This post highlights the fundamental problem with so many crypto related projects. Everybody is indeed using the same OEM engine that Satoshi Nakamoto created, and thus far, nearly the entire focus for new developments have been towards creating new trading platforms & novel ways to convince crypto bagholders to part with valuable or 'proven' tokens like BTC and ETH in exchange for newly created ones out of thin air. These are marketed as crowdfunding to get cool projects off the ground, but if people really cared about the services the ICO projects would bring about, they'd do it without expectation of tokens in return, or just receiving free use of the platforms - which is a pipe dream.

It is patently clear that nobody would invest in these ICOs if it were not for the possibility of massive trading profits in the future if the project is successful, and investors generally don't care at all about the product being produced. This removes any doubt that ICOs are traded as though they are equity, despite having absolutely no equity claim against the projects, and certainly none against any of its future profits. Most ICOs also don't have business models, let alone businesses. They are privately funded projects; the initiators literally trade you brand new and untested tokens for high quality BTC and ETH. The price of these tokens therefore, has absolutely ZERO intrinsic relationship (at all) with the performance of the project itself than brand association. If a project does well, there is literally zero reason for the ICO token to perform to the same degree - if the project makes a profit (which the project leaders will take), it means absolutely nothing for the token. The ICO initiators keep the good tokens, you keep the ones they insta-mined (free lunch). ICOs are better than crowdfunding for project initiators, but not as good for consumers as VC, or VC in the form of tokens that are claims of equity against a real company's future profits.

ICOs have ZERO intrinsic value absent this equity claim. They are gambling markets - just like every other crypto, except everybody buys from somebody who printed the tokens from thin air without any price discovery (which makes the whole thing more or less a scam). At least in normal crypto markets you purchase at current market price. ICOs absent equity claim are no different than Central Banks printing coins to give you, except that people voluntarily sign up to decrease the value of their holding, and time to time, trading of ICO coins can yield a profit.

DNotes is that cryptocurrency project that recognizes that speculation does nothing for intrinsic value; and that a trading platform, or a new mobile wallet, faster transaction times before its needed, decentralized governance model, or turnkey blockchain platforms (to name but a few) on their own do very little to aid adoption of mainstream crypto. The projects may provide new means for technological innovation, and sometimes means for participants to make a profit if they trade the tokens well (much like most crypto).  We recognize that to be successful, intrinsic value must be built into the currency - which is why we awarded real company equity to the currency itself. We also know that there are many requirements to become successful: building a currency itself is not enough - much like Alan's example with the car analogy, the car is not enough, we also need roads, repair shops, gas stations (payment gateways, financial integration, favorable media, tech innovation beyond 'faster than nakamotos version', simplicity, stability, intrinsic value) among others to bring this thing mainstream. We don't disclose our core projects and ideas (cos we aren't a hype currency), but think of just about any feature, or related service that you think "crypto needs" or that an existing player is already doing - and chances are that we've already designed an improved version for future deployment when the time suits us. We're doing everything in the one ecosystem, and not focusing on 'one aspect'. Winning systems approaches (the ones missing in the industry) means an initial division of time across multiple projects.

Crypto already beats fiat money in just about every way (especially transaction speed - which is the core thing investors throw even more money to try improve further) - currently only lacking in a viable stable currency that is integrated into the mainstream system to allow easy payment for goods and services. Instead on focusing to fix this shortcoming, every other project is just reinventing ways to do the same thing as everybody else in the areas crypto is already beating fiat... and we're still no closer to bringing it to the mainstream as a result.

Stop reinventing the wheel - what new problems are people in the industry solving?