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Writer's pictureShraddha Khattri

SAFT: A Closer Look at the Cryptocurrency Investment Instrument

The Simple Agreement for Future Tokens (SAFT) is a form of investment instrument that is becoming increasingly popular in the cryptocurrency industry. It is designed to provide a legal and compliant way for investors to invest in cryptocurrency projects and receive future tokens as a return on their investment.


Source: https://mihanblockchain.com/

A SAFT is a legally binding agreement between an investor and the project, in which the investor provides funds to the project in exchange for the right to receive tokens at a later date. The tokens are usually issued once the project has completed the development of its network or platform and they are listed on an exchange.


A SAFT is a legally binding agreement between an investor and the project, it offers a level of legal and regulatory clarity that is often lacking in the cryptocurrency world.

SAFTs, or Simple Agreement for Future Tokens, offer several benefits to both investors and the projects they are funding:

  • Legal and regulatory compliance: SAFTs provide a legally binding agreement between investors and the project that offers a level of regulatory clarity and compliance, which is often lacking in the cryptocurrency world.

  • Early investment opportunities: By investing in a SAFT, investors have the opportunity to invest in projects at an early stage, before the tokens are listed on an exchange, and potentially gain significant returns.

  • Flexibility: SAFTs offer more flexible terms of investment than traditional securities and can cater to a wider range of investors.

  • Transparency: SAFT agreements have a clear and defined structure and conditions of funding, allowing the investor to be aware of the project's milestones, goals and the token economics.

  • Reduced risk: Because SAFTs are legally binding agreements, investors are protected in the case of fraud or if the project fails to deliver on its promises.

  • Lower barrier to entry: SAFTs allow for a wider range of investors to participate in the funding of a project, as the minimum investment amounts may be lower than traditional securities offerings

  • Supporting innovation: SAFT's are helping to support early-stage blockchain projects, which could have a positive impact on the innovation and development of the blockchain ecosystem.

It's important to keep in mind that SAFT's are still a relatively new concept and not all projects have adopted this fundraising model, also it is important to understand that the tokens to be received under the SAFT are not guaranteed to have any value. As with any investment, it's important to thoroughly research the project, understand the terms of the SAFT, and be aware of the associated risks before investing.


While SAFTs, or Simple Agreement for Future Tokens, offer several benefits to both investors and the projects they are funding, there are also some limitations to consider:

  • Limited regulatory oversight: While SAFTs provide a level of regulatory clarity and compliance, they may not be subject to the same level of oversight as traditional securities offerings, and investors may not have the same level of protection against fraud or financial loss.

  • Risk of project failure: As with any investment, there is always a risk that the project will fail to deliver on its promises, or that the tokens received will not have any value.

  • Risk of fraud: SAFTs may not be able to prevent fraud entirely, as not all projects that offer SAFTs may be legitimate.

  • Limited liquidity: SAFT's are usually made available to a smaller set of investors and are not immediately tradable on secondary markets like other securities.

  • The value of the tokens might not be guaranteed: The SAFT agreement is a promise to receive tokens in the future and not guarantee their value, unlike other securities.

  • Lack of control: Investors might not have much control over the project's development and progress once they invested their funds via SAFT.

  • Limited secondary market: The secondary market for SAFT's may not be as developed as other securities, limiting the ability to liquidate an investment.

  • Complicated and time-consuming: SAFT's agreements might be complicated, and the process of investing in SAFT's might be time-consuming.

It's important to note that the regulatory environment for SAFT's is still developing, and it may be different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. As with any investment, it is important for investors to understand the terms, risks and rewards of a SAFT before investing.


How does SAFT work?


Here's how a typical SAFT works:

  1. The project creates a SAFT agreement, outlining the terms and conditions of the investment. This includes details such as the total number of tokens to be issued, the price of the tokens, and the date at which the tokens will be issued.

  2. The project offers the SAFT to accredited investors. Accredited investors are individuals or entities that meet certain financial criteria, such as having a net worth over a certain threshold.

  3. Investors review the SAFT agreement and, if they are interested, provide funds to the project in exchange for the right to receive tokens in the future.

  4. The project uses the funds raised through the SAFT to develop its network or platform.

  5. Once the project has completed the development of its network or platform, and the tokens are listed on an exchange, the tokens are issued to the investors who participated in the SAFT.

  6. Once the tokens are issued, the investors can then sell or trade them on an exchange, depending on the terms of the SAFT.

It's important to keep in mind that, since the tokens are not issued or traded yet, they are not considered securities, so they may not be regulated by financial authorities and may lack consumer protections. Also, this is a general example of how a SAFT works, the structure, terms and conditions may differ depending on the project.


In conclusion, SAFT is an investment instrument that has the potential to revolutionize the way we invest in cryptocurrency projects. It offers a legally binding and compliant way for investors to invest in early-stage projects and receive future tokens as a return on their investment. But, as with any investment, it's important to thoroughly research the project, understand the terms of the SAFT, and be aware of the associated risks before investing.

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