Comparative Summary

The Proof of Gas model stands in contrast to numerous past and present asset issuance methods.

Below we examine how PoG compares to each, highlighting differences in fairness, incentive alignment, and market dynamics:

Model	Mechanism	Access & Process	Key Features
ICO (2017)	One-time token sale (crowdsale)	Open globally (send funds to project)	"Massive capital raises (e.g. ~$5.6B in 2017); high investor risk and minimal oversight; potential insider allocations and scams."
IEO (2019)	Exchange-hosted sale	Limited to exchange users (KYC; short window)	"Exchange-vetted (added credibility); tokens listed immediately; rapid sell-outs (e.g. Fetch.AI $6M/6s); introduces centralized gatekeeper."
IDO (2020)	DEX launch or on-chain auction	Open to DeFi users (permissionless)	"Decentralized and fast; immediate liquidity on DEX; but highly volatile initial trading and prone to bot & gas wars."
Fair Launch	Community mining/airdrop	"Open participation (mining, staking, etc.)"	"No pre-mine or insiders (e.g. YFI 100% to users); egalitarian ethos; project raises no direct funds; slower distribution, relies on community effort."
Bonding Curve	Algorithmic continuous sale	Open via smart contract (buy/sell anytime)	"Price increases with each purchase (rewards early buyers); provides constant liquidity; predictable pricing formula, but funds go to project reserve."
x402 (2025)	Web micropayment-based issuance	Web requests trigger on-chain payment	"Integrates web and blockchain (HTTP 402 payments); very accessible UX; can create hype (e.g. PING 20× spike), but relies on new infrastructure and trust in service providers."
PoG (Proof of Gas)	Gas-fee-based on-chain allocation	Open to anyone with network access & gas	"Credibly neutral, trustless launch via burn auction; turns network congestion into a distribution game; induces FOMO/virality by design; fairness bounded by willingness to pay network fees."