Vesting in crypto, explained

What is crypto vesting?

The process of locking down cryptocurrency tokens or coins for a predetermined amount of time before allowing the tokenholder to fully access or transfer them is known as crypto vesting.

It is commonly used in initial coin offerings (ICOs), token sales and other cryptocurrency-related fundraising activities. Crypto vesting aims to incentivize long-term dedication and deter early investors or team members from hastily selling their tokens for a profit and then leaving the business. Individuals or entities that get tokens gradually gain access to them over time, usually at predetermined intervals, by imposing a vesting period.

While vesting schedules are subject to change, they usually consist of a waiting period (known as the cliff) followed by regular periods of release. Tokens may, for instance, have a one-year cliff and then be made available in equal monthly payments after that.

Vesting is frequently applied to:

• Team and advisers: To ensure the team members’ and advisers’ continued dedication to the project, tokens given to project developers may be subject to vesting.
• Investors: Early investors in an ICO or token sale may also be subject to vesting periods to deter short-term speculation.
• Founders: To match their interests with the project’s long-term performance, a project’s founders or core team members may have their tokens vested.

Smart contracts on the blockchain are usually used to implement vesting, ensuring that the regulations are clear and automatically applied. This mechanism helps build trust among the community and investors, as it shows a commitment from key stakeholders to the project’s success in the long term.

Typically, tokens are unlocked via various methods following their vesting period. In this process, tokens previously locked for a predetermined period are released. Tokenholders can progressively access their assets over time due to this unlocking, which frequently happens in stages or increments. Release conditions could include meeting milestones, a time-based schedule or achieving performance metrics.

Types of vesting in crypto

The different types of vesting in the crypto space include time-based, milestone-based, hybrid and reverse vesting.

Time-based vesting

With time-based vesting, tokens are progressively released to holders over a set amount of time. For…