Zhao Changpeng, the CEO of popular crypto exchange Binance, said that the initial coin offering (ICO) model is preferred to venture capital â even with the risk of fraud.
In a blog post published Monday entitled âICOs â Not Just âGood-to-Have,â But Necessary,â the Binance chief took aim at the VC world, notably writing that he believes âraising money through ICOs is about 100 times easier than through traditional VCs, if not more.â
Itâs a notable statement, considering Binanceâs position as one of the worldâs largest crypto exchanges. Nor is it perhaps surprising, given its 2017 token sale as well as the exchangeâs recent spat with U.S. VC firm Sequoia. As reported previously by CoinDesk, Zhao was sued by Sequoia in Hong Kong for allegedly speaking to other investors while in talks about a possible capital injection to the firm.
In the blog post, Zhao argued that âa vast majority of âprofessional VCsâ have no clue about the projects or field they invest in.â
âMany of them have zero startup experience and donât even have a basic understanding of the technologies involved their fields,â Zhao went on to write. And despite admitting ICOs result in failure or outright fraud, Zhao still believes that âcompared to âtraditional VC invested projects,â a larger ratio of ICO projects will succeed.â
Whatâs more, he argued that most of those putting their money in such tokens are aware that they may not succeed in the long run.
âMost ICOs are new startup projects, and have a high rate of failure, just like in traditional startups. This is nothing new. Most ICO investors already know this. ICO investors are early adopters (and learners),â later concluding:
âThe faster movers will reap exponential benefits. Donât get left behind.â
Image via Piergiorgio Borgogno/Blockchain Revolution Conference/YouTube