BMJ Score: 3.5
Market
Transparency
Team
Token
Adoption
Quick Summary
66 crypto investors read thisCommentary
Despite the rise of ICOs and increased interest in tokenomics, three major limitations have delayed the global adoption of cryptocurrencies for global asset management companies. These include the absence of basic fundamentals in cryptocurrency, the price volatility of a speculative market, and the absence of future value for use in the real economy. The AIDUS platform is a decentralized fund market based on the Ethereum network. It is designed to serve as a professional asset management platform in which global investors and asset management companies can use blockchain technologies and smart contracts to safely and transparently create and settle into peer-to-peer fund agreements. The project’s unique token model is designed to protect investors by: (1) creating value for the coin by enabling its use in asset management, (2) providing a decentralized fund market service with free access for the signing and redemption of global fund items, and (3) providing high-yield, safe global fund portfolios. Investors can use the Aidus token as real cash to access global funds. Asset management companies can gain free access to the most powerful fund platform. This is a market that faces fierce competition and is entirely dependent on the success of the crypto space. While the team has strong professional and academic track records, the project lacks partnerships and users for the platform. Aidus does not reveal when the MVP will be released. The token will act as a single fiat currency with coin fundamentals, but it is unique in that users can choose between the method of value they get from it, whether it is from yield fund rate or coin value profit. This is a very saturated market space, and our biggest concern here is that it is tied to demand in investing in crypto. The whitepaper does not include any information on when the working platform will actually be released, which is very concerning to us.
Investment Information:
- How to invest: Aidus asks that interested parties watch the video at the following link to participate in the presale.
- Discount: Pre Sale +10% Bonus; Minimum Purchasing Volume: USD 500 or above.
- Eligibility: Unknown
- Token Price: 1 AID = 0.06 USD
- Jurisdiction: Hong Kong
- Accepted Currency: ETH
Market: 2.5
- Problem addressed/solved: Aidus wants to solve the problem of options (i.e. investors may look at foreign funds as investment options but lack certain information to truly take the leap and invest in the fund). Even if there is a good fund portfolio abroad, there is no way to check which country is actually operating the fund and what kind of portfolio it is. Plus, the language barrier issue makes it nearly impossible to know whether the fund management is aggressive or stable, whether it is a mixed type of bond and stock or a single portfolio on foreign exchange.
- Target customers/customer/ segments/verticals: Aidus is looking for active investors or anyone wanting to manage their money to join the platform. In addition to the users, Aidus is actively engaging with asset management companies to put their funds on the platform. Thus, investors will have a variety of funds, whether domestic or international, in which they can put their money.
- Value creation: Aidus will use its AFDFP platform, AID token, and smart QTS to bring the following core innovations to the market: protection of coin holders (investors) through a coin model that equips the coin with fundamentals, realization of real currency value of the coin by enabling actual usage in the asset management (real economy), enabling decentralized fund market service, and providing various fund portfolios that are safe and high in yield rate to the entire world.
- Competition: BMJ has reviewed numerous asset management projects over the past year. The key differentiator for Aidus is its unique token model (discussed below) and that its platform will actually host a variety of funds from which investors can choose. The funds gain more exposure and investments, while users are given options when choosing how to manage their money.
- Market size/potential: According to the Financial Times on October 30th 2017, PwC announced that the global asset management market size is USD 85 trillion as of October 2017, and it is expected to expand to USD 145 trillion by 2025. Assuming the economy continues its growth into the coming years, people will find it increasingly important to use asset management tools as they will likely have more money in their pockets.
- Regulatory risks: Biggest risks here are around the state of cryptocurrencies. If cryptos are heavily regulated, it will be a huge challenge to this asset management model.
Transparency: 3
- Investor value: Aidus investors will be some of the happiest on the planet if the project can execute its big claims. Aidus plans on taking 50% of the ICO funds and investing it using its Smart QTS on the platform. Therefore, token holders not only see an increase in the value of the token, but they’re also eligible for profit sharing from the company's investment strategies.
- Disclosures: Aidus has a lengthy 72-page whitepaper that goes in depth on all aspects of the project whether that be technical features or ICO information. It’s refreshing to read a clearly organized whitepaper that actually has relevant information. Having said that, the project has little information on the team, direction of the project, and future plans for an MVP. The whitepaper is stellar, but the project will only hit a higher score if it can add the other information (one-pager, detailed roadmap, etc.) that really depict the full transparency of the project.
- Token distribution: 38% investor (escalation), 13% investors (ICO), 10% team, 10% airdrop budget, 10% ecosystem development fund, 10% stabilization fund, 8% bounty, and 1% social contribution.
- Use of proceeds: 50% Aidus coin fundamentals management, 10% reserve, 10% legal/accounting/taxation services, 10% operation fund, 7% marketing, 6% development, 5% market research analysis, and 2% professional consulting.
- Caps: Soft cap: $3 million USD; Hard cap: $100 million USD
Team: 5
- Track record: Aidus has a massive team by blockchain startup standards. There are five executive members and an additional fourteen workers on the core team. The project has experts in a variety of fields that include development, design, businesses, blockchain, and marketing. Plus, it boasts a phenomenal ten-man advisory board. Aidus definitely wanted to cover all bases, thus creating a super team of sorts. The CEO, David Chen, received his MBA from Harvard Business School and went on to found AISYS Global, co-found AngelVest, and serve as the CFO for Hanson Robotics. The executive board might well represent the upper echelon in terms of blockchain startup teams. These individuals have had many successful ventures in that past, and they hope to carry that valuable experience into this emerging market.
- Integrity: It’s safe to say that the one thing you won’t have to worry about when it comes to Aidus is the team’s integrity. The executive team has had their names plastered across a variety of companies, startups, and more, meaning they’ve spent decades building their reputations and will be unlikely to ruin them with a faulty ICO project.
- David Chen, CEO
- Ted Min, COO/Founder
- Jason Yoo, CSO
- Alexy Grakov, CTO
- Kyle Ahn, CIO
Token Mechanics: 4
- MVP: Aidus does not provide much information on the existence of an MVP, but it appears the project will launch the main net in late 2019. It’s interesting that the team plans to get its coin listed on exchanges prior to the launch of the platform. This could be a method of gathering interest and investments in the coin prior to actually providing the platform.
- Token use case: The AIDUS Coin is used as the single key currency for the ADFP-based decentralized fund market. Investors and asset management companies will be using the AIDUS Coin during the signing into of funds, expiration of the fund operation period, and redemption at the ADFP-based decentralized fund market. Aidus will not try to implement its own blockchain, but rather focus on strengthening the project from various blockchain advantages such as the coin itself, platform, security, stability, and smart contract for safe transaction.
- Value-added: The Aidus coin is aimed at maximizing profit for all Aidus stakeholders. The team decided to implement an innovative concept of coin as investors can choose between fund yield rate or coin profit, or expect a rise from both areas. This means that investors are able to make informed decisions based on their expectations of the project and execute those decisions by choosing which value method they want: fund yield rate, coin value profit, or both.
- Decentralization: This project, officially named as the ‘AIDUS Global D-Fund Platform (ADFP)’, is a decentralized platform business that will offer a ‘decentralized fund market platform’.
- Token Supply: Max supply of 20 billion AID.
User Adoption: 2.5
- Technical difficulty/investment expertise needed: If you’re unfamiliar with asset management or finance in general, then this project could confuse you with the website and whitepaper. There is a hefty five minute explanatory video on YouTube that dives deep into the project. It definitely helps to watch the video if you have any confusion around the project.
- Halo effect: Aidus requires more global asset management companies to join the platform and partner with Aidus to create various high-profit fund products on the decentralized marketplace. Thus far, Aidus has acquired AngelVest, Bessel, Finsta, Boxdot, Gordion Capital, Robo System, and Neoint as partners. As you can see, at least half of the partnerships are with other asset managers.
- Buzz: Aidus has a strong 23,000 Facebook followers and nearly 1,000 on Twitter as well. What’s interesting is that each account receives impressive engagement in the form of comments. People talk about the project in the comments section and even discuss the day-to-day activities of the project. There are also an additional 27,000 Telegram members.
