An ICO, or Initial Coin Offering, is a type of crowdfunding used by blockchain companies and cryptocurrency startups to raise funds for their projects. Participants can buy tokens – which are like digital shares in the company – in exchange for established cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ether. To participate in an ICO you need to have some knowledge of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. You will usually need to sign up to a platform that is hosting the ICO, and then transfer cryptocurrency to a designated wallet address to purchase the tokens.