A crowdsale (crowdsale, crowdselling — from "crowd" and "sale") is a form of collective fundraising in which a project's team sells digital tokens to a wide circle of participants over the internet. Buyers send funds in exchange for tokens that may grant access to a future service, the right to use the platform, or other value stated by the creators. In meaning, a crowdsale coincides with the concept of an ICO (Initial Coin Offering).

The goal of a crowdsale is to raise financing at an early stage of development, bypassing traditional institutions such as banks and venture funds. The mechanics are usually described in advance: the issuance volume, the token price, the campaign timelines, and the target fundraising amounts (soft cap and hard cap) are specified.

What to pay attention to

• The transparency of the team and the project's technical documentation.
• The purpose of the token and its role in the ecosystem.
• The distribution terms and the presence of legal protection for participants.

A crowdsale is associated with heightened risks: a project may turn out to be unviable or dishonest. Therefore, before participating, it is important to study the documentation yourself and not to rely on promises of a fast rise in the tokens' value.