This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our Privacy Policy. If you agree to our use of cookies, please continue to use our site.
Initially designed in 2001, ring signatures was proposed as a method to "leak a secret". For example, a ring signature could be used to provide an anonymous signature from "a high-ranking White House official", without revealing which official signed the message. Ring signatures are similar to group signatures but differ in two key ways: first, there is no way to revoke the anonymity of an individual signature, and second, any group of users can be used as a group without additional setup. This signature implementation was then incorporated in cryptocurrency design which gave birth to Monero and other privacy coins.
Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is the equivalent of Initial Public Offering (IPO), where a company/cryptocurrency venture raises funds through crowd sales.