?>

SAFT Agreements – What Are They and How Do They Work

2.2 k views
SAFT Agreements - What Are They and How Do They Work

There exist many ways to invest in the crypto market, and while some may appear straightforward, a few alternatives are purposely designed to attract professional investors. One may mention the Simple Agreement for Future Tokens (or SAFTs) among the latter category.

By joining a SAFT, investors can put their money into a crypto start-up, converting a stake into future equity. This article will review the topic, and we remind you to keep in mind that investing is risky and requires financial knowledge and experience.

What is a SAFT?

To better understand the way SAFTs work, we have summarized its main features in the following sections:

SAFT origin

The first time the market heard about SAFTs was in October 2017. In those days, every time a promising crypto project entered the market, investors would buy their tokens as if they were a part of the company’s equity. The process famously developed through Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), which impacted the crypto industry enormously.

Obviously, after noticing this behavior, regulators in the U.S. started worrying about it and introduced investors’ protections. So, in a certain way, the SAFT framework is a natural response to the ICO proliferation on the market. SAFTs work to provide better flexibility in the tax management of investments, with a certain protection level for both consumers and investors.

Analyzing how SAFTs work

At this point, it is clear how investors can see a SAFT as security. But first, it is essential to understand that ICOs on new unknown tokens present several apparent risks. First, no one knows whether actual tokens will be distributed after the offering.

 We can sum up SAFTs by saying that:

  • they are agreements between token-based networks and the market
  • they are negotiable only by accredited investors
  • in the U.S., the SEC requires companies to file a specific SAFT template
  • the money collected by the developers through the SAFTs sale goes to the actual development work
  • All the tokens accredited investors receive once the project’s network is completed can be freely sold on the market.

A SAFT is a contract stating that the new tokens will be delivered whenever the functioning network of a crypto project goes live. In other words, SAFTs reduce the annoying doubt of whether new ICOs can be trusted, and we will develop the subject in the next section.

Is SAFT different from ICO?

The short answer is that yes, it is. The main difference between SAFTs and ICOs is that while retail investors can access the latter, they won’t negotiate the former. It would help if you were an accredited investor to deal with SAFTs.

Being an accredited investor implies possessing a series of legal permissions to deal in securities. In addition, other requirements are involved in the process, mainly connected to professional experience, annual income, net worth, etc.

While ICOs, as of today, do not fall into the generation of legal securities (following the SEC definition), the opposite is true for SAFTs.

SAFTs limitations

While SAFTs have a specific utility in the newly born crypto industry, it would be wrong to expect them to solve all the market issues. So, owning a SAFT can be seen as the tokenized version of a company’s equity, making it legal security.

However, because of the exclusive access granted to accredited investors, SAFTs generally fail to provide guarantees to retail traders, at least in a direct way. Furthermore, as of today, SAFTs do not exist outside of the U.S. market, covering only a part of the crypto industry.

SAFTs positive aspects

Among the positive aspects of SAFTs, one may quote:

  • An increase in the confidence of accredited investors toward the crypto industry
  • theoretically, a company offering SAFTs may appear more secure than those who don’t, gaining potentially more accessible access to the credit market
  • SAFTs are perfectly legal, as they work in a compliant way to the U.S. federal laws
  • implicitly. Only professional investors risk a crypto project failure in the SAFT framework. Prominent investors are expected to have better financial resilience than retail ones.

SAFTs negative aspects

At the same time, it is also possible to find several negative aspects of the SAFT framework, such as:

  • SAFTs only aim to guarantee the token emission, with no promises on the actual value of the tokens. Therefore, one must be careful when claiming that SAFTs reduce investment risks on crypto projects.
  • A company that prefers to avoid using SAFTs can quickly launch its token offering abroad. This risk is aligned with the IMF’s call for a global crypto policy.
  • SAFTs are exclusive agreements that do not involve retail investors, who face considerable risks when investing in non-SAFT projects.

Final thoughts

Overall, it is safe to assume that SAFTs bring a certain guarantee level to the market. But, most importantly, going beyond their limitations, SAFTs are a portion of essential food for thought in the regulatory world.

Bitcoin coin symbol
Btc
Bitcoin
$62.547
price
red chart
decrease symbol0.84959%
price change
TRADE NOW

In the future, we will likely see the birth of new attempts to introduce higher protection for investors, just as we did in the traditional finance sector.

Previous

US Congressman Introduces Bill Preventing Fed From Issuing CBDC To Individuals

Next

Strike Expands Crypto Wallet to Argentina, But It Only Holds Tether

Written by

257 posts

Born in Italy, Gianluca is a finance and data specialist, coming from an academic education at Sorbonne University in Paris and a career as Senior Advisor at Ernst & Young in the Banking and Blockchain sector.

VIEW AUTHOR

More author posts

Banana NFT Goes Live on Telegram After Steam Success

Following the concept's success on Steam, a team of developers has brought the popular Banana Game to Telegram. The "Banana NFT" project introduces a new meta for gamers to earn rewards while playing.  This team has also implemented a unique feature. Specifically, users can mine and collect NFTs, with special bonuses for discovering rare bananas. The upcoming giveaway event will attract attention and spread the word about this new game.  From Steam to Telegram The Banana NFT team took full…

AeoN-X – A Hybrid Exchange with Proprietary Chain & Earn System Launching Soon

The centralized vs decentralized exchange debate has been ongoing, but what if you could have both on one platform? AeoN-X is introducing a hybrid exchange with a proprietary blockchain and a crypto-earning system.  With an experienced team and a complete listing strategy, many Web3 fans are more and more curious about AeoN-X. Let's examine what this AI-based platform offers and how it's rethinking the exchange model. Keep in mind that this project is set to go live through a presale…

Simplified Crypto Trading for Everyone: BYDFi’s Beginner-Friendly Platform

Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in cryptocurrency trading among a wide audience. However, the complexity of the crypto market often deters potential traders, especially beginners. Platforms like BYDFi are dedicated to making crypto trading more accessible and user-friendly for everyone. In this article, we'll explore how BYDFi simplifies crypto trading, making it easier for beginners to navigate the world of Web3. What Is BYDFi? Originally known as BitYard, BYDFi is a leading centralized exchange in the…

Driving the Beat: How Sonorus’ TrendFi Plans to Democratize the Music Industry

Sonorus is working to revolutionize the music industry by bringing fans and artists together. With their innovative TrendFi system, they are creating a space where community engagement drives music trends. Moreover, the project’s ecosystem rewards both fans and artists. Sonorus is more than just a platform. This is a movement set to reshape the way we value and experience music in the digital age. So, how exactly does TrendFi work? Let's dive in and find out. What Is Sonorus? Sonorus…

Spot On Chain – Harnessing AI and On-Chain Analytics for Smarter Crypto Investments

The world of cryptocurrency is an enigmatic labyrinth, full of potential yet rife with complexities. How can one traverse this digital terrain with confidence? A recent project, Spot On Chain (SOC), harnesses AI and on-chain analytics to provide a smarter solution to crypto investments. Today, we'll make sure to look into all the features brought together by this team. From Onchain Signals Newsfeed to Blockchain Personal AI Analyst, the project has a wide offer for the everyday crypto user. What…

The Problems Killing Web3 Projects – How Enflux’s 2-Week Free Solution Can Help

In the rapidly growing burgeoning realm of Web3, projects face unexpected hurdles that threaten their success. One of the primary challenges lies with the market makers: their lack of transparency and collaboration. This article delves into these pressing issues, exploring their implications and unveiling how they stalled growth for numerous projects. We're also shedding light on solutions that could help projects navigate through these murky waters. The Lack of Transparency Among Market Makers The cryptocurrency market, known for its pillars…

Publish your own article

Guest post article. Guaranteed publishing with just a few clicks

START PUBLISHING ADVERTISE WITH US

Browse categories

Explore trending topics in the crypto community right now.

Bitcoin

SEC Greenlights Multiple Bitcoin ETFs, Signaling Major Leap for Cryptocurrency Markets

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made a landmark decision by approving 11 spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This move represents a significant moment in the cryptocurrency industry, marking a shift towards greater institutional adoption and accessibility for investors. The approved ETFs include products from major firms such as BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, Bitwise Bitcoin ETP Trust, WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund, Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, VanEck Bitcoin Trust, Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin…

Bitcoin Should be Banned in the United States: Charlie Munger

Berkshire Hathaway’s vice chairman, Charlie Munger, called for a ban on cryptocurrency in the United States on Monday, similar to the one in China.  In an op-ed published with the Wall Street Journal, Munger argued that Bitcoin isn’t a currency, commodity, or security, but simply a form of gambling “ with a nearly 100% edge for the house. As such, the enactment of a federal law should ban such things from happening. Munger cited the Chinese communist party’s ban on…

Tesla’s BTC Positions Remained Unchanged in Q4 of 2022

According to a new earning report from automotive manufacturer Tesla, the company did not sell any of its BTC holdings in the fourth quarter of 2022. Amid speculations that the company had traded BTC during the testing bears, CEO Elon Musk revealed it was yet holding on to its BTC stash. Tesla Maintains Holdings After Initial Sell-Off In Q2 of 2022, Tesla opted to sell 75% of all its BTC. The car manufacturer received close to $950M in exchange. Notably,…

Here’s When Grayscale Debates the SEC in Court on its Bitcoin Spot ETF

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has marked a date for when Grayscale and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may present oral arguments regarding the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF.  Each side will present its case at 9:30 am ET on March 7, with the SEC arguing against the product, and Grayscale arguing in favor.  Grayscale VS SEC The court date – revealed in a court order filed on Monday according to CNBC – is much earlier…

MORE ARTICLES

Ethereum

Ethereum’s Zhejiang Staking Withdrawal Testnet for Shanghai is Live

At 15:00 UTC on Wednesday, the much-anticipated Zhejiang testnet for staking withdrawal went live on Ethereum’s Beacon chain. Zhejiang will enable the testing of the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4895 which allows for staking withdrawals. This is in preparation for the network’s next major update, the Shanghai hard fork slated to launch sometime in March. Users Can Make Simulated Withdrawals with Zhejiang In a tweet yesterday, DevOps engineer at Ethereum foundation Barnabas Busa gave details about the Zhejiang testnet slated…

Ethereum Devs Disagree Over Technical Tweak as Shanghai Upgrade Nears

Post-merge Ethereum users have been eagerly awaiting the commencement of the network’s next major upgrade, Shanghai. However, after over 3 months of prep time, it appears the Shanghai rollout isn’t going as smoothly as expected. What Exactly is the Shanghai Upgrade? In September last year, the much-publicized Ethereum Merge also known as the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade went live. Ethereum underwent some significant changes as its consensus mechanism transitioned from proof-of-work to a cost-efficient proof-of-stake system.  However, since the Beacon launch…

FTX Hacker Converts 50k Stolen ETH to BTC

Per a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, the attacker behind the Nov 11 FTX exploit, is converting the stolen ETH to Bitcoin. There were muted fears the seemingly inexperienced perpetrator could dump all its ETH holdings. On Sunday, the attacker dumped 50k ETH on-chain, with ETH's price dipping by almost 7%.  https://twitter.com/chainalysis/status/1594349583416840199?s=20&t=pgvQHeVytI20eKQ1ls9bxw Hacker Moves 50,000 ETH to New Address Over the past week, the perpetrator had been steadily swapping the cryptocurrencies they had carted off for Ether tokens. This…

Censorship Concerns: 51% of Ethereum Blocks Now OFAC Compliant

According to new data, over half of the blocks on the Ethereum network now reportedly comply with the US Treasury OFAC’s standards. This comes roughly a month after the platform’s monumental merge update. Phasing Out Tornado Cash The Office of Foreign Assets Control is the intelligence and enforcement agency of the US  Treasury Department. Indeed, the OFAC administers and enforces US  financial sanctions. A prime example of this is the recent, highly-publicized ban on crypto mixer Tornado Cash.  According to…

MORE ARTICLES

Trading

How to Leverage Arbitrage Opportunities in Crypto Markets

Cryptocurrency arbitrage has become an increasingly popular investment strategy as the crypto market grows and evolves. Arbitrage involves taking advantage of pricing discrepancies between markets or exchanges to profit.  Investors can leverage profit opportunities by understanding cryptocurrency arbitrage while managing associated risks. In this guide, we'll explore cryptocurrency arbitrage and how it works. A Bitcoin-related example will help us illustrate the concepts of this strategy. What is Arbitrage and How Does it Work in Crypto Markets Crypto arbitrage trading is…

The Different Types of Copy Trading in Crypto

Are you interested in trading cryptocurrencies but feel intimidated by the complexity of the process? Copy trading is a great way to get into crypto without needing to be an experienced trader. With copy trading, investors can benefit from the experience and knowledge of more experienced traders, allowing even beginners to succeed. How does copy trading work, and which tips do you need to know to succeed? In this article, we'll explore all aspects of copy trading in crypto. What…

How to Spot an Unsafe Crypto Exchange

Cryptocurrency exchanges have become increasingly popular as they provide a platform for people to buy and sell digital assets. Unfortunately, not all crypto exchanges are safe or reliable.  With the rise of cybercrime and fraud, you must learn to spot an unsafe crypto exchange before investing your money. This guide will help beginners identify and avoid potential risks when selecting a cryptocurrency exchange.  The Role of Crypto Exchanges on the Digital Assets Market Cryptocurrency exchanges play a crucial role in…

What Is Grid Trading in Crypto?

Crypto grid trading has become a popular strategy because of its ability to help traders capitalize on market volatility. Grid trading means you can produce consistent profits by taking advantage of price differences in different markets or time frames. By establishing buy and sell orders at predetermined intervals, you can take advantage of these fluctuations in an automated way. This guide will explore the different aspects of grid trading and provide an overview of its benefits, challenges, and more. Through…

MORE ARTICLES

Tech

Introducing una Messenger: A Paradigm Shift in Blockchain Connectivity

The digital landscape is set for an unprecedented transformation with the introduction of una Messenger, the latest innovation from web3 development powerhouse Wemade. This platform represents an evolution of the "PAPYRUS Messenger," serving as the cornerstone of the ambitious "unagi" initiative, aimed at catalyzing the mass adoption of blockchain technology. The "Unbound Networking & Accelerating Growth Initiative" seeks to bridge the divides between diverse blockchain services and networks, heralding a new era of interconnectedness. A New Frontier in Blockchain Communication…

Bit2Me Champions WEMIX Token in Pioneering European Listing

Bit2Me, Spain's premier virtual asset exchange, has recently broadened the horizons for cryptocurrency enthusiasts by listing WEMIX, the cornerstone token of the WEMIX3.0 blockchain ecosystem. This marks a notable achievement as WEMIX's inaugural venture into the European market, emphasizing the token's role in facilitating a range of blockchain-based activities, from gaming transactions to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Launched with the intention to democratize access to WEMIX for the 450 million Spanish speakers around the globe, this strategic move aligns with…

CryptoVirally Expands with Fresh Crypto Marketing Offers and Cointelegraph Upgrades

In an exciting update for the cryptocurrency marketing landscape, CryptoVirally has announced a series of new entries and enhancements to its already comprehensive range of services. These updates, aimed at providing tailored marketing solutions for crypto projects, include new limited-time offers and expanded options for Cointelegraph publications. Limited Offers: A Game-Changer in Crypto Marketing  CryptoVirally's limited offers section presents an enticing opportunity for crypto projects to leverage high-impact marketing services at discounted rates. These offers, available for a limited period,…

Breaking Boundaries in Blockchain: WEMIX’s ‘una Wallet’ Sets New Standard for Multi-Chain Asset Management

The WEMIX Foundation has unveiled 'una Wallet,' a revolutionary digital wallet designed to offer unparalleled convenience and security in managing digital assets across various blockchain networks. The announcement, made on January 17, 2024, signifies a new era in the seamless integration of multiple blockchain protocols, including Arbitrum, Avalanche, BNB Smart Chain, Ethereum, Kroma, Optimism, Polygon, and WEMIX3.0. 'una Wallet' is more than just a digital wallet; it represents the culmination of WEMIX's innovative efforts in the blockchain space. It serves…

MORE ARTICLES