A4 Article in conference proceedings
What Key Aspects Do ICOs Reveal About Their Businesses? (2020)

Laatikainen, G., Semenov, A., Zhang, Y., & Abrahamsson, P. (2020). What Key Aspects Do ICOs Reveal About Their Businesses?. In M. Paasivaara, & P. Kruchten (Eds.), XP 2020 Workshops : Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming. 21st International Conference on Agile Software Development, Revised Selected Papers (pp. 41-49). Springer International Publishing. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, 396. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58858-8_5

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Laatikainen, Gabriella; Semenov, Alexander; Zhang, Yixin; Abrahamsson, Pekka

Parent publication: XP 2020 Workshops : Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming. 21st International Conference on Agile Software Development, Revised Selected Papers

Parent publication editors: Paasivaara, Maria; Kruchten, Philippe

Place and date of conference: Copenhagen, Denmark, 8.-12.6.2020

ISBN: 978-3-030-58857-1

eISBN: 78-3-030-58858-8

Journal or series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing

ISSN: 1865-1348

eISSN: 1865-1356

Publication year: 2020

Number in series: 396

Pages range: 41-49

Number of pages in the book: 249

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Place of Publication: Cham

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58858-8_5

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/72024

Abstract

Blockchain technologies disrupt industries by enabling decentralized and transactional data sharing across a network of untrusted participants, among others. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are a novel form of crowdfunding through which hundreds of blockchain-enabled businesses manage to raise billions of dollars in total only in United States. However, there is a lack of understanding of the ICO phenomenon especially related to the business aspects. In this paper, we describe the results of an exploratory study of 91 ICOs and identify the key business model elements that ICOs reveal in their websites and whitepapers. Furthermore, we also note the immaturity and lack of transparency of the business aspects of businesses behind the ICO campaigns.

Keywords: virtual currency; blockchains; business models; crowdfunding

Free keywords: ICO; blockhain; business models

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1