According to the BitMEX cryptocurrency exchange study, investment in the ICO industry decreased by 97% compared with the previous year, and reached only $ 40 million in the first quarter of 2019.
According to the study, in the first quarter of 2019, the ICO market volume showed a decline of 97%, compared to the same period of 2018. According to the report, the top 10 ICO projects in terms of capital attracted in 2018 included EOS, Telegram, Dfinity, Bankera, t0, Basis, Orbs PumaPay, Jet8 and Unikoin Gold.
Of the above projects, Orbs, PumaPay, Jet8 and Unikoin Gold showed a negative return of 64% -99%. The BitMEX report suggests that some of the projects in the fundraising process were transformed from ICO to IEO (initial exchange offering), as ICO enthusiasm diminished. The number of IEOs has increased in recent months because the model has proven successful and investors have received high positive returns.
According to the report, the total market capitalization of IEO, conducted in 2019, estimated at $ 907.7 million based on the disclosed total supply of tokens. According to a recent ICObench study, less than 350 ICOs conducted in the first quarter of 2019. According to other ICObench data published late last month, the number of active and completed IEOs exceeded 50 projects.
At the same time, a senior adviser to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on digital assets and innovations this week warned that platforms conducting IEO may face regulatory obstacles.