Date of publication: 
Time to read: 
Views: Airdrop has been growing rapidly among the cryptocurrency community for several years in a row. Success in this type of earnings can be achieved thanks to different ways of working out projects, not many people eventually succeed, but the fact that the developers of projects are still ready to reward the community for their activity can not but please users. Let's analyze in detail airdrops as a niche for earning, success stories and the main subtleties in working off airdrops.
What is airdrop and how it works
Airdrop is a process of free distribution of cryptocurrency tokens among users, usually with the purpose of promoting a new project, increasing its visibility and attracting the community. Most often airdrop is conducted in the early stages of crypto project development and serves as a marketing tool to stimulate investor interest.
The principle of airdrop is as follows:
Users perform simple actions such as registering on the platform, subscribing to the project's social networks, reposts or participating in various campaigns .
As a reward for their activity, they receive tokens that can be used on the project platform or sold on exchanges.
Airdrop is often the first step to attract new participants to the project and initial liquidity in the market.
High-profile success stories
In recent years, airdrop has shown how users and the project itself can transform a marketing strategy into real success. Here are a few examples:
1. Uniswap (UNI)
Uniswap held an airdrop in 2020, distributing 400 UNI tokens each to its early users. At launch, the price of the tokens was around $3, giving each participant a revenue of $1200. Later, as the UNI exchange rate rose, this bonus turned into thousands of dollars.
2. Aptos (APT)
In 2022, Aptos, a new Layer 1 blockchain project, conducted an airdrop and distributed tokens to users who were testing its network. The value of the giveaway at launch reached from $100 to several tens of thousands of dollars for each active participant.
3. Ethereum Name Service (ENS)
ENS distributed its tokens to users who registered domain names on their platform. Depending on the activity of the participants, some of them earned anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars.
4. LayerZero (ZRO)
LayerZero, a project that aims to create interconnectivity for blockchains, held one of the most high-profile airdrops of 2024.
Key details:
Participation criteria: Users who tested the network, interacted with dApps on the platform and provided liquidity.
Handout amounts: Participants received anywhere from $100 to several tens of thousands of dollars, depending on their activity in the project ecosystem.
Why Success: LayerZero received widespread support from large funds and investors such as Binance Labs, which increased the credibility of the project.
5. StarkNet (STRK)
StarkNet, a platform for building scalable solutions on Ethereum, launched its long-awaited airdrop, the size of which came as a huge surprise to many users.
Key details:
Participation Criteria: Testing dApps, sending transactions on StarkNet's network and participating in DAO voting.
Giveaway amounts: Depending on activity, participants received anywhere from $100 to several hundred thousand dollars.
Feature: This airdrop was one of the largest token giveaways in the history of second-tier blockchains.
6. Sei Network (SEI)
Sei Network, a next-generation Layer 1 blockchain focused on decentralized exchanges, also held a massive airdrop.
Key details:
Participation Criteria: Actively testing the network, using Keplr wallets and participating in early-staking programs.
Giveaway amounts: Some participants received rewards worth up to several tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the investment.
Results: Sei Network has successfully attracted attention to its blockchain and generated active use of the platform.
What successful airdrops have in common
High-profile airdrop success stories share common traits that help projects gain popularity and support going forward:
Project benefit. Airdrop works best in projects with a clear concept and real utility, such as decentralized exchanges or data management platforms.
Attracting an active community. Successful airdrops focus on users who will be involved in the project's ecosystem.
Marketing strategy. Large airdrops are always accompanied by high-quality PR, which creates additional interest from investors.
Listings on major exchanges. After tokens are distributed, it is important that they are available for trading on popular platforms.
How investors select the airdrop with maximum potential
Investors choose an airdrop by evaluating a number of key factors:
The technology and idea behind the project. Having a unique idea or innovative approach that sets the project apart from competitors is important.
Development team. Investors pay attention to the professionalism and experience of the team behind the project.
Support from large companies or funds. If a project is backed by well-known investors, it inspires more trust.
Activity in social networks. Projects with a highly engaged audience have a better chance of success.
Risks and how to avoid them when participating in airdrop
Although airdrop attracts with the opportunity to get tokens for free, it carries certain risks:
Phishing attacks. Scammers create fake projects to collect personal data and private keys.
Hidden terms and conditions. Some projects require participants to pay significant commissions to withdraw earned tokens.
Token depreciation. Giving away a large number of tokens can lead to their depreciation on the market.
To avoid the risks:
Use a separate cryptocurrency wallet to participate in airdrop.
Study reviews about the project before registering.
Never provide private keys or passwords.
Read the article on this topic.
Outlook for airdrop in 2025
The airdrop market is likely to continue to grow in 2025, especially with the growing popularity of memcoins, NFTs, and increased loyalty to cryptocurrencies in general by many countries, including the US. Memcoins often use airdrop to engage the community, as it is a quick and efficient way to spread the word about a project.
The integration of airdrop into metasearch and gaming platforms will also be an important trend. Users will be able to receive tokens for completing in-game tasks or participating in virtual events, which will expand the scope of this strategy.
Conclusion
Airdrop is an effective tool to promote crypto projects, which attracts the attention of the community and helps to generate initial liquidity. The success of many airdrop demonstrates their importance in the crypto market. However, despite the prospects, participation in airdrop requires caution to avoid fraud and other risks.
In the future, airdrop is likely to remain an important element of the cryptocurrency ecosystem, especially for startups and memcoins. Market participants should continue to study trends and evaluate opportunities to maximize their chances of success.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is airdrop in cryptocurrency?
It is the process of giving away tokens for free to users for performing certain actions.
2. Can I make money from airdrop?
Yes, successful airdrop can generate significant income, especially in the early stages.
3. How to avoid fraudulent airdrop?
Use a separate wallet, verify the project and do not share personal data.
4. Which projects are most likely to conduct airdrop?
Most often they are new cryptocurrency projects, including blockchain platforms, gaming ecosystems and memcoins.
5. What are the prospects for airdrop in the future?
Airdrop will remain a popular promotional tool, especially in the areas of NFT, meta-universes and memcoins.
