Frequently Asked Questions
The difficulty in acquiring ETH, or any type of cryptocurrency, is one of the main reasons that Javvy needs to exist!
In the meantime, you may buy tokens, using just about any payment method or currency, via our pre-ICO.
During the pre-ICO, you may buy tokens, using just about any payment method, or currency, via our ICO.
The Javvy wallet will automatically support the Javvy utility token.
For other wallets, please take a look at our how to store Javvy tokens page.
The short answer: First, and foremost, we are approaching cryptocurrency buying, selling, and converting from a compliance and regulatory standpoint, rather than simply providing a portion of the solution and/or simply focusing on the technology or marketing. Others have claimed to do the same, but they ended up trying to force their business and technology to be compliant and/or provided only a portion of the needed solution. In contrast, Javvy starts, first, with compliance and then builds upon that foundation to add all required pieces of technology and then add the marketing, for a comprehensive solution.
The long answer (in bullet format):
- When buying or selling cryptocurrency for national currency (FIAT), all traditional exchanges require crypto to be held by the exchange, in a wallet managed by the exchange. This presents a lucrative target for hackers, which have been extremely successful in stealing user funds from online wallets [1, 2] and online exchanges [3, 4, 5]. In contrast, the Javvy solution does not "store" user private keys, banking information*, or currency balances* (e.g. no access to funds).
*Except for optional services, such as free crypto transfers and debit card usage, where the risk is clearly spelled out.
- Existing traditional crypto exchanges enforces one-size-fits-all AML/KYC (anti money laundering / know your customer) policies that are too cumbersome and unsafe for consumers. Instead, Javvy abides by country-specific regulations to provide tailored requirements, which are far simpler and limits risk considerably.
- The Javvy exchange will support many national currencies (FIAT), chosen on a demand basis, to allow for the ability to serve niche markets and countries with fewer-to-no crypto exchange options.
- The wallet, itself, will set Javvy apart from other wallet solutions, with its beautiful, elegant, and intuitive design; but there are too many features and conveniences to list them all in this FAQ (see the Javvy homepage for details).
We strongly encourage equity investors, or buyers of the Javvy token, to consult with an investment adviser prior to making any type of equity investment or token purchase decision.
That said, equity shares and tokens are open to everyone. The decision on which to choose, or how much to split between the two, comes down to risk tolerance, need for liquidity, and each individual's personal financial situation. Below is an overview of each choice:
Equity
- Downside: Little to no liquidity until IPO, merger, negotiated buyback, or acquisition
- Upside: Reduced risk of speculation, though speculation could push valuations, if project is viewed as extremely successful and high growth
Tokens
- Note: If users decide to speculate, based on the degree of perceived project success, the Javvy token value could be very volatile
- Upside: The Javvy token should have high liquidity
Equity: Equity investors typically buy shares to benefit from an eventual exit, such as an IPO, merger, negotiated share buyback, or acquisition. However, equity shares should be considered as non-liquid investments, as they cannot be easily sold until an exit event occurs.
The Javvy financials and projections are based on a mere 20% market share in 5 years, which we feel is extremely conservative. Since high-growth industries tend to enjoy extreme multiples of valuation, especially with real, positive revenue and a strong product offering, the potential ROI for Javvy investors is considerable. Valuations based on the performance metrics of companies tend to be less speculative and, therefore, less risky than purely speculative investments.
Tokens: After the ICO ends, Javvy tokens will be able to be traded, so they may be considered as a liquid asset, provided that others want to buy and sell them and that a marketplace exists to trade them. Once the Javvy wallet is fully functional, Javvy token owners may buy, sell, and trade Javvy tokens within their wallets. Early buyers of tokens during the token pre-sale ICO will will be rewarded with bonus tokens. The tokens, including any bonuses, will be used as a core component of the Javvy wallet to exchange for national currency (USD, EUR, CNY, etc) or other cryptocurrency (bitcoin, ethereum, etc).
There will likely be some buyers who desire to speculate on the future value of the tokens, based on the perceived likelihood of success of the Javvy solution. Since the purpose of the Javvy token is to be used within the Javvy wallet, we have no metrics to propose any future value and Javvy provides nor implies any warranty or guarantee of the future performance of the Javvy token.
However, it is likely that the Javvy token will hold some value, relative to other cryptocurrencies, as the free market will determine the exchange rate between the Javvy token, national currencies, and other cryptocurrencies for which the Javvy token may be converted.
Certainly!
Our ICO is designed to accept only ETH (Ethers or Ethereum) at a price of 0.0004 ETH or 2,500 Javvy tokens (JVY) for every ETH. Anyone wanting to buy in with other cryptocurrencies will need to convert to ETH first or contact us to purchase tokens manually.
We set a maximum cap of $8,000,000 USD, which is proactively compliant with proposed UK ICO regulations.
The total supply of tokens will be 333,333,333.333333, with up to 250,000,000 available for sale in the ICO (until max cap of $8MM USD is reached). Any unsold tokens will remain in a pool to be trans-mined, a process by which customers are rewarded with loyalty points (much like a points reward on credit purchases).
Founder tokens are locked for one(1) year after the ICO ends.
Bitcoin and all other cryptocurrencies are digital (not physical) assets, backed by a blockchain ledger. All cryptocurrencies are given value based on organic market demand, and since they are decentralized (not controlled by any government or authority); the value cannot be easily manipulated, like stocks, national currencies (USD, EUR, GBP), bonds, commodities, etc can be. If you want a LOT more detail, Wikipedia has a thorough definition here.
Converting Bitcoin and other crypto currencies to-and-from "CASH", using it in the real-world (e.g. international debit cards), in a simple, safe, and secure way are the problems that Javvy aims to solve with its crypto exchange and beautiful, elegant, and intuitive crypto wallet. Javvy will become the ultimate crypto solution.
In general, Bitcoin ATMs charge very high fees (e.g. 7%-15% or more!). Using the Javvy wallet is far more convenient to purchase cryptocurrency and will result in a much lower fee. The Javvy wallet is beautiful, elegant, intuitive, feature-rich, and its integrated crypto exchange serves everyone in the world.
Bitcoin ATMs may be operating illegally if they do not force customers to provide passport scans, driver's license scans, proof of residence, etc. It is questionable as to whether an ATM counts as an in-person, teller-based transaction. See: https://www.acfcs.org/news/330368/A-Beginners-Guide-to-Operating-Your-Own-Bitcoin-ATM-and-complying-on-AML.htm
If you are interested in this ambitious project, then you likely already know the answer to this question. For the rest, please know that peer-to-peer trading involves certain risks and additional costs.
In short, trading cryptocurrency in-person, or via automated peer-to-peer exchanges may eventually be considered illegal in some countries, including the USA (efforts currently underway). Trading cryptocurrency via an automated peer-to-peer solution also requires negotiation, generally higher prices, lower liquidity, and the risk of fraud, which then requires an arbitrator and divulging personal identification information to the arbitrator (risky). In the case of in-person trades (e.g. localbitcoins), the higher prices are considerable (more than 50% premium, in many cases!) and there is an additional risk of theft and bodily injury.
Why take the risk, inconvenience, and pay higher costs? The Javvy wallet & exchange will work to provide reasonably low prices, anonymity (where possible or the bare minimum of ID verification inconvenience as required by each country's AML/KYC regulations), and safety.
The short answer: Firstly, the Javvy ICO should NOT be considered an investment. We make no guarantees as to the future value of the Javvy token (JVY), and our ICO offering is a pre-sale of Javvy tokens for future use in our Javvy wallet. Therefore, we firmly believe that it IS LEGAL for anyone, even US citizens who are not accredited, to buy tokens in the Javvy pre-sale ICO. If one chooses to buy-and-hold Javvy tokens (JVY) for possible gain (as limited supply and token utility "may" boost organic market demand to cause an increase in value); that is left up to the buyer. We feel confident in this answer, due to the following points, which we feel go far beyond the minimum SEC guideliens:
- The Javvy tokens (JVY) are not intended to be used as an investment vehicle (serves a useful purpose)*
- The Javvy tokens offered in the ICO are a pre-sale of tokens, for future use in our wallet (to convert to other cryptocurrency).*
- We have spent considerable time and resources to develop our solution and our plan to complete and release the final product. We fully intend to follow our detailed roadmap to bring the Javvy solution to the world!*
*The SEC "grey area" becomes a problem when someone pitches an ICO as an investment for a product that does not exist, and does not deliver that product (refer to the SEC guidance on ICOs for details). In the case of Javvy, we are not providing the Javvy token (JVY) as an investment. The JVY currently serves a purpose in our prototype and our finished product will fully utilize the token as a core component upon release within ~6-months of ICO. Our use of the JVY will set Javvy apart from competing exchanges (see patent and/or whitepaper for details). The Javvy token pre-sale will determine support for our project and provide for development, operational, marketing, and liquidity needs. During the ICO token pre-sale, early supporters will be given discounts on our tokens, in exchange for supporting the project and establishing liquidity in the exchange.
We have analyzed and monitored dozens of ICOs that raised significant funds, while providing limited financials, and in some cases, no financials at all. It is astonishing that some ICOs simply stated that they would compete in big markets, much like the Filecoin ICO creators claimed, but provided absolutely ZERO metrics for projected revenue and no financial plan at all. They appear to be simply riding on very strong, established VC connections (through AngelList), extreme hype, a decent idea, a hope, and a prayer. Despite not having any real plan and only providing limited details on the technology itself, the Filecoin ICO raised well over USD $200 million, while offering a mere 10% of available tokens, in less than an hour! That is more than a USD $2 Billion valuation, wherein the founders with the idea were rewarded with TWICE as much as ALL TOKEN BUYERS COMBINED (15% to founders and 5% to the Filecoin foundation)!
In contrast, the scope of the Javvy venture is the ENTIRE GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKETS, and the Javvy ICO token pre-sale is structured for maximum Javvy token buyer benefit. All token reserved bonuses (for founders or future company use) are a reasonable amount that is 100% dependent upon, and amount determined by, the Javvy ICO success. That success will serve as an indicator of the community's desire to bring this solution to the world and belief that the Javvy team is the right team to realize that solution.
We hope that it is apparent that the Javvy team spent a considerable amount of time, effort, and resources to provide solid financials, whereby every minute detail is considered and justified. Even considering the ultra-conservative financial plan, whereby Javvy takes only 20% of the market by year 5, using an extremely conservative 10% of the projected market growth from a recent, highly respected 115-page Cambridge report on the cryptocurrency market, Javvy will be earning as much as the world's top companies within a few years of its official product launch (est mid-2018).
In the more likely scenario (our ambitious and confident opinion), where the Javvy solution is the dominant, de-facto solution for all cryptocurrency users; this venture could very well become the world's largest company, by growth and revenue, in less than a decade. That is a lofty goal, and naturally we do not guarantee performance, but the numbers speak for themselves (refer to Javvy's detailed financial spreadsheets). Even so, we strongly encourage would-be investors to seek investment advice prior to making any investment and never invest more than one is able to lose.
We are confident that you will agree that our vision is "THE WAY" to pave the way for mass adoption of cryptocurrency and that our equity crowdfunding round, coupled with the Javvy ICO token pre-sale, will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Since the Javvy token is a key component of buying IN and selling OUT of cryptocurrencies, our goal for the token is to increase its value by steadily reinvesting a portion of revenue and providing the ultimate solution that the community has been missing. By doing so, those who buy-and-hold the Javvy token "could" benefit, substantially, from a price differential, relative to other desired cryptocurrencies (e.g. effectively discounting other cryptocurrency when converting).
Many ICOs were launched merely as a "cash grab", with no real intention to deliver a viable product or service. In some cases, the ICO was built as a scam from the onset. In other cases, the founders had good intentions but their plan was flawed and investors bought in only due to "speculation" frenzy.
Javvy falls into a different category of having already launched a minimum viable product, with a competent team, and is a project of massive scope and potential. Our hope is that by providing a wealth of documentation and transparency (by way of the financial projections, pitch deck, whitepaper, and prospectus), interested parties will see our "vision" and agree that we have a solid plan to reach our goals and deal with any obstacles that get in the way.
We applaud the SEC for taking steps to protect consumers and investors from unscrupulous types who have misused ICOs for quick financial gain. Their efforts will, hopefully, have a marked effect on the number of ICOs launched after their announcement. Those ICOs that do launch, such as the Javvy ICO, will not have to compete with as many "scam ICOs", as a direct result of the SEC guidance. So, that is a WIN for everyone!
Once the Javvy wallet is launched, with its buy and sell capability, consumers will be able to buy and sell Javvy tokens from within the wallet. Since the purpose of the Javvy token is to get IN or OUT of cryptocurrency, there should be no reason to buy or sell Javvy tokens outside of the wallet.
Please see our published cryptocurrency solution roadmap.
The biggest reason is that most high-growth, fast-paced companies tend to spend a LOT of time, money, and resources (especially valuable CFO/CEO and other C-level time) in raising funds to keep momentum. We, at Javvy, decided that we want to raise enough funding, based on community support and vision, to define our long-term objectives (see roadmap) and not be burdened by fundraising efforts. This will allow the Javvy team to exclusively focus 100% of our efforts on providing the ultimate crypto solution.
The secondary reason is that we feel that direct access to VC (venture capital) takes too much time, effort, and resources for those without existing connections; when better alternatives (crowdfunding and ICO) currently exist. However, we feel that the ICO opportunity may soon be "cut off" for the "little guys" (under funded startups). So, we want to take advantage of the opportunity, while it is available, and we do not want to engage in multiple rounds of crowdfunding or VC for the reason stated above.
JAVVY MAKES NO CLAIMS OR GUARANTEES ON THE INVESTMENT POTENTIAL OF THE JAVVY TOKEN.
This material does not constitute any representation as to the suitability or appropriateness of any security, financial product or instrument. There is no guarantee that investment in equity of the Javvy corporation will be profitable or will not incur loss. This information does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and the particular needs of any specific person who may view Javvy investor materials. Investors should seek financial advice regarding the appropriateness of investing in any security or investment strategy discussed or recommended in the Javvy investor materials and should understand that statements regarding future prospects may not be realized. Investors should note that security values may fluctuate and that each security’s price or value may rise or fall. Accordingly, investors may receive back less than originally invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Investing in any security involves certain risks called non-diversifiable risk. These risks include market risk, interest-rate risk, inflation risk, and event risk. These risks are in addition to any specific, or diversifiable, risks associated with particular investment styles or strategies.
Forward-Looking Statements
Materials in this document, and on our website, contain information that includes or is based upon forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of potential future events, circumstances or future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, prospective products or product approvals, future performance or results of current and anticipated products, sales efforts, expenses, the outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings, and financial results.
Any or all of our forward-looking statements here or in other publications may turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many such factors will be important in determining our actual future results. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and they may be adversely affected by factors, including general market conditions, competitive product development, product availability, current and future branded and generic competition, federal and state regulations and legislation, service availability issues, timing of trades, patent positions, litigations and investigations. Our actual results may vary materially, and there are no guarantees about the performance of equity in Javvy Technologies Ltd. We undertake no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.