regulation and Risks," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:14:y:2021:i:12:p:599-:d:700771
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lennart Ante & Philipp Sandner & Ingo Fiedler, 2018. "Blockchain-Based ICOs: Pure Hype or the Dawn of a New Era of Startup Financing?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Lin William Cong & Ye Li & Neng Wang, 2021. "Tokenomics: Dynamic Adoption and Valuation [The demand of liquid assets with uncertain lumpy expenditures]," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(3), pages 1105-1155.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rasivisuth, Pornpanit & Fiaschetti, Maurizio & Medda, Francesca, 2024. "An investigation of sentiment analysis of information disclosure during Initial Coin Offering (ICO) on the token return," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    2. Nir Kshetri, 2023. "The nature and sources of international variation in formal institutions related to initial coin offerings: preliminary findings and a research agenda," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-38, December.
    3. Koray Caliskan, 2022. "The Elephant in the Dark: A New Framework for Cryptocurrency Taxation and Exchange Platform Regulation in the US," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Ahmed Gomaa & Yibai Li, 2022. "An Entrepreneurial Definition of the Blockchain Technology and a Stacked Layer Model of the ICO Marketplace Using the Text Mining Approach," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-21, November.
    5. Danai Likitratcharoen & Pan Chudasring & Chakrin Pinmanee & Karawan Wiwattanalamphong, 2023. "The Efficiency of Value-at-Risk Models during Extreme Market Stress in Cryptocurrencies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, March.
    6. Annie Lecompte, 2024. "The devil is in the details: a taxonomy of red flags of fraudulent initial coin offering projects," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(11), pages 1-21, November.

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