[Ethereum] How do we set the price of our token? In the contract, itself or after deploying it

etherprice

Is this the function where I enter buy price? And, if so, how and where and how in the contract?

I want the token exchangeable for ETH and am trying to understand how the price is set so it goes up in exchanges..? Do we need to set the price inside the contract before deploying?

/// @notice Allow users to buy tokens for `newBuyPrice` eth 

/// @param newBuyPrice Price users can buy from the contract
function setPrices(uint256 newBuyPrice) onlyOwner public {
    buyPrice = newBuyPrice;

}

/// @notice Buy tokens from contract by sending ether
function buy() payable public {
    uint amount = msg.value / buyPrice;               // calculates the amount
    _transfer(this, msg.sender, amount);              // makes the transfers
}

ENTIRE CONTRACT:

pragma solidity ^0.4.16;


contract owned {
    address public owner;

    function owned() public {
        owner = msg.sender;
    }

    modifier onlyOwner {
        require(msg.sender == owner);
        _;
    }

    function transferOwnership(address newOwner) onlyOwner public {
        owner = newOwner;
    }
}

interface tokenRecipient { function receiveApproval(address _from, uint256 _value, address _token, bytes _extraData) public; }



/**
 * @title SafeMath
 * @dev Math operations with safety checks that throw on error
 */
library SafeMath {

  /**
  * @dev Multiplies two numbers, throws on overflow.
  */
  function mul(uint256 a, uint256 b) internal pure returns (uint256) {
    if (a == 0) {
      return 0;
    }
    uint256 c = a * b;
    assert(c / a == b);
    return c;
  }

  /**
  * @dev Integer division of two numbers, truncating the quotient.
  */
  function div(uint256 a, uint256 b) internal pure returns (uint256) {
    // assert(b > 0); // Solidity automatically throws when dividing by 0
    uint256 c = a / b;
    // assert(a == b * c + a % b); // There is no case in which this doesn't hold
    return c;
  }

  /**
  * @dev Substracts two numbers, throws on overflow (i.e. if subtrahend is greater than minuend).
  */
  function sub(uint256 a, uint256 b) internal pure returns (uint256) {
    assert(b <= a);
    return a - b;
  }

  /**
  * @dev Adds two numbers, throws on overflow.
  */
  function add(uint256 a, uint256 b) internal pure returns (uint256) {
    uint256 c = a + b;
    assert(c >= a);
    return c;
  }
}

contract xxxxxx {

    // Public variables of the token
    string public name = 'xxxxxx';
    string public symbol = 'xx';
    uint8 public decimals = 18;
    // 18 decimals is the strongly suggested default, avoid changing it
    uint256 public totalSupply = 100000000000000000000000000;
    uint256 public unitsOneEthCanBuy = 9500;     // How many units of your coin can be bought by 1 ETH?
    address public fundsWallet = msg.sender;           // Where should the raised ETH go?

    // This creates an array with all balances
    mapping (address => uint256) public balanceOf;
    mapping (address => mapping (address => uint256)) public allowance;

    // This generates a public event on the blockchain that will notify clients
    event Transfer(address indexed from, address indexed to, uint256 value);

    // This notifies clients about the amount burnt
    event Burn(address indexed from, uint256 value);


    /**
     * Constrctor function
     *
     * Initializes contract with initial supply tokens to the creator of the contract
     */
    function xxxxxx (
        uint256 initialSupply,
        string tokenName,
        string tokenSymbol 

    ) public {
        totalSupply = 100000000000000000000000000; initialSupply = 75000000000000000000000000 * 10 ** uint256(decimals);  // Update total supply with the decimal amount
        balanceOf[msg.sender] = totalSupply;                // Give the creator all initial tokens
        name = tokenName;                                   // Set the name for display purposes
        symbol = tokenSymbol;                               // Set the symbol for display purposes


    }


    /**
     * Internal transfer, only can be called by this contract
     */
    function _transfer(address _from, address _to, uint _value) internal {
        // Prevent transfer to 0x0 address. Use burn() instead
        require(_to != 0x0);
        // Check if the sender has enough
        require(balanceOf[_from] >= _value);
        // Check for overflows
        require(balanceOf[_to] + _value > balanceOf[_to]);
        // Save this for an assertion in the future
        uint previousBalances = balanceOf[_from] + balanceOf[_to];
        // Subtract from the sender
        balanceOf[_from] -= _value;
        // Add the same to the recipient
        balanceOf[_to] += _value;
        Transfer(_from, _to, _value);
        // Asserts are used to use static analysis to find bugs in your code. They should never fail
        assert(balanceOf[_from] + balanceOf[_to] == previousBalances);
    }

    /**
     * Transfer tokens
     *
     * Send `_value` tokens to `_to` from your account
     *
     * @param _to The address of the recipient
     * @param _value the amount to send
     */
    function transfer(address _to, uint256 _value) public {
        _transfer(msg.sender, _to, _value);
    }

    /**
     * Transfer tokens from other address
     *
     * Send `_value` tokens to `_to` in behalf of `_from`
     *
     * @param _from The address of the sender
     * @param _to The address of the recipient
     * @param _value the amount to send
     */
    function transferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        require(_value <= allowance[_from][msg.sender]);     // Check allowance
        allowance[_from][msg.sender] -= _value;
        _transfer(_from, _to, _value);
        return true;
    }

    /**
     * Set allowance for other address
     *
     * Allows `_spender` to spend no more than `_value` tokens in your behalf
     *
     * @param _spender The address authorized to spend
     * @param _value the max amount they can spend
     */

    function approve(address _spender, uint256 _value) public
        returns (bool success) {
        allowance[msg.sender][_spender] = _value;
        return true;
    }

    /**
     * Set allowance for other address and notify
     *
     * Allows `_spender` to spend no more than `_value` tokens in your behalf, and then ping the contract about it
     *
     * @param _spender The address authorized to spend
     * @param _value the max amount they can spend
     * @param _extraData some extra information to send to the approved contract
     */
    function approveAndCall(address _spender, uint256 _value, bytes _extraData)
        public
        returns (bool success) {
        tokenRecipient spender = tokenRecipient(_spender);
        if (approve(_spender, _value)) {
            spender.receiveApproval(msg.sender, _value, this, _extraData);
            return true;
        }
        }

    /**
     * Destroy tokens
     *
     * Remove `_value` tokens from the system irreversibly
     *
     * @param _value the amount of money to burn
     */


    function burn(uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        require(balanceOf[msg.sender] >= _value);   // Check if the sender has enough
        balanceOf[msg.sender] -= _value;            // Subtract from the sender
        totalSupply -= _value;                      // Updates totalSupply
        Burn(msg.sender, _value);
        return true;
    }

    /**
     * Destroy tokens from other account
     *
     * Remove `_value` tokens from the system irreversibly on behalf of `_from`.
     *
     * @param _from the address of the sender
     * @param _value the amount of money to burn
     */
    function burnFrom(address _from, uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        require(balanceOf[_from] >= _value);                // Check if the targeted balance is enough
        require(_value <= allowance[_from][msg.sender]);    // Check allowance
        balanceOf[_from] -= _value;                         // Subtract from the targeted balance
        allowance[_from][msg.sender] -= _value;             // Subtract from the sender's allowance
        totalSupply -= _value;                              // Update totalSupply
        Burn(_from, _value);
        return true;
    }



}

/******************************************/
/*       ADVANCED TOKEN STARTS HERE       */
/******************************************/

contract MyAdvancedToken is owned, xxxxxx {

    uint256 public sellPrice;
    uint256 public buyPrice;

    mapping (address => bool) public frozenAccount;

    /* This generates a public event on the blockchain that will notify clients */
    event FrozenFunds(address target, bool frozen);

    /* Initializes contract with initial supply tokens to the creator of the contract */
    function MyAdvancedToken(
        uint256 initialSupply,
        string tokenName,
        string tokenSymbol
    ) xxxxxx (initialSupply, tokenName, tokenSymbol) public {}

    /* Internal transfer, only can be called by this contract */
    function _transfer(address _from, address _to, uint _value) internal {
        require (_to != 0x0);                               // Prevent transfer to 0x0 address. Use burn() instead
        require (balanceOf[_from] >= _value);               // Check if the sender has enough
        require (balanceOf[_to] + _value > balanceOf[_to]); // Check for overflows
        require(!frozenAccount[_from]);                     // Check if sender is frozen
        require(!frozenAccount[_to]);                       // Check if recipient is frozen
        balanceOf[_from] -= _value;                         // Subtract from the sender
        balanceOf[_to] += _value;                           // Add the same to the recipient
        Transfer(_from, _to, _value);
    }

    /// @notice Create `mintedAmount` tokens and send it to `target`
    /// @param target Address to receive the tokens
    /// @param mintedAmount the amount of tokens it will receive
    function mintToken(address target, uint256 mintedAmount) onlyOwner public {
        balanceOf[target] += mintedAmount;
        totalSupply += mintedAmount;
        Transfer(0, this, mintedAmount);
        Transfer(this, target, mintedAmount);
    }

    /// @notice `freeze? Prevent | Allow` `target` from sending & receiving tokens
    /// @param target Address to be frozen
    /// @param freeze either to freeze it or not
    function freezeAccount(address target, bool freeze) onlyOwner public {
        frozenAccount[target] = freeze;
        FrozenFunds(target, freeze);
    }

    /// @notice Allow users to buy tokens for `newBuyPrice` eth 

    /// @param newBuyPrice Price users can buy from the contract
    function setPrices(uint256 newBuyPrice) onlyOwner public {
        buyPrice = newBuyPrice;


    }

    /// @notice Buy tokens from contract by sending ether
    function buy() payable public {
        uint amount = msg.value / buyPrice;               // calculates the amount
        _transfer(this, msg.sender, amount);              // makes the transfers
    }


        function giveBlockReward() public {
        balanceOf[block.coinbase] += 1;
    }
}

Best Answer

Distinguish between price and rate. Call rate the value inside your smart contact. The rate should not be adjustable. By making it non-adjustable, anyone who is interested in your ICO knows what they are getting before buying. They don't have to trust anyone or anything. They "see" the exact exchange rate in the code. Because the code is immutable (and the purveyor of the software does not have the ability to change the rate), the ICO participant is able to trust that they will get exactly what they are expecting.

I think of price as what the token trades at relative to other currencies off-chain. The price is also out of the token purveyor's control. People buying and selling tokens determine the price through simple market forces and supply/demand.

Note: I said above that exchange rate should be not adjustable. To anyone reading this--never buy into a smart contract with an adjustable rate. I don't mean a rate that changes over time--I mean a rate that the owner of the contract can change at will. They could start the ICO, wait a few seconds until the FOMO picks up, change the rate, and take tons more money than people expect in exchange for tons fewer tokens.

Note 2: I'm not sure exchange rate is the right word. If someone suggests a better word, I'll change it.

Note 3: I would definitely not buy into this ICO given the OP's obvious lack of understanding of what he/she is doing. That's me speaking personally, not intended in any way as advice.

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