According to Miles Deutscher, ICOs gained traction because Ethereum (ETH) was successfully funded via a 2014 ICO and then provided an open-ended smart contract protocol that enabled anyone to pitch blockchain ideas, driving broader participation in token fundraising (source: Miles Deutscher). He outlines a flywheel: a successful ETH ICO led to Ethereum enabling smart contracts, which allowed developers and teams to secure funding and then launch products, reinforcing successive token launches (source: Miles Deutscher). This framework explains why early token issuance clustered around Ethereum and shaped initial liquidity flows across ICOs, a structural context relevant for trading analysis of primary market cycles (source: Miles Deutscher).

According to @milesdeutscher, investor demand for ICOs surged in 2017-2018 as billions of dollars flowed into token sales, creating ICO boom 1.0. Source: @milesdeutscher on X, Dec 8, 2025. For traders, this marks a distinct historical cycle where capital concentrated into new token offerings, serving as a benchmark when evaluating current token sale activity. Source: @milesdeutscher on X, Dec 8, 2025.

According to @milesdeutscher, the thread highlights the major token sale launchpads to keep in mind while noting there are additional platforms beyond those listed, source: Miles Deutscher on X, Dec 8, 2025. According to @milesdeutscher, he also points readers to an in-depth list of more token sale launchpads curated by @Defi_Scribbler, source: Miles Deutscher on X, Dec 8, 2025; Defi_Scribbler on X.

According to @milesdeutscher, @no_easyz compiled a list on how to spot good token sales during the ongoing ICO 2.0 boom, shared via an X post dated Dec 8, 2025 (source: https://twitter.com/milesdeutscher/status/1998116865324007570). The post directs traders’ attention to evaluating token sale quality and selection within the ICO 2.0 cycle, underscoring primary-market screening as a timely focus (source: https://twitter.com/milesdeutscher/status/1998116865324007570).

According to @CoinMarketCap, crypto projects raised a combined $434M across 10 disclosed deals last week, led by CoinMENA’s $240M centralized exchange round (source: @CoinMarketCap on X, Dec 8, 2025). Based on @CoinMarketCap’s figures, sector allocation was concentrated in CEX ~$240M (~55%), L1 $50M (~12%), AI/DePIN $54M (~12%), cross-chain DEX $25M (~6%), RWA perps $20M (~5%), payments $17M (~4%), portfolio management $15M (~3%), yield marketplace $8M (~2%), and delta-neutral stablecoin infra $5M (~1%), indicating the strongest investor demand in trading venues and base-layer infrastructure (source: @CoinMarketCap on X, Dec 8, 2025). Top raises were CoinMENA $240M (CEX), Canton Network $50M (L1), Gonka $50M (AI, DePIN), and Portal $25M (cross-chain DEX), signaling capital concentration into exchanges, L1 ecosystems, AI/DePIN infrastructure, and cross-chain liquidity (source: @CoinMarketCap on X, Dec 8, 2025). Additional rounds were Ostium $20M (RWA perps), Fin $17M (payments), BitStack $15M (portfolio management), Zoo Finance $8M (yield marketplace), Axis $5M (delta-neutral stablecoin), and AIAV $4M (AI agents), broadening deal flow into RWA, payments, yield, and stablecoin primitives (source: @CoinMarketCap on X, Dec 8, 2025). For traders, these allocations identify currently capital-backed narratives—CEX, L1, cross-chain DEX, AI/DePIN, and RWA—based on the reported sector and size breakdown (source: @CoinMarketCap on X, Dec 8, 2025).

According to @CoinMarketCap, Upbit topped last week’s crypto fundraising ranking with $10.30B in the CEX category, source: CoinMarketCap. The list also includes ht.digital at $262.00M in Proof-of-Reserves, Fordefi at $100.00M in Wallet/MPC, Figure at $25.00M in RWA/Stablecoin, and Gonka at $12.00M in AI/DePIN, source: CoinMarketCap. This distribution concentrates inflows across centralized exchanges, PoR infrastructure, MPC wallet security, real-world assets and stablecoins, and AI/DePIN verticals that traders can track for sector momentum, source: CoinMarketCap.

According to @CryptoKing4Ever, crypto fundraising set a new all-time high in November 2025 following Naver Financial’s 10.3B move to acquire Dunamu, described as one of the largest M&A transactions in the sector, source: @CryptoKing4Ever on X, Dec 1, 2025. According to @CryptoKing4Ever, the author states institutional interest is rising quickly and signals strong sector growth ahead, source: @CryptoKing4Ever on X, Dec 1, 2025.

According to Cas Abbé, idOS Network’s community sale is in its final window with less than three hours remaining and has surpassed 75% participation, source: https://twitter.com/cas_abbe/status/1994350878447337649. The author states that idOS Network is building an on-chain identity layer intended for broad project adoption, highlighting strong demand from participants, source: https://twitter.com/cas_abbe/status/1994350878447337649. Traders tracking the Web3 identity narrative can use the sale cutoff as a near-term timing reference and monitor the official idOS Network update referenced in the post for final sale status, source: https://x.com/idOS_network/status/1994313149101548019.

According to @peterhch, an on-chain donation route to support those affected by the recent Hong Kong fire is available via an Animoca Brands X post, providing a crypto-native way to contribute. Animoca Brands, via its X post, indicates donations can be made on-chain, enabling transparent, trackable inflows that market participants can monitor for real-time on-chain activity signals.

According to CoinMarketCap, last week’s top crypto fundraising rounds were Kalshi $1B for prediction markets, Kraken $200M for centralized exchange infrastructure, Doppel $70M for AI and security, Obex $37M for RWA, Deblock $35M for wallets, and Numerai $30M for AI and payments, based on its X post on Nov 24, 2025. According to CoinMarketCap, the six rounds totaled $1.372B, with prediction markets at ~72.9%, CEX at 14.6%, AI-related at 7.3% (Doppel + Numerai), RWA at 2.7%, and wallets at 2.6%, calculated from the amounts it reported. According to CoinMarketCap, this funding mix concentrates capital in prediction markets and exchange infrastructure over RWA and wallets for the week, indicating investor allocation skew derived directly from its sector breakdown.

According to @Matt_Hougan, the Monad ICO exemplifies how crypto fundraising can be more democratizing and efficient than a traditional IPO, signaling a directional shift in capital formation that traders should monitor for participation dynamics and liquidity impacts, source: Matt Hougan on X, Nov 23, 2025. According to @Matt_Hougan, he flags critical due-diligence questions for market participants, including whether investors understand what they are buying and whether adequate protections are in place, which directly informs risk management for any token sale participation, source: Matt Hougan on X, Nov 23, 2025. According to @Matt_Hougan, the framing of ICOs as a glimpse of the future implies broader retail access and faster execution relative to IPOs, making disclosures, investor education, and protection mechanisms focal points for traders evaluating allocation and post-sale liquidity, source: Matt Hougan on X, Nov 23, 2025. According to @Matt_Hougan, traders should align their process with these concerns by prioritizing clarity of offering terms, eligibility requirements, and protection standards before committing capital to any ICO modeled like Monad, source: Matt Hougan on X, Nov 23, 2025.

According to @CoinMarketCap, a roundup titled Top Crypto Fundraising Last Week was posted on Nov 17, 2025 via its official X account, highlighting last week’s leading crypto fundraising deals for market tracking (source: CoinMarketCap on X, Nov 17, 2025). The post directs readers to the listed top raises, with details accessible in the original thread for verification before forming trading views (source: CoinMarketCap on X, Nov 17, 2025).

According to @jp_mullin888, many competing crypto projects react sensitively to fundraising announcements, which he views as a sign of insecurity. source: @jp_mullin888 He adds that such news should motivate founders to focus on winning rather than the amount raised. source: @jp_mullin888

According to @CoinMarketCap, Ripple raised $500 million at a $40 billion valuation in a round led by Citadel Securities and Fortress Investment Group. According to @CoinMarketCap, the raise follows a $1 billion tender offer and more than $4 billion in strategic acquisitions this year. According to @CoinMarketCap, key trading-relevant datapoints are the $500 million raise size, the $40 billion private valuation, and the named lead investors.

According to @CryptoKing4Ever, over $1 billion has been committed to the MegaETH sale, indicating substantial participation ahead of the close, source: @CryptoKing4Ever on X, Oct 30, 2025; sale.megaeth.com. The sale ends in 5 hours from the time of the post on Oct 30, 2025, establishing a near-term deadline for allocation completion, source: @CryptoKing4Ever on X, Oct 30, 2025; sale.megaeth.com. The project plans a mainnet launch in the fourth quarter of 2025, providing a provisional network go-live timeline for participants, source: @CryptoKing4Ever on X, Oct 30, 2025; sale.megaeth.com.

According to @PANewsCN, the MegaETH public sale has attracted $954 million in bid demand against a $50 million hard cap, equating to 19.1x oversubscription, source: @PANewsCN. According to @PANewsCN, the public sale ends in 11 hours 50 minutes from the report time and, based on these figures, only about 5.2% of submitted capital can be accepted at most, source: @PANewsCN. According to @PANewsCN, the combination of high oversubscription and a tight cap indicates extremely limited fill rates, which is critical for traders evaluating allocation sizing and near-term supply constraints, source: @PANewsCN.

According to @KookCapitalLLC, a mega ICO he is tracking has a maximum bid limit and he is receiving many direct messages about the sale. Source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Oct 27, 2025. He states he would place a seven-figure bid immediately if permitted, expressing strong bullish intent toward the offering. Source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Oct 27, 2025. No token name, terms, or timeline were disclosed in the post. Source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Oct 27, 2025. For traders, the post highlights large-ticket buying intent from at least one participant and a cap on order size around the sale. Source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Oct 27, 2025.

According to @PANewsCN, MetaDAO has raised a total of $9.9 million via recent OTC proposals, with $2.5 million from Variant at $8.60 per token, $1.5 million from 6MV at about $6.35, and $5.9 million from Paradigm at $7.83, leaving only $0.1 million for a value-add partner, source: @PANewsCN citing @nftboi_ on X. Based on these disclosed deal sizes and prices, the implied weighted average purchase price is approximately $7.73 per token and roughly 1.28 million tokens were transacted in aggregate, source: calculation using figures reported by @PANewsCN citing @nftboi_ on X. Paradigm accounts for about 59.6% of the round, Variant 25.3%, and 6MV 15.2%, indicating a concentrated allocation among leading funds, source: calculation using figures reported by @PANewsCN citing @nftboi_ on X.

According to @KookCapitalLLC, Plasma shipped a mainnet featuring gasless USDT transfers in under six months, positioning speed-to-market and low-cost stablecoin UX as key differentiators for liquidity attraction, source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Sep 28, 2025. According to @KookCapitalLLC, Monad has been raising hundreds of millions for roughly four years but has yet to release a product, framing an execution gap that could weigh on sentiment toward pre-launch L1s, source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Sep 28, 2025. According to @KookCapitalLLC, the author characterizes Monad as a high-profile institutional rug, an allegation presented without supporting documentation in the post, which underscores the need for traders to validate claims via verifiable mainnet status, USDT transfer costs, and public release timelines before reallocating capital, source: @KookCapitalLLC on X, Sep 28, 2025.

According to @business, Base, the public blockchain started by Coinbase, is exploring a new cryptocurrency to help raise money for the projects it underpins, indicating a potential funding path for Base ecosystem development (source: Bloomberg @business, Sep 15, 2025).