Let's just add this to the pile of generic unhelpful responses:

* Security vulnerability: Have you tried rewriting in Rust?

* Hard problem: Have you tried machine learning?

* Need funding: Have you tried an ICO?

Matrix's technology is decentralized by its very nature. I think ICO is appropriate as a consideration here.

We're considering it - there are some places where it fits very nicely (e.g. paying to prove you're not a spammer; providing a token for apps/widgets/bots with Matrix; money transfers within Matrix)... but we also have our hands very full with the core tech of Matrix itself without opening another battlefront.

Meanwhile in the short term, we're hoping that Patreon/Liberapay donations and corporate sponsorship will let us focus on the current work to be done immediately.

Are those things really comparable in scale?

It looks like the typical ICO with a half-decent execution and product backing it raises a few million dollars.

Yup, you're right that Patreon-style donations are typically $1K-$10K a month, whereas an ICO can produce millions of ether or bitcoin. So it's a tricky compromise: whether to pause core Matrix work to pursue an ICO (on the assumption that the ICO bubble doesn't pop in the next few months)... or whether to try to get corporate funding/sponsorship and Patreon-style donations in order to keep laser-focus on the Matrix core.

As per the earlier post: we haven't closed the door on an ICO; it will likely depend on how much sponsorship we get in the next few weeks.

I agree it's a hassle - it would be nice if there was something like a kickstarter for ICOs.