XCR does not receive a bonus for earlier conversion. Since XCR already represents an existing share in the distribution regardless of outcome regardless of when it is converted, it makes sense that it doesn't receive a bonus.
just when i thought i was starting to understand the ICO....
Yeah, I don't understand that statement either.
To clarify, the only practical alternatives for XCR are to convert to Lisk or sell it for another coin, most notably, Bitcoin. It is, in a way, a sharedrop for for the existing investors who funded creating the base technology for Lisk but flexible in that conversion results in a stake based on how much additional funding is received instead of being a fixed percentage. Maybe it could be argued that XCR holders should receive the bonus as well since they are foregoing the option to sell instead of holding to see how the ICO pans out, but the sale price can be expected to increase as the ICO progresses and the BTC bonuses diminish if there is a strong interest in the ICO throughout the period.
I think it's all much simpler than your explanation. A BTC/Shapecoin bonus level structure for the ICO is nothing more than free advertising.
If you know about this ICO and you are going to participate in it with BTC/Shapeshift coin, you will do so in the first week. This means there will be a big pop in real money donations up front that will make news. Early news coverage of how well the Lisk ICO is doing makes other new people aware of the ICO, and these newly informed people will show up in week two. Another pop, more news coverage, more people show up.
Without the BTC/Shapeshift rewards, everybody holds back until the end to see what others are going to do, the ICO looks slow, no news coverage, no newly informed people brought in in weeks two and onward.
There's no reward structure for XCR donors because XCR people shuffling from one version of their own coin to another version of their coin isn't really true money flow and therefore isn't news. The bonus structure for BTC/Shapeshift doesn't hurt XCR holders and so is irrelevant to them. With a fixed and fair market value of 1300 satoshi conversion rate for XCR to equivalent BTC, a XCR holder leaves the ICO with the same value of holdings that he has before the ICO. If he gets more Lisk than Crypti donated (because fewer BTC donors showed up), the value of the Lisk goes down to compensate. If he gets fewer Lisk than Crypti donated (because more BTC donors showed up), the value of his Lisk holdings go up to compensate.
The important thing is not for XCR people to get a bonus. It is for them to not lose or gain money relative to BTC/Shapeshift donors as a result of the ICO. This is accomplished. It is a good and fair ICO to all parties.
The reward structure is free advertising, nothing more. 85M Lisk and only 85M Lisk get handed out at the end regardless. Max is very talented in public relations, and the ICO reward structure is a good example of his thinking.