With many existing projects set to undergo public launches and final product releases throughout 2018, next year seems poised to be perhaps the biggest one yet for cryptocurrencies as a whole. On top of this, new projects with lofty ambitions join the industry every day. Here are four exciting projects whose ICOs are taking place early next year.
Scorum (SCR)
Scorum is an all-inclusive media platform for sports fans around the world. The platform aspires to be a one-stop destination for sports updates, social media, and sports wagering. The social media aspect of the platform mirrors that of Steemit, where users vote on posts they enjoy and content creators are paid in accordance with how popular their posts are. Scorum will act as a wager host, where users will bet against one another directly in a zero-fee environment. The update center offers live broadcasts and implements next-generation statistical algorithms, providing users with more in-depth analysis than its competitors provide.
A whopping 93% of SCR’s total supply will be available through the ICO, with a hard cap of US$17 million. Of the money raised, 65% will go towards development, 20% towards marketing, and 15% for legal costs. The sale begins January 14.
Winding Tree (LIF)
Winding Tree is an ETH-based solution to problems that exist in the travel industry. Currently, consumers are plagued by exorbitant fees, currency conversion losses, and a lack of exposure to smaller businesses. Small businesses and independent operations are priced out and overshadowed by major travel players, from booking agencies to airlines, hotels, and everything else along the way. Winding Tree seeks to decentralize this industry on the Ethereum blockchain, allowing consumers to bypass fees and come into closer contact with niche travel options worldwide.
Winding Tree is currently in the pre-sale phase, which is capped at US$1.5 million. The public sale will take place beginning February 1. There is a soft cap of US$10 million, and excess funds will be placed in a smart contract that will allow token holders to sell back their tokens at ICO rates. If under US$5 million is raised, investors will be reimbursed and the tokens will not be created. 75% of the total supply is to be distributed through the ICO.
Fort Knoxster (FKX)
Fort Knoxster refers to itself as “Telegram on Steroids”. It seeks to become the go-to communications platform for the cryptocurrency community. Fort Knoxster offers a host of features – from Skype-esque calling and screen sharing, to decentralized cloud storage. Beyond this, the platform offers Telegram-style group chats, and conference voice and text communications. Everything is managed through a central dashboard and secured via end-to-end encryption, preventing unwanted entities from breaching one’s communications. Fort Knoxster leverages Ethereum smart contracts to support all these features.
59.5% of FKX’s total supply will be available through its token sale, which will take place on February 19. There will be bonuses for “early birds” who register in advance. This ICO is capped at US$15 million.
Chimaera (CHI)
Of these four projects, Chimaera is perhaps the most promising. Chimaera employs a custom blockchain meant to unify gaming entities, connecting players and developers on its decentralized platform. With Chimaera, game developers will be able to publish and maintain their games directly on the blockchain, as well as connect gamers worldwide. This system will allow for real and immutable value for game items and economies, decentralized wagering and matchmaking, and collecting coins through gameplay. This system was initially built through the team’s prototype project, HunterCoin. With HunterCoin having been a success, Chimaera has the potential to take on gaming universally.
There is not currently a set date for this public sale, but it will likely take place near the end of January. A private pre-sale is currently ongoing for larger investors. When this ICO was announced, a cap of just over 20,000 BTC was planned. However, that amount is being reduced with Bitcoin having tripled in value since the announcement.
