Monster Products files for $300 million initial coin offering

Monster Products, known for products like headphones, speakers, and very heavy cables, has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a $300 million initial coin offering (ICO). Coindesk first reported the filing.

Why it matters: Monster will be one of a very few existing consumer companies to turn to digital tokens to raise capital. The company says that it will use the proceeds to build a network through which tokens can be used to purchase its products, as well as to finance other business activities.

Offering details:

• Monster will create 500 million tokens and will sell up to 300 million of them at $1. The remainder will be kept by the company and distributed at its discretion.
• The offering will run for one year, or less if it sells out faster.
• If the network doesn't materialize and the tokens don't become publicly tradable by June 30, 2020, token holders will be able to convert them to common stock at the rate of four tokens to one share. The tokens don't come with equity or voting rights.
• Though Monster will start with an Ethereum-based token for payments, it eventually wants to build its own blockchain.