Kickstarter ICO? Don't Count On It Says Crowdfunding Leader

The company most widely associated with crowdfunding won't be shifting its business model to accommodate so-called initial coin offerings (ICOs).

AccessTimeIconDec 13, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 13, 2021 at 7:16 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

The company most widely associated with crowdfunding, Brooklyn-based Kickstarter, has no plans to get into the initial coin offering (ICO) business.

Coming in response to the news yesterday that competitor Indiegogo would facilitate ICOs on its platform, supporting entrepreneurial efforts in this new area of fundraising, a Kickstarter spokesperson told CoinDesk that the firm isn't looking to follow this lead.

"The answer is 100 percent a very firm no," a company spokesperson said.

Since launching in 2009, Kickstarter has been used to successfully distribute $3.04 billion to creative projects, according to its self-reported statistics. It first crossed the billion-dollar mark in 2014. Total ICO funding so far is at $3.8 billion, according to CoinDesk's ICO tracker.

Kickstarter offered few details as to the reasoning for the decision, ultimately directing CoinDesk to its charter, which has five planks.

The first reads, "Kickstarter's mission is to help bring creative projects to life" and the fourth says, "Kickstarter is committed to the arts." In 2015, the company insulated itself from pressure to make profits its sole priority by reincorporating as a public benefit corporation (PBC).

PBCs are a relatively new legal entity that protects companies that want to pursue a social mission as well as fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to shareholders. We previously reported on Blockstack, which also reincorporated as a PBC.

In this way, shareholders in Kickstarter earn an income stream rather than hoping for a giant return on a big exit down the road. (The company has long committed to remaining private, and one of its three co-founders has compared a share in the company to owning the rights to a popular song.)

But despite any similarities, the company said this unique structure protects it from the temptation to leverage its brand for returns in the frothy ICO market.

"Not something we looked into or will look into," the spokesperson said.

Kickstarter website photo via Shutterstock.

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.