One of the hottest scenes in the cryptocurrency community today revolves around what's known as an "ICO," or initial coin offering. An ICO is a kind of futuristic fundraising round. Rather than relying on regulations and lawyers to guide investment, developers of an upcoming project solicit funds to build out a planned technology platform in exchange for tokens that investors can then trade or use on the platform itself when it is complete. Developers gain access to needed funding in order to make their vision a reality. Investors are rewarded for their early insight with profits and first access to the platform. Everyone wins, and innovation proceeds apace...

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