The blockchain and cryptocurrency landscape has progressively evolved over the past decade. However, within the last two years, we’ve seen incredible growth in the industry unlike any we’ve seen in the years prior. With this has been a deluge of advancements in token designs and economies.
In this document, we explore some of the most popular and unique of these concepts. We evaluate them with some critique of their execution and longevity from an economics standpoint. It should be said that while the invention and adoption of blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies is a revolution in itself, not every idea benefits from its use. Blockchains and their related token ecosystems should not be seen as a "be all end all" problem solver for every imaginable industry. It is this author's humble opinion, that while blockchains are an incredible leap forward in software technology, their practical uses and applications are still limited at this time.
That being said, their single most practical application appears to be its original intent and purpose for its creation – for use as a public digital currency with no known ownership or sponsor. Below we explore several different types of token ecosystems and evaluate their uses.
This document is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis of these ecosystems, but merely researched observations of their use from an economist's point of view. It should be noted that nothing in this document is intended to be a form of investment advice. Token buyers should perform their own due diligence and are always exclusively liable for their purchasing or selling decisions. Many of the token ecosystems here may conflict with local securities laws or regulations. It is always best to do one's own research and check their locality's laws prior to making a purchasing decision for any token.
This work is intended to be a "living document" that is subject to revisions, modifications, and updates. We welcome comments, critiques, and corrections to help make this a more accurate and thereby, beneficial addition to the public archive.