Thought Leaders
Top 5 Security Tokens to Invest In – Opinion
Below are the top 5 security tokens which I personally believe have the most potential for liquidity and future growth. As a disclaimer, I’m a token holder in all the investments listed below. No financial compensation was given for this article. This is based exclusively on my personal opinion.
#5 – Lottery.com
This was one of the earliest STOs in the space. The vision is to raise billions of dollars to help solve the most pressing humanitarian needs across the globe using global charitable raffles. They offer token holders 7% revenue share on all ticket sales.
Some of the notable investors behind this project include:
- Pantera Capital – Joey Krug (co-chief Investment officer).
- Paraag Marathe (Chief Strategy Officer EVP, SF 49rs).
- Bruce Gibney (Founders Fund, seed investor of PayPal).
What’s impressive with this project is the current progress that they have made which includes:
- The world’s largest lottery results and information provider to the digital media sector for U.S. and North American lottery games, including Google and Amazon Alexa.
- Provider of lottery results in more than 30 countries worldwide.
- In the US Lottery.com is a premier mobile lottery play service with multiple state approvals.
This token can be purchased on the OpenFinance platform.
#4 – tZERO
tZERO is working on building a regulated exchange for trading security tokens and digital securities. They are taking their time on developing this platform as they wish to ensure that they are fully legally compliant. Think of tZERO as the Binance of regulated security tokens.
If they succeed in their stated mission, they will become a market leader in the digital securities space. Being fully regulated institutional investors and banks will be able to use this platform for all their exchange needs.
We have reported on tZERO frequently including the painful due diligence process which is slowing the launch of the platform. Being fully legally compliant is a positive thing, and we prefer that they take things slow to ensure full compliance and legality.
This token can be purchased directly on the tZERO platform.
#3 – 22x Fund
22X Fund invested in 30 pre-vetted start-ups that were part of Batch 22 of the 500 Startups early-stage venture fund and seed accelerator program. 500 Startups have invested in over 1200 companies, some of these notable investments include Udemy, Visual.ly, Canva, Twilio, talkdesk, & ipsy.
All 22X Fund companies are part of Batch 22 from 500 Startups which took place in San Francisco in summer/fall of 2017. The 500 Startups Accelerator has a ~2% acceptance rate. The majority have raised previous funding and are revenue generating.
Batch22 focuses on FinTech (9 companies), Data (7 companies), and Digital Health (4 companies). The list can be found here.
Investors receive tokens in 22X which will own between 2.5% to 10% of the equity in each 22X portfolio company.
This token can be purchased on the OpenFinance platform.
#2 – Blockchain Capital
This was the initial security token that started the revolution. BCAP tokens represent tokens in a venture fund managed by Blockchain Capital.
Blockchain Capital really needs no introduction when it comes to blockchain. They were founded in 2013 and have such notable investments as ABRA, Augur, Bancor, BitFuty, BitGo, Block.one, BlockStream, Coinbase, Ethereum, Harbor, Kraken, Ripple, Securitize, & Templum.
The BCAP token was launched in April 2017 and raised $10M in six hours.
In June, 2019 Coinbase Custody announced support for the BCAP token. The importance of this news cannot be understated, as this is the first security token to be supported by Coinbase.
This token can be purchased on the OpenFinance platform.
#1 – SpiceVC
My personal favorite is SpiceVC and this token is managed by an experienced team that are heavily involved in the digital securities space. They are investing in the future of security tokens and digital securities. Their most notable investment is in Securitize. Securitize is the token issuer that has shown the most traction when it comes to tokenizing security tokens. They have directly tokenized, or offered tokenization services to the bulk of the companies on this list.
Other notable investments by SpiceVC include:
- SAGA – An upcoming stable currency
- Slice – The tokenization of real estate
- ROX – Tokenization of commercial real estate.
- Archax – A digital securities exchange to be launched in London, UK.
- Lottery.com – An online lottery security token.
- Bakkt – A digital assets security exchange company created by ICE, the owners of the New York Stock Exchange. Bakkt is one of the most anticipated exchanges in the cryptocurrency space and has the potential to bring in institutional grade investments into Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
This token can be purchased on the OpenFinance platform.
Disclaimer:
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The real estate market continues to lead the way in blockchain adoption. This week, the US-based fractional ownership real estate platform, RealT announced a strategic partnership with the crypto exchange Uniswap. The news represents a further expansion of blockchain technology in the United States’ real estate sector. Also, it provides unprecedented levels of liquidity in the market.
RealT
RealT is a fully compliant web-based platform that provides global investors with the ability to purchase fractional ownership of US properties. Token holders receive property ownership interests in the form of tokens called RealTokens. Currently, the firm offers properties in Detroit, Michigan with plans to expand nationally in the coming weeks.
RealTokens
RealTokens operate within the Ethereum blockchain as security tokens. These tokens include all compliance and regulatory commitments directly into its programming. ERC-20 compatible security tokens are by far the most widely used in the cryptospace. As such, these tokens have some benefits.
Importantly, as an ERC-20 compatible token, RealTokens enjoy an unprecedented level of interoperability. This added interoperability allows the tokens to enjoy some unique capabilities. These capabilities include the ability to utilize a wide variety of wallet options.
As a RealToken holder, investors gain a host of rights and benefits. These benefits include a share in the property’s rental profits. Additionally, investors gain the opportunity to vote on property decisions such as maintenance, leasing, and liquidation. In the event the property is sold, token holders receive a share in the sale proceeds equal to their percentage of ownership rights in the property.
Uniswap
Importantly, RealTokens allow for trading on the Uniswap exchange. Basically, this popular exchange provides for a seamless trade of any digital asset on the Ethereum blockchain. Importantly, Uniswap retains all of the token’s compliance protocols throughout the life cycle of the token. This ensures that each RealToken follows the current SEC guidelines.
Uniswap Exchange via Homepage
According to company documentation, RealT and Uniswap became the first firms to offer a digital asset representing traditional securities launched on an open finance exchange with this maneuver. This event occurred on Monday, November 4, 2019, when RealT’s flagship property, 9943 Marlowe Street in Detroit, Michigan officially went live on the exchange. Now, investors can instantly buy or sell Marlowe RealTokens using ETH.
RealT Seamless
Speaking on the decision, the Founders of RealT, the Jacobson Brothers, Remy, and Jean-Marc discussed the importance of the milestone. They noted how the tokenization created a seamless interface and unmatched efficiency in the sector.
Real Estate Goes Blockchain
This latest news is just another example of how blockchain technology revolutionizes the real estate sector. Now, investors can gain fractional ownership of real estate as easy as exchanging Ethereum. Every day more firms turn to tokenization as a valuable strategy to improve liquidity in the market.
RealT and the Future
You can expect to see these types of frictionless transactions continue to expand across the real estate market as blockchain technology continues to proliferate globally. RealT appears to have a game-winning strategy in place for the digitization of the economy.
This week, Max Property Group B.V. made crypto history after the issuance of the first security tokens on the Ignis blockchain. As part of the arrangement, Max Property Group tokenized a part of its real estate holdings onto the Ignis platform as a controlled asset. The news showcases the further expansion of tokenized real estate in the EU market and increased development on Ardor’s commercial blockchain ecosystem.
This tokenized real estate became MPGS security tokens, also known as Asset I.D. 7646766282089936451. MPGS token holders gain rights such as profit-sharing in the property’s rental income. In fact, token holders gain most of the rights afforded to company shareholders with the exception of voting rights. Additionally, each share in the property falls under the monitoring and control of STAK, a Dutch Foundation.
Ignis
Ignis is the public blockchain of the Ardor platform. This 4th generation blockchain features a robust design created specifically for Dapp development. Some of the most advanced features provided by Ignis include messaging, voting, and asset exchange protocols. Additionally, the blockchain can function as a data cloud.
Ignis Blockchain via Homepage
Importantly, Ignis utilizes a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism. PoS consensus is far more efficient than Proof-of-Work systems because they don’t require nodes to compete over computationally heavy algorithms. While PoS systems aren’t perfect, many see this form of consensus as the natural evolution of cryptos. Notably, Ethereum plans to shift to a PoS consensus mechanism in the coming months.
Ardor
Ardor developed Ignis with the goal to create a developer-friendly blockchain platform that could easily be built atop of. The platform is packed with tools to build blockchain applications that are cost-effective, secure, and scalable. Notably, Ardor is a BaaS platform developed by Jelurida.
Max Property Group,
For its part, the Max Property Group provided the real estate. This firm specializes in crowdfunding and the fractional ownership of real estate. Currently, the Dutch company possesses millions of Euros in assets under management in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Notably, the Max Property Group entered the market in 2016. The firm specializes in property sales, management, and rental activities. On top of these offerings, the company operates a popular property investment and blockchain academy.
Max Crowdfund
Max Crowdfund is a subsidiary of the Max Property Group. This company is the crowdfunding wing of the Max Property Group. Importantly, the platform is compliant with EU securities standards. Max Crowdfund brings together developers, investors, and regulators.
Speaking on the tokenization decision, Max Property Group’s Managing Director, Mark Lloyd took a moment to discuss the changing real estate landscape. He noted the care his firm takes to stay up-to-date with the latest technological advancements. He also discussed the overall trend to digitize the sector.
Max Crowdfund and Ignis
Max Property is at the forefront of EU real estate tokenization. The firm continues to demonstrate its pioneering strategies in the space. This latest strategic partnership gives the company access to a host of valuable EU real estate to tokenize. It also showcases Ignis’s true capabilities. You can expect to hear more about Max Property, Ardor, and its Ignis blockchain in the coming weeks.
In another example of how blockchain technology has endless potential to better the world, TreeCoin announced plans to host a Hybrid Token Offering (HTO) in the coming weeks. The company seeks to simultaneously reduce the effects of global deforestation, whilst providing countries with an economically sustainable option via its reforestation and timber cultivation program. The news showcases how blockchain-based crowdfunding can help ethically-based programs take flight.
TreeCoin
TreeCoin developers want to provide a sustainable and scalable timber production model to countries ravaged by deforestation. The firm hopes to create a model that is duplicable by other environmental protection groups globally. In this manner, TreeCoin hopes to be the spark that ignites environmental change.
According to TreeCoin executives, the firm will start the program in Paraguay. Paraguay suffers from major ecological imbalances due to the loss of 90% of its eastern forests. TreeCoin plans to purchase 12,000 hectares of deforested land as the first step in its strategy. Here, TreeCoin plans to plant 10 million Eucalyptus trees.
10 Million Eucalyptus Trees
In order to accomplish this monumental task, the company partnered with a local reforestation team. Additionally, TreeCoin opened a training facility in which local Paraguayans learn the skills necessary to care for eucalyptus trees from a seedling. This center is run by the reforestation specialists, Andreas Jelinek of Grupo Empresarial La Rivera S.A. Paraguay.
Under the lead of Jelinek, TreeCoin already reforested 3,000 hectares of land into development. Notably, the program resulted in some 2.5 million harvested trees under their management. The best part of this strategy is that it’s truly sustainable. Basically, newly planted trees replenish the supply at a rate far greater than the deforestation rate.
TreeCoin HTO
TreeCoin developers seek to expand their operations globally. In order to do so, the firm announced an upcoming hybrid token offering (HTO). HTOs are more common than ever for a couple of key reasons. For one, it allows firms to offer security tokens to investors, alongside utility, or other types of tokens, to support the platform’s ecosystem.
Paraguay Deforestation via Survival International – TreeCoin
Dual-Token Model
TreeCoin investors receive TREE security tokens. These tokens grant the holder rights to receive a share of profits generated from timber harvests. Every TREE token sold to investors represents one physical eucalyptus tree that is planted by TreeCoin in Paraguay.
Additionally, investors receive TXC currency tokens. These tokens are meant to serve as a form of currency for local vendors. Importantly, each TREE security token generates 100 TXC tokens. These TXC tokens get assigned to the token buyer at the time of purchase.
Support Local Communities
TreeCoin developers envision a day when TXC tokens see use as a means to support local retailers, communities, and social projects across the country. In this manner, the firm creates a sustainable timber industry standard that is able to generate long-term income and economic stability.
Currently, TreeCoin developers work off of a 23-year cycle. The HTO will enable the firm to reinvest in land and purchase new trees to a total value of $546 million. Company officials predict this initial investment will produce a profit of USD 1.1 billion.
TreeCoin Goals
TreeCoin’s CEO Jörg Schäfer spoke on the goals of the project recently. He described the unquenchable thirst the world has for lumber, and the forecasted increase use over the coming decades. He explained that this trend is unsustainable and changes are necessary to prevent mass deforestation.
Schäfer then took a moment to discuss the steep price countries pay for deforestation. Paraguay, in particular, is an excellent example of the risks deforestation causes. The country lost 90% of its eastern forests due to years of timber harvesting without oversight or regard for the ecosystem. Now the Paraguayan ecosystem faces real concerns due to the imbalance.
Not Alone
Paraguay is by no means alone in its deforestation troubles. All over the globe countries’ ecosystems are at risk of permanent damage due to reckless deforestation. TreeCoin’s ambitious strategy could provide some relief to those areas experiencing the most damage.
Deforestation Dangers
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 18 million acres of forest are lost yearly. To put this into perspective, this is like if a forest the size of Panama disappeared off the face of the earth every year. To break it down even further, this is the equivalent of losing 27 soccer fields of forest every minute.
The hardest-hit areas are the rainforests. The FAO reports that half of the world’s tropical forests have been cleared already. The environmental publication National Geographic collaborated these findings when it revealed some startling predictions for our future. At the current rate of deforestation, the rainforests could cease to exist in the next 100 years.
Sadly, this trend is set to continue according to all research to date. A 2016 study conducted by the University of Maryland, found that global tree cover loss reached a record high of 73.4 million acres.
Every Year More Country’s Suffer
Indonesia leads the pack in countries facing this horrific situation. One report found that Indonesia already lost 39 million acres of forest land to date. Brazil, Thailand, Parts of Africa, and Haiti all also face similarly drastic situations.
Deforestation is Not a New Crisis
Perhaps the saddest fact regarding deforestation is the truth that it isn’t by any means a new problem. A simple glimpse throughout history reveals a pattern of deforestation on the planet. For example, 90% of the United States’ indigenous forests disappeared since the 1600s.
Still Some Hope
TreeCoin provides hope that together, a sustainable timber industry can exist and meet the demands of the world’s growing population. This change is necessary to protect the future of the ecosystem. As it remains now, Canada, Alaska, Russia, and the Northwestern Amazon have the lushest forests today. TreeCoin wants to expand this list to include some of its previous tenants such as Paraguay.
Go TreeCoin
You have to give it the ingenious team behind the TreeCoin project. It’s amazing to see developers unlock the true potential of blockchain technology in this way. Hopefully, TreeCoin sees the most success possible, as it would mean the world’s forest now have a powerful ally in their fight for survival.