How do crypto protocols encourage and reward early users and contributors? Through token airdrops. By distributing protocol tokens, those early users who contributed to building and advancing a network or application are typically granted a role in decentralized governance—and these tokens carry intrinsic value as well.
While not every airdrop guarantees a substantial token windfall, users have collectively earned millions of dollars in tokens during previous airdrops, and sometimes these crypto tokens appreciate in value over the long term.
Recent prominent airdrops, such as those from Blur and Pyth Network, might motivate you to seek out the next significant protocol rewarding users for their involvement. It’s worth noting, however, that many projects now prefer retroactive airdrops to recognize past activities. If you haven’t engaged with these protocols yet, you might already miss out.
Take a glimpse at some of the most significant airdrops either recently initiated or on the horizon:
Jito
Solana’s DeFi protocol, Jito, initiated its JTO token airdrop on Thursday, December 7, after announcing the token’s arrival the preceding week. Coinbase promptly listed the Solana-based token, and by the evening of the launch, the cumulative value of the airdrop reached $225 million. If you engaged with Jito before the airdrop snapshot, make sure to verify if your wallets qualify to claim a portion of JTO.
Starknet
After witnessing several significant airdrops, Solana might soon experience the next one, this time originating from Ethereum. Starknet, the layer-2 scaling network, revealed on Friday its intention to conduct a STRK token airdrop, distributing 900 million tokens to early users and contributors. Although Starknet has not disclosed eligibility criteria or a precise timeline for the airdrop, users who have engaged with the Ethereum scaler are encouraged to stay tuned for further details.
Blast
Despite controversies surrounding Blast, the upcoming Ethereum layer-2 scaling network from the founder of the prominent NFT marketplace Blur, traders remain undeterred. With over $1.1 billion worth of ETH and stablecoins staked, users are hopeful to earn airdropped tokens in the future.
The substantial interest is fueled by Blur’s previous airdrop success, distributing several hundred million dollars worth of BLUR tokens to users. Blast is adopting a similar strategy, enticing users with substantial incentives to secure a strong market presence. While there is already significant demand, Blast has provided clear guidelines on how users can position themselves to reap rewards.
Jupiter
After the Pyth and Jito launches, Solana is gearing up for another significant airdrop, this time from the well-known DeFi aggregator Jupiter. In November, Jupiter announced that almost a million wallets qualify for the airdrop by utilizing Solana’s primary decentralized exchange (DEX). The project subsequently introduced a tool to help potential claimants determine the amount of JUP tokens they are entitled to. The scheduled date for the airdrop is now in January.
Portal
If you’ve been active on Crypto Twitter lately, you’ve likely encountered the excitement surrounding Portal’s forthcoming gaming token. The buzz isn’t entirely spontaneous; Portal is encouraging Twitter users to widely share information about the upcoming PORTAL airdrop, offering incentives in the form of points that are expected to translate into tokens in the future.
While many questions surround the project, which aims to connect different crypto games through a unified, cross-chain token, additional details are gradually emerging. Portal has now announced that its airdrop is scheduled for January.
Frame
Frame is an innovative Ethereum-based scaling network specifically crafted for NFT projects. The creators plan to attract a substantial user base by airdropping tokens to individuals who have engaged in NFT trading on Ethereum within the past two years, starting from the airdrop announcement on December 19.
You can presently verify your eligibility and ascertain the quantity of FRAME tokens you are entitled to receive. The official airdrop is scheduled for January 31, 2024, coinciding with the launch of the Frame mainnet.
Saga
Saga, a cryptocurrency gaming protocol facilitating the creation of blockchains for games, is gearing up for its mainnet launch in January, and discussions about its airdrop initiatives are already underway.
The initial airdrop is intended for testnet developers, followed by a subsequent drop for community members. Saga has introduced a “play-to-airdrop” initiative, offering rewards to players who excel in competitions within various games developed on Saga’s testnet. Collaborations for games on other chains are also in the pipeline.
Xai
Arbitrum’s “layer-3” gaming network Xai is preparing for its inaugural XAI token airdrop, now scheduled for early January, having been postponed from the initial date of December 27. Eligible recipients include Sentry Key owners managing nodes that support the network, along with owners of two NFT projects associated with Xai.
Tensor
Solana’s recently established prominent NFT marketplace has been dropping hints about an upcoming airdrop for several months, closely mirroring the approach taken by Blur. This includes encouraging trading activity through a points system, which is expected to translate into token rewards for traders. Given the increasing NFT activity on Solana, participating in this airdrop could prove highly lucrative. The surge in prices for Tensor’s NFT project, Tensorians, could potentially be linked to its involvement in this initiative.
