Amidst regulatory uncertainty and a major spate of scams, ICOs have fallen off a cliff in 2019. While there are still plenty of ICOs to choose from, you have to look long and hard to find an ICO issued by a company with any sort of reputation. We’ve identified three companies that are issuing an ICO, in some form or other, in 2019. Two of these companies are massive and the third has verifiable accomplishments and a working product right now. If you’re looking for a 2019 ICO that’s definitely not a scam, start here.
Emaar Group (Dubai Developer and owner of the Burj Khalifa)
The Emaar Group built the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. They also have a ton of retail and business real estate in the UAE. They’re planning to issue an ICO to Western investors in late 2019, using the Ethereum blockchain as a launchpad. Token holders will get discounts and loyalty rewards. As Emaar properties and online retail already account for billions in revenue, making a crypto token into a standard payment currency could be huge for early investors.
About the Emaar ICO
- Aim of the ICO – Raise money while integrating Dubai online/physical retail into the wider consumer world.
- Pros and Cons – Pros: Huge potential, Dubai is a boom town, crypto adoption from a significant enterprise. Cons: Not directly relevant to people who don’t shop in Dubai, people may not use the token.
- How to Invest in the Emaar ICO – No word at the moment. Details forthcoming.
- Future ICO Plans – Details are scarce but, as Dubai is trying to become a blockchain hotbed, more ICOs from Emaar and other businesses could be expected if this one is a success.
- Similar Industry ICOs – Travala (AVA) is an example of a successful real estate/travel loyalty type ICO that has resulted in a successful platform and useful token. There is no example of a similarly huge developer launching an ICO like this, though.
Microsoft Azure (Cloud service run by Microsoft)
Microsoft Azure is a cloud service owned by Microsoft, the global computing giant. Recently, Microsoft Azure listed Stratis, which is an ICO platform that has been bringing new projects into the market for some time. Microsoft Azure has advertised the Stratis connection as a safe and reliable way to bring new tokens online. So, while neither Microsoft nor Microsoft Azure is listing tokens directly, they’re involving themselves in the business of ICOs, and many tokens will go online as a result of their involvement in the space.
About Microsoft Azure/Stratis ICOs
- Aim of the ICO – There is no unifying theme for the ICOs that go through Stratis. It’s almost like a WordPress for ICOs. Anyone can use it, and the success or failure of the ICO is the responsibility of the company that throws it. Stratis is just the platform that makes it all possible.
- Pros and Cons – Pros: Microsoft definitely lends legitimacy to Stratis. Cons: ICOs are still mostly disappointing in 2019, no matter where they happen.
- How to Invest in Stratis ICOs – Find out what projects are currently launching ICOs on Stratis. Learn more about the project that interests you. Follow their directions for taking part in the ICO. Stratis brings some continuity to the ICOs run in its network, but each ICO is a different beast with its own unique rules.
- Future Plans for Stratis ICOs – Stratis will likely conduct more ICOs as a result of the Microsoft exposure.
- Similar Industry ICOs – There are plenty of other ICO platforms (Ethereum, NEO, EOS, etc.), but none that work with Microsoft Azure.
imusify (blockchain music streaming platform)
There’s still time to get in on the imusify ICO, debuting on the NEO blockchain this year. imusify is a blockchain music platform with similarities to Spotify and Soundcloud. It uses token economic incentives to motivate listeners and content creators. imusify already has a working product; their ICO is meant to help the company build upon their already impressive accomplishments.
About the imusify ICO
- Aim of the ICO – Raise money, distribute tokens, build user base, profit!
- Pros and Cons – Pros: imusify is a real company with a good idea and a strong product. Cons: There may not be enough blockchain music platform users to make imusify a global success.
- How to Invest in the imusify ICO – Buy NEO, buy Bitcoin, or Binance Coin BNB, and follow the KYC/whitelist steps on the imusify website.
- Future Plans for imusify – imusify wants to become one of the biggest music platforms in the world.
- Similar Industry ICOs – There have been other creative/media/content platforms like Tron and Po.et, but imusify seems to have more accomplished prior to its ICO than most of its competitors in this space.
So, there you have it; three real companies that are launching ICOs in some form or fashion in 2019. There are plenty of other ICOs but few that have the air of legitimacy as these projects. Follow these for the possibility of doing the near-impossible: making money on an ICO in 2019! In all seriousness though, we really do believe that each of these projects has the potential for investor returns.
(*Information in this article should not be taken as investment advice.)