Coinbase Brings ICOs Back to the U.S.

Coinbase has introduced a regulated token-sale platform, marking the return of primary crypto offerings to U.S. retail investors for the first time since the 2017 ICO boom crackdown by the SEC. The platform will host one token sale monthly, starting with Monad's MON token from November 17–22, where verified users can submit purchase requests using USDC. Token allocation will prioritize smaller bids to promote fairness over the previous model favoring large funds. To encourage long-term holding, Coinbase will penalize early sellers with reduced access to future sales, and projects face six-month token lockups with strict OTC disclosure rules. This move signals Coinbase betting that the regulatory climate has shifted, allowing them to reclaim the lucrative token issuance business previously dominated by overseas entities. Furthermore, this regulated path offers an alternative to the often chaotic airdrop culture, as evidenced by Monad allocating significantly more supply to the token sale than to airdrops. The implications include more token launches choosing Coinbase, shrinking reliance on airdrops, and providing structured access for U.S. retail investors to early-stage crypto.

(Source：Brave New Coin)