Although there were cryptocurrencies that forked from Bitcoin and Ethereum previous to the 2017 ICO boom, the first recognized ICO and token was Mastercoin. Mastercoin was created by J.R. Willet and announced on January 2012 via Bitcoin Forum. He titled his whitepaper "The Second Bitcoin Whitepaper."
1. Mastercoin was one of the first projects to describe using layers to enhance a cryptocurrency's functionality. The project linked the value of Mastercoin to Bitcoin's value and explained how the project would use the funds to pay developers to create a way for users to make new coins from their Mastercoins.
The ICO Boom
Between 2012 and 2016, crypto token creation and ICO increased until 2017—token offerings skyrocketed as investors seemed to become aware of them and the possible increase in value they promised. Developers, businesses, and scammers began creating tokens rapidly in attempts to take advantage of the fund-raising boom—so much so that regulatory agencies began issuing alerts to investors warning them about the risks of ICOs.
After the Bubble
The ICO bubble burst in 2018—shortly after, initial exchange offerings (IEO) emerged, where exchanges began facilitating token offerings. Exchanges claimed to have vetted the token offerings, reducing the risks to investors; however, scammers used the exchanges to promote their scams.Regulatory agencies issued alerts to investors about the risks involved in participating in an IEO; they also alerted exchanges that they were required to register with the authorities if they were facilitating these fund-raising efforts. The logic was that the exchanges might be acting as alternative trading systems or broker/dealers, which by law are required to register.4 Crypto tokens are still being created and used to raise funds for projects through ICOs. Whitepapers read like pitchbooks, outlining the token's purpose, how it will be sold, how the funds will be used, and how investors will benefit.