Strategy&, PwC’s strategy and consulting division, in collaboration with the Crypto Valley Association (CVA), a not-for-profit established to foster the growth of the blockchain ecosystem in Switzerland, have launched the June 2018 edition of their quarterly reports on the global Initial Coin Offering (ICO) market.
The report, the second in its series, provides a comprehensive overview of ICO activity globally while exploring key changes in the space since 2017.
It also presents an insight into regulatory developments in key blockchain hubs such as Switzerland, the United States, and Singapore and examines emerging trends in smaller jurisdictions globally. It concludes by examining how ICOs are disrupting the world of traditional finance.
“This report shows that Switzerland is still a leading hub for ICO and blockchain activity. To my mind, Switzerland is the standard bearer in terms of establishing a regulatory environment for the digital economy. The Crypto Valley in Switzerland offers a unique environment that embraces blockchain technologies and the potential of ICOs while always embodying Swiss values, such as privacy protection and confidentiality. I’m delighted to see that Switzerland continues to be very attractive to visionary entrepreneurs within the crypto space.”
While Switzerland, the United States, and Singapore continue to be leading centers for ICO activity, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong have emerged in 2018 as increasingly significant actors within the nascent global market. Smaller jurisdictions including Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, and Malta are also following in the footsteps of Switzerland to position themselves as ICO-friendly hubs.
In addition, the report highlights regulatory developments surrounding ICOs globally, noting three distinctive approaches which can be used to characterize the majority of emerging frameworks: ‘securities-driven’, ‘balanced’, and ‘binary’, most clearly observed in North America, Europe, and Asia, respectively.
“This report highlights the continued growth and popularity of ICOs globally in 2018, with over 537 ICOs conducted in the first five months of this year, raising a combined total of $13.7 billion USD – more than all ICOs which took place before 2018 combined. Going forward this quarterly report on global ICO activity will continue to track the changes and developments in the industry as it undergoes continuous expansion and substantive change. After all the hype of 2017, this year has seen the ICO sector becoming more mature and established, with an improved focus on best business and legal practice, investor relations, and fundraising. Hybrid models of combined Venture Capital and ICO financing are increasingly bringing together the best of what both have to offer so that the soundness of a business is validated while it realizes its market potential by receiving crowd support.”