Dear @Crypto.Piotr,

Honestly I have to say it in the most open way possible, the tokens are both things, it will just depend on the "backing" they have, there are some with "value" cause they have the support of some sort of service/contract associated to them, other on other hand are just "for fun", neither should be taken as granted, as any crypto currency may very well "disappear" from day to night (might mention FIAT in a little while, cause FIAT is the same thing, if not worse)

Definitely there is much more to come, although I think not everything will be "flowers and candy", if You want to create a token, to assure in some way it will prevail somehow, back it by a service, something that actually have "value", You mention PALnet and SteemLEO, and from my point of view they serve the purpose of creating some more options beside Steemit, while remaining in the STEEM blockchain, they have different premisses and cover different topics..

The "legal" point of view is something we should at this point in time have taken care of, and should not even care about, man-made laws are bullshit, forgive me for my language but it is what it is.. And have those doubts, that will keep You in check and probably help avoid being "scammed" by one of the too many "shit-tokens", and as stated before, from my view, they are both, depending on the backing they have =)

I do agree to some extent with Your 'banker friend in respect of staying "low" because there are still in place the so called "laws", yet, I totally don't understand where did he got the idea of paying taxes over tokens (taxes = theft, one of the most ridiculous non-sense things people still accept..)

And ICO or not, one thing is for sure, (and sort of quoting a great friend of mine, since I do share the same view, even way before crypto currency was created), money in any form or currency has only "psychological" value, it has no REAL value..

Again, and I will never get tired of repeating it cause it's true, taxes are theft, whether over FIAT or Crypto currency..

if You really want to "play" this system's "game" and feel "safe", invest in real estate, or in any other area where You create initially a big debt backed by the bank and don't work, have the money working for You, "assets & liabilities", always have assets over liabilities, else You'll be f#$%ed, the friend You mention can probably assure You about that and explain it in a little more depth, but I'll add a simple detail, the "poor" and middle class work for money to spent (liabilities), the rich and above, have money working for them (assets)..

Please, don't take me wrong or take offence, it is not of my interest neither for the good of the blockchain, or even the community, it's my point of view based on more than 20 Years fighting against this shitty system/social paradigm we were born into, non-natural, anti any logic or common-sense, and these are my 2-cents about the topics, plus I'll add also that Your post in my opinion is very well written, presented in a very good way with very good questions, cause not everyone is aware of the details around this topic, and take it too loosely ending up loosing more than receiving..

So, thank You very much, and until next one, In Lak'ech,
Cy