Look the ICO space is way too young for all the judgment people are passing on here. The SEC clearly wants to let this play out. No one has gone to jail yet.

The government has already started to relax the ability for non accredited investors to invest in startups and that was under the last administration. These rules are recent but they are there, they are very limited though and ICOs blow the top off of those rules.

ICOs are forcing the SECs hand and I think it show cases the interest that exist in the public to get into these early stage startups. I won't be surprised if the rules are relaxed even further to legalize these types of coins even if they are considered securities, especially under this administration.

Everyone is saying that you are limiting yourself by offering an ICO. You are giving away zero equity for the promise that your product and service will offer these people something in most cases, that is just like a kickstarter. Furthermore, nothing stops you from raising money after the ICO.

Anyway, this is a fantastic new vehicle for startups and I believe it will absolutely change the game. The VCs are a little mad because they are being shut out of the best rounds, where they would normally get the most equity.

At the end of the day what matters most is if startups can start get funding and hire people and add value to the economy. That is what the SEC has to balance with the public interest on the other end.