China on Monday banned individuals and organizations from raising funds through initial coin offerings (ICO), or launches of digital currencies, saying the practice constituted illegal fundraising.
ICOs have become a bonanza for digital currency entrepreneurs, globally and in China, allowing them to raise large sums quickly by creating and selling digital “tokens” with little or no regulatory oversight.
Individuals and organizations that have completed ICO fundraisings should make arrangements to return funds, said a joint statement from the People’s Bank of China, the securities and banking regulators and other government departments, that was posted on the central bank’s website.
The prices of bitcoin and ethereum, two of the largest cryptocurrencies, slumped after the announcem...