What does ICO mean?

ICO stands for Initial Coin Offering, which is a fundraising method used by cryptocurrency startups to raise capital for their projects. It is similar to an initial public offering (IPO) in the traditional financial markets, where companies sell shares to the public in order to raise funds. In an ICO, a company or project issues digital tokens or coins and sells them to investors in exchange for traditional currency or other cryptocurrencies. These tokens can then be traded or used within the project's ecosystem. ICOs have gained popularity in the cryptocurrency space as a way for startups to bypass the traditional venture capital funding process and access a global pool of investors. However, they have also been subject to regulatory scrutiny and controversy due to their potential for fraud and lack of investor protection.