# Initial Coin Offerings
Initial coin offerings are proxy [equity](security.md) fundraising structure that allows entrepeneurs to raise [crypto assets](cryptoasset.md) in a common enterprise outside of existing securities regulation. Initial coin offerings are an example of [regulatory-arbitrage](regulatory-arbitrage.md) of [security](security.md) regulation.

Initial coin offerings are illegal in the United States.

See also [security](security.md) and [regulatory arbitrage](regulatory-arbitrage.md).

## References
1. Andrés, Pablo de, David Arroyo, Ricardo Correia, and Alvaro Rezola. 2022. ‘Challenges of the Market for Initial Coin Offerings’. International Review of Financial Analysis 79: 101966. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2021.101966.
1. Burilov, Vlad. 2019. ‘Regulation of Crypto Tokens and Initial Coin Offerings in the EU: De Lege Lata and de Lege Ferenda’. European Journal of Comparative Law and Governance 6 (2): 146–86. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134514-00602003.
1. Cincinnati, Josh. 2017. ‘PonzICO: Let’s Just Cut to the Chase’.
1. Cornish, Chloe, and Richard Waters. 2018. ‘Silicon Valley Investors Line up to Back Telegram ICO’. Financial Times, January. https://www.ft.com/content/790d9506-0175-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5.
1. Cumming, Douglas J., Sofia Johan, and Anshum Pant. 2019. ‘Regulation of the Crypto-Economy: Managing Risks, Challenges, and Regulatory Uncertainty’. Journal of Risk and Financial Management 12 (3): 126. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm12030126.
1. Davis, Mark and DavisBruce. 2021. Crowdfunding and the Democratization of Finance. Policy Press. https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/crowdfunding-and-the-democratization-of-finance.
1. Kelly, Jemima. 2019. ‘The ICO Whose Team Members Are Literally Cartoon Characters’. Financial Times. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/57805b32-0bbe-34cb-940c-66cdd1aec5e2.
1. Kharif, Olga. 2018. ‘Half of ICOs Die Within Four Months After Token Sales Finalized’. Bloomberg.Com. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-09/half-of-icos-die-within-four-months-after-token-sales-finalized.
1. Livni, Ephrat, and Andrew Ross Sorkin. 2021. ‘The Dramatic Crash of a Buzzy Cryptocurrency Raises Eyebrows’. The New York Times, 28 June 2021, sec. Business. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/28/business/dealbook/icp-cryptocurrency-crash.html.
1. Low, Kelvin F K. 2021. ‘The Emperor’s New Art: Cryptomania, Art & Property’. Art & Property. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3978241.
1. Maddox, Alexia, and Luke J Heemsbergen. 2021. ‘Digging in Crypto-Communities’ Future-Making: From Dark to Doge’. M/C Journal 24 (2 SE-). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2755.


* [@kharif_half_2018]
* [@zetzsche_ico_2017]
* [@kelly_ico_2019]
* [@debler_foreign_2018]
* [@cincinnati_ponzico_2017]
* [@howell_initial_2018]
* [@boreiko_serial_2020]
* [@benedetti_digital_2018]
* [@momtaz_entrepreneurial_2020]