When it comes to cryptocurrencies and ICOs, everyone is talking about one thing: regulation.
Today, Stox — an open source, Bancor-based prediction market platform — announced its acquisition of Commologic, a B2B company that creates innovative products for the iGaming market. Why is that important? Because acquiring Commologic means Stox just became the first regulated ICO prediction platform.
Through the acquisition, Stox acquires three gambling licenses from Commologic: a software license in the U.K., an operating license in the U.K., and a Class 4 (B2B) license in Malta.
Stox is an Ethereum-based platform that allows users to predict the outcome of a variety of events. We discussed Stox when it became the first member of Bancor’s currency-liquidity network. Stox recently raised $33 million (capped) in 34 hours in its ICO.
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So why is it important to have these gambling licenses, and why was an acquisition the best way to acquire them?
“Stox is predicting that they will be needed in the near future,” Stox founder Ophir Gertner told Venturebeat.
But it isn’t just about betting that they’ll be needed, it is about ensuring Stox has them before they become scarce.
“If there are too many licenses out there, then it’s possible that they won’t allow any more,” Gertner said. “Thus, we’re making sure to get them as soon as possible. Most importantly, acquiring the company saves time instead of going through the process of licensing. Now the company can concentrate on developing a product instead of dealing with lawyers and regulators.”
Acquiring licenses isn’t the only reason for the acquisition.
“The acquisition makes Stox the first regulated company in the space,” Gertner said. “This especially highlights the difference between Stox and its two main competitors, Augur and Gnosis, who don’t have these licenses.”
In the world of prediction platforms, Augur is currently trading at $210 million, with Gnosis trading at $120 million. This is interesting in comparison to Stox, which, at a valuation of around $25 million, appears to be the victim of a valuation anomaly. Whether today’s acquisition and the associated licenses change that remains to be seen.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
