If you are really skeptical than let your skepticism do its thing - learn the project and the team thoroughly. If we are talking about altcoins with small cap that is the way to figure out which of them will got something to boast on on a distance and will show greatest results when bull market will come(because people will left useless coins to promising ones).
Or you can invest in top-20. They are "too-big-to-bankrupt". Diversifying will help. But don't expect fast huge return on investment in that case.

Shouldn't have ICOs? And how would you get resources to develop your product if you run a startup?? The main goal of ICO is to collect money for years of development that is shown in roadmap. Very strange advice from you.
I guess you will be very disappointed when the information about TON ICO will be listed(of course after sale) But everything in your genre - without ICO

EOS can't turn to be scam finally. It will be serious punch to all market. Firstly because it advertised on the most expensive platforms and even on the main screen of New-York. Secondly, this is the longest ICO that collected too much money to become scam. They have resources to develop one of the best altcoins. So in my opinion we just need to wait a bit, but in reality - who knows, everything is possible.

It is not right to take crypto for a full time job if you are looking for job. Your salary will be only $700... no, now it's $390... no-no, $950... oh, it calmed - you get $80 for this month. I hope you understand what I mean.
Also you can't become "rich" if you got nothing to eat(no full time job, just crypto) - you will need to sell the fruits of your work - coins - so you may make reach someone that will buy it from you...for food...
Take a closer look at Roger Ver. Maybe someone don't like him, maybe not without reason, anyway - this guy believed in technology one day and bought Bitcoin for all money he had. And this is only the beginning of his path, he didn't just sit and wait, he advertised crypto all over the world and most of us gained some interesting info from him when we started searching out what crypto is. Can you do such "full time job"?
Come on, you think people who have great experience in crypto will be not hired? If they are not only bounty hunters or airdrop participants employers will be glad to hire specialists in crypto fields(not currencies only).

"Bitfaine, Bitmein, Bitrix" Please be correct, there are many similar names, it can be difficult to understand you sometimes.
So you think that Bitcoin for $20k was necessary just for mining companies? I guess not. Of course they took part in it because it is very profitable for them to sell equipment for higher prices(in dollars, because as I know in Bitcoin it is constant). There also were many people who invested in it in $500-$1500 who helped to advertise BTC then. Also take in mind that this huge bull run was accompanied by emission of tether, coin that possibly is not provided with fiat funds.
I should say we saw a result of complex diligence, not only mining companies

Those of them who decided to figure out what crypto really is - are already on the market. The rest prefer to stand in that sector that they are understand better than others. This "generated fear" is applied to crowd only, most of them are not investors.
For governments it is very big job - to integrate crypto in our lives so it would't hurt current economics. But we understand how crypto is dangerous for today's ruling clan - they will not give they will not give up their power that easy. Hard way is fast but with sensitive consequences. Easier way will take longer time. And only if all of us will understand the need of crypto

Many altcoins repeated the fate of their predecessors - before 2017 there were a lot of forks even if they were not ethereum tokens. And in 2017 they were just replaced by more hyped ones. And you know what happens if there will be another wave of fever? Yes, almost all coins that you know now will disappear and others will take their place
It is two years to go for Bitcoin. Also, Bitcoin is not like this tons of alts. Things may happen

Talking about ICO projects there is no better information resource than website of their project and different papers like white paper. You can spend 5 mins on ICO ratings and make "your own" decision about investing or spend 20-30 mins on website doing your own research to recognize will this become popular or not.

All ratings can be corrupt. Believe only yourself

To be honest I can't name any ICO tokens/coins that provided crowdsale last half a year and now they trade higher than they were on ICO. Instead of this they all delay exchange listing or even token distribution.
Also all investors know that tokens will be cheaper on exchanges in 99% of cases and this is the opportunity for them too see if project is developing according to roadmap. So the ICO market now seems to be at sunset

Of course they will always be, but it is not fault of educational system that many people don't know how economics work and what world really needs - education is aimed to create generation of new working class. Those who have more money to give their children higher education - they know what is the point.
And I guess many people learned their lesson from this year and spent this time with benefits, learning crypto and economics generally

Well if we talk about such function of banks as conducting transactions than yes, cryptocurrency can provide faster payments with less omissions because not so many parties are invited.
But it is the only one function of banks, if we talk about commercial ones(as you know banking system can be two- or three leveled or more depending on what country you are living in). Now I can't see if blockchain can replace all banks with all their functionality. Maybe the technology is not ready for that, or maybe I got scant imagination

Founders of course. Many projects that are aimed to scam(but those who didn't expect to scam, but things got wrong - also) don't work enough on different paper in genre of "Terms and Conditions" and if investors cooperate and write collective complaint it may have result. Of course only in that case if project has real names behind it. And it would be better to provide all actions within one country.

Anyway cryptocurrency legal system in those countries where it exists is not perfect, it will be difficult process to bring fraudsters to justice.
It is better to prevent it by not investing in such projects

To the best of my knowledge only cryptocurrencies can be forbidden or restricted in some countries but the blockchain technology can't be restricted in no shape or form.
Moreover many companies tries to integrate blockchain in their business-models as the most advanced accounting system. And such changes are considered even at the state level, so there is no restrictions for technology itself

Saying in different words '"we lost 70-95% of value invested in the beginning of the year and now, when we lost additional ~0.7-1% do we need to panic?". I guess you got the correct answer
If it is not connected than why so much people want to hear the result of ETF and regulation in field of ICO? These people are the main reason why you see the dip - because of their fear. Too many people are searching the correlation between stock and crypto. And of course it consists as correlation between many economic movements. But the impact is not as strong as it is represented.
You can buy now and that will be really good decision in term of tens years. If you don't buy shitty coins of course.
If you don't want to wait this long - your position is correct.

First of all such instrument is already used. For a long time by the way.
Secondly, how could futures curb volatility? If you remember the acceptance of futures increased volatility instead of curb it and pulled up the price.
And I should mention that searching this "hedge" thing in crypto is not the best idea. It would be better if you search for crypto in crypto, and search hedge outside this market

1) As almost all actions are done for - money. This is the first reason.
Everyone tries to become a part of this industry and get part of whole capitalization. There are not many people who make crypto for free being altruists, but a few projects are from such people(and the beginning of crypto was with such people as Satoshi Nakamoto). Some of these persons are the second reason -
2) Developers whoo need experience
In my opinion there are few projects led by enthusiasts who know how to develop the product(not only advertise it as many ICOs do). So now when the entry is so easy and are is non-regulated by and large they launch their projects, lists on exchanges and gain developing and business experience
I guess these two reasons are most important

You thank god for less time you got for crypto and for yourself, nice..
Also op is talking about trading as I can see, and this doesn't requires to check your phone every minute - if you are active trader you spend your time in front of the terminal waiting for point of entry and exit. If you are not so active - you draw figures, spot the support-resistance levels and make orders accordingly, providing price alarm so you can take further action.
But if you are long-term investor who check price very often waiting for sudden moon - it is useless. Traders are very calm type of people who can make similar passive actions for a long long time

I can't imagine how fair is it when projects ask for KYC procedure from investors and bounty hunters but keep themselves private sometimes. Or don't provide some important papers for community I understand KYC only if I am sure that my documents wont get to the wrong hands, but such situation with huge amount of scam ICOs and many hacker's attacks makes us think is it worth it.
P.S.: by the way, I consider all hands wrong except mine

If you mean trading volume or capitalization as "win" criterion than it can happen for some period of time. These numbers can be manipulated if manipulator needs to increase them. But I don't think that any coin can take place of Bitcoin as head cryptocurrency in the nearest future(at least). It is primary crypto and it prooved that it is trustworthy.
The only good part for them is that governments can create centralized coins with their own infrastructure and make these coin(s) accepted everywhere. And as you know it is very important for people to get such assets that is acceptable by majority

There are not so many specialists and developers in the field of cryptocurrencies so they ask for a big salary. And business-plan includes spendings not for few months but for years - till the product will not be completed. So sometimes it is fair assessment of required funds.
But only sometimes. In most cases business plan in ICOs is useless paper.
By the way many projects don't even need ICO to make a product