An airdrop is a growth mechanism for projects that provides a financial incentive to early adopters and participating members of these communities.

Collective Shift believes that the launching of new tokens by projects will continue in the coming years and that airdrops will provide large yields for prepared and participating investors. Successful airdrop campaigns that Collective Shift members have participated in are listed at the bottom.

Contents

What Are Airdrops?

An airdrop is a distribution of cryptocurrencies to a predefined set of users’ wallet addresses free of charge. (Sometimes, eligible recipients must pay a small transaction fee to claim the airdrop.)

In the broadest sense, airdrops can be performed by any crypto project. Each project has an app or protocol that can track its users’ activity. Typically, airdrops are determined by the extent to which early users interact with the project’s app or protocol. A broad airdrop strategy for investors is to use as many apps and protocols as reasonably possible thereby registering their wallet with each of them.

Airdrops are handled slightly differently depending on the industry:

  • Airdrops for DeFi organisations are typically determined by the transaction or staking volume of a user on a specific platform during a specific period. For DEXes this typically means exchange-traded volume and amount of Liquidity Pool tokens locked in the platform and for how long. For lending platforms generally, the amount of funds lent or borrowed.
  • Airdrops for NFT collections typically require the holding of an NFT at a ‘snapshot’ date. A ‘snapshot’ is the list of all NFT holders at a given point in time. Snapshots are typically either teased beforehand or taken unbeknownst to the holders and retroactively announced. Those addresses on the snapshot list will be eligible for the airdrop.

Airdrop Ratings

Below is a list of the projects building blockchains, wallets, dapps and NFTs that could airdrop tokens.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ represents the greatest possible potential of an airdrop.

Last updated on Jan. 22, 2024. The next update will be Jun. 20, 2024. The newest additions and updates are highlighted in green.

L1 Blockchains & L2 Networks

BlockchainAirdrop PotentialAction Steps
Scroll⭐⭐⭐⭐An Ethereum scaling solution that launched on mainnet in Oct. 2023 after more than two years of development. Bridge to the Scroll network and use apps to qualify for a possible token airdrop.
LayerZero (Website)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐No official announcement about an airdrop; individuals who anticipate a LayerZero airdrop can use projects that have integrated with LayerZero. An example here is Stargate, where users can provide liquidity, stake STG tokens, and/or participate in governance. Another example is using the Aptos bridge.
zkSync⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Create a wallet, bridge funds to zkSync Era, and use some supported apps.
Starknet⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Create an Argent X wallet and use Starknet apps once launched. The STRK token has been confirmed, and an airdrop is probable in the first half of 2024.

The team have signalled tokens that will go to developers on a first “build something, and you’ll get tokens.”
Cosmos Hub⭐⭐⭐⭐Staking of ATOM can reward in airdrops from Cosmos-native dapps.
Sui⭐⭐Sui launched its mainnet in May 2023. Controversially, the team did not airdrop SUI to early users, instead opting for a public sale. Sui has a large treasury and with a competitive L1 landscape, a delayed SUI airdrop may not be out of the question.
Celestia⭐⭐⭐A new blockchain focusing on ‘data availability’. Despite already airdropping TIA, TIA stakers are receiving airdrops from other Cosmos or Celestia ecosystem projects. Non-TIA airdrops remain a possibility.
Base⭐⭐⭐⭐Coinbase’s Ethereum network ‘Base’ launched in August 2023. Although Coinbase stated there would be no native token, there could remain airdrop opportunities from cryptocurrencies launched on Base or NFTs from Base themselves.

Other dapps deployed on Base may target early users of Base by offering incentives (e.g. airdrops, boosted yield).
Linea⭐⭐Consensys’ new Ethereum network, Linea, launched in 2023. Consensys is the company behind MetaMask, the most popular crypto wallet. Early users of Linea may qualify for an airdrop if Linea tokenises.
Berachain (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐An upcoming L1 in the Cosmos ecosystem powered by liquidity providers. Launched a testnet in Jan. 2024 with developers outlining plans for testnet tokens to hold economic value. Using the testnet should improve the odds of qualifying for an eventual airdrop.
Monad (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐An emerging L1 blockchain that attempts to distinguish itself by delivering higher network throughput. Testnet may go live in 2024. Using the testnet should improve the odds of qualifying for an eventual airdrop. (Warning: be careful of scams claiming the testnet is live.)
Movement (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A network of modular blockchains written in the Move language. Currently running the ‘Parthenon‘ testnet campaign to allow builders and users to experiment with Movement’s parallelised Move-EVM.
Eclipse
(Twitter/ X)
⭐⭐⭐⭐Eclipse is building an Ethereum L2 using the Solana Virtual Machine. Currently in testnet & gearing up for a mainnet launch this year. Interacting with the testnet and then mainnet on launch will increase the chances of an airdrop.

Adding an RPC to a Web3 Wallet

‘RPC’ stands for ‘remote procedure call’, a set of protocols that allow a client (e.g. MetaMask) to interact with a blockchain. Use Chainlist to add the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible RPCs to their MetaMask wallet. (It is best practice to cross-check this information with the relevant chain’s documentation.)

Wallets

AppAirdrop PotentialAction Steps
MetaMask⭐⭐⭐Create a wallet and transact using their exchange feature.
Phantom⭐⭐⭐⭐Create a wallet and swap inside.
Zapper⭐⭐Use the protocol. Complete quests, earn NFTs and Volts.
Zerion⭐⭐⭐Use the protocol. The team has signalled a desire to decentralise.
Rainbow (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐Use the wallet and claim points via its ‘Rainbow Points‘ event.
Rabby (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐Being a product of DeBank, users of Rabby may qualify for an eventual DeBank token. The Rabby team teased a snapshot in January 2024.

Bridges & Infrastructure

AppAirdrop PotentialAction Steps
Wormhole⭐⭐⭐⭐Use the Wormhole protocol to send tokens from one blockchain to another.
EigenLayer (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Deposit any supported LST (e.g. stETH, rETH, cbETH) when caps are increased.
Garden (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Swap BTC to WBTC in under 10 minutes. Built by two early team members from Ren Protocol. The SEED token launched in January 2024 and early testers received airdrops. More airdrops of SEED to come.

DeFi & Dapps

AppAirdrop PotentialAction Steps
Unstoppable Domains (Website)⭐⭐Buy and hold a domain name.
Matcha (Website)Use the protocol.
Lens (Website)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Minting Lens profiles are currently unavailable. Users can only buy Lens profiles on OpenSea. Buying for an airdrop may not be wise due to high cost, and prices likely plummet once Lens opens to the public and supply increases to infinite.

Look out for minting opportunities on official channels. Users with a DegenScore of 700 or higher can mint via Phaver App.
Fractal (Website)⭐⭐A hub for web3 games. Using the platform, being active in Discord and potentially using or collecting Fractual NFTs.
Irys (Website)
⭐⭐⭐Watch for more Irys Quests and opportunities to participate in its permissionless data network.
DefiLlamaOne of the top crypto data and analytics sites. Recently expanding into token swapping and becoming an aggregator. Could tokenise, but less likely than others.
Swell Network⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐An ETH liquid staking network. Similar to Lido airdropping governance tokens to early stakers, Swell Network could do the same. Increase chances by engaging with its ongoing points program. Token confirmed for late Q1.
Ether.fi⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Another ETH staking platform looking to take market share away from Lido and provide more decentralisation of the ETH staking supply. Raised $5.3M in venture funding. Token confirmed for April. Holders of the eETH token also earn EigenLayer points.
MilkyWay (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A liquid-staking protocol for Celestia’s modular ecosystem. Stake TIA on the MilkyWay dapp and receive milkTIA.
Astaria (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A new DeFi app solving for instant liquidity of onchain assets. V1 and whitepaper were recently released after pivoting from solely NFTs. Test the new version when live.
Infinex (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A new exchange powered by Synthetix that aims to blend the best of DeFi with the ease of using a centralised exchange or fintech app. Join the waitlist, test the exchange or stake SNX to increase airdrop chances.
Phoenix (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A Solana-based order book exchange. Trade on the exchange to potentially qualify for an airdrop if they tokenise.
MarginFi (Twitter)⭐⭐⭐⭐A decentralised lending protocol on Solana. Participate in its ongoing ‘points‘ program.
Jupiter (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A DEX aggregator on Solana. First snapshot already taken. JUP token will launch in late January. Another four airdrops expected over multiple years, resulting in a whopping 50% of the supply being airdropped to users.
Drift (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐A perpetual DEX protocol on Solana. Connect your wallet, trade on the exchange, stake or provide liquidity.
Kamino (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐The protocol, which helps automate and optimise concentrated liquidity positions on Solana’s top DEXes, launched a points program on Jan. 20, 2024. Has confirmed an eventual KMNO token.
Zeta Markets (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A perpetual trading DEX on Solana that currently has a points program, ‘Z-Score‘, described as the “pathway to the launch of Zeta’s token.” Season 2 started in early January 2024.
Neon (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐An EVM on Solana allowing developers to scale their Ethereum dapps. Already launched its NEON token, however, has an ongoing points program.
Ondo (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A DeFi platform focused on institutional interest and real-world assets. Has an ongoing airdrop campaign and points program for those who have held stablecoins without earning yield. ONDO token launched in early January 2024.
Grass (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐A web-scraping protocol where incentivised users contribute unused internet bandwidth for use by organisations training AI. Announced a $3.5M seed round in December 2023.
Meteora (Twitter / X)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐The first dynamic yield infrastructure on Solana, starting with highly capital-efficient AMM pools. Is currently running a points program.

NFTs

Platforms
AppAirdrop PotentialAction Steps
Zora⭐⭐⭐⭐Hold the Zorbs NFT. Collect some NFTs on Zora Network after bridging funds there from Ethereum mainnet.
OpenSeaBuy and sell NFTs on OpenSea.
Tensor (Twitter / X)One of the top NFT marketplaces on Solana. Currently running a points system. If an airdrop occurs, the number of tokens received will likely depend on points earned.
NFT Collections

The great NFT collections are building into the metaverse for the long term by creating ideals, values, storylines and an ethos for a group of decentralised people. These collections have proven to have a high probability of airdrop for NFT holders. Collections have proven to provide a yield to holders through the accumulation and sale of additional NFTs released by the creators.

The best-case scenario for holders is that additional NFTs are airdropped to them for free or given to them for the cost of claim fees (typically $25–$75). At a minimum, holders are often given priority to mint additional NFTs released by creators at a normal or discounted cost. In both scenarios, NFT holders are given financial incentives for simply being a holder.

In 2021 and 2022, most NFT startups were creating their first NFT collections for their digital brands. Through the natural building of a startup’s metaverse, an initial collection of 10,000 NFTs will be released, followed by an additional 10,000–20,000 NFTs to grow the brand and tell a story. Those holding the initial collection typically reap the financial and non-financial incentives from the release of secondary and tertiary collections.

To complement the long-term nature of our research, we periodically share the current airdrop actions that Collective Shift analysts are making in the execution of each’s airdrop strategy.

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Our Analyst Actions

Airdrop Strategies

Some strategies when looking for airdrops include:

  • Providing staking: Many users focus on staking a wide variety of cryptocurrencies (e.g. ATOM) to be eligible for protocol airdrops.
  • Participate in governance: Many tokens airdrop to users who use governance tokens to vote.
  • Finding your niche: Crytpo organisations are getting wiser about airdrop farmers. Instead of scattering your eggs, it might be better to focus on a particular niche (e.g. the Cosmos Hub ecosystem, Ethereum L2s).
  • Using testnets: Often, cryptocurrencies will provide some early supply to those who helped test the protocol via testnets and early releases.
  • Active in Discord: Cryptocurrency protocols often airdrop an early supply to its most active and earliest Discord members. It pays to be active and give value. You can’t be in all Discords, so find your niche or favourites.
  • Avoid simple giveaways: CoinMarketCap and other websites have an airdrop feature. Strongly consider avoiding these, as many of the tokens don’t have much value, some are illegitimate, it’s riskier, and there are many low-quality projects.
  • Who needs a token: Not all blockchain-based apps need a native token. Look for which platforms would benefit from a native token or which need to decentralise (governance tokens are one way to do this). DefiLlama maintains an airdrop page—although, be extremely careful with new or forked protocols—enter at your own risk.
  • Look at previous eligibility criteria: Projects are becoming more adept at excluding airdrop farmers. It’s worth looking at previous eligibility criteria to maximise a chance at an airdrop.
image 12
Qualifying actions for Arbitrum’s ARB airdrop (Source: Arbitrum Foundation)

Risks & Considerations

Be safe out there. Keep the majority of your funds in a cold, separate wallet. Ideally, use a separate computer or browser wallet for connecting to more “risky” airdrops.

Although the allure of ‘free money’ is strong, it’s important to remember the risks and challenges:

  • Malicious sign: Always be careful with what you permit when signing your wallet. Take best practices when using early and experimental protocols. Also, ensure you don’t have a significant value attached to that hot wallet when engaging in these activities.
  • Rug pull: There’s a chance if you get a cryptocurrency from an unknown project it could be malicious or rug pull. It’s important to do your due diligence and use best security practices.
  • Time: It can be time-intensive to farm airdrops—consider how valuable your time is.
  • Cost: Although airdrops are generally ‘free’, they aren’t exactly, especially if you are specifically farming them. You might make transactions, spend gas, bridge or incur transaction fees you may not have otherwise done. This costs money, so these airdrops aren’t necessarily ‘free’.
  • Legal: You may not be able to claim your airdrop. Many U.S.-based users were excluded from some highly prized airdrops.
  • Tax: Depending on where you live you may have a taxable event as soon as you claim an airdrop, and then again when you sell. Consult your tax professional if you’re unsure of the tax laws in your country.
  • Scams: The most common risk out there. Many scammers imitate projects to trick users into minting or claiming a token that’s not real. For example, see the below fake Arbitrum airdrop—clear red flags are the inability to comment and incorrect X (formerly Twitter) handle.
fake arbitrum tweet

About Airdrop Checkers

As the name implies, airdrop checkers are websites that let you see whether you (i) qualify for ongoing airdrops and (ii) may qualify for future airdrops from certain projects. The safest and most convenient airdrop checkers only require you to paste your blockchain address into a search box.

Please note, that airdrop checkers are a common target of hackers who make copycat websites that trick you into thinking you are using the legitimate website. If an airdrop checker is designed like the one described above (i.e. pasting your address and not connecting your wallet), then the chance of a phishing attack is quite small. However, if an airdrop checker is requiring you to connect your wallets and sign onchain transactions, the security risk increases.

Earnfi and WENSER are two of the most popular airdrop checkers. As of February 2024, you can use these checkers without needing to connect your wallet. This is ideal as it mitigates security risk while giving you the convenience of seeing whether you qualify for any ongoing airdrops and/or may qualify for future airdrops. (You have the option to connect your wallet to gain additional functionality.)

wenser user interface
Screenshot of WENSER, where you only need to paste your address to check for airdrops from various projects

Successful Airdrop Campaigns

AppAction Steps
Optimism #15% of the total $OP supply was airdropped to early adopters who bridged tokens to Optimism and then used apps on Optimism. (Airdrop #1 Eligibility)
Optimism #2OP Airdrop #2 has happened! 1inch airdropped 300,000 $OP to Optimism users. Not yet live, keep your eyes peeled. (Announcement)
Hop Protocol~55M HOP were airdropped to previous users of the Ethereum L2 bridge. (Check eligibility)
sudoswapSUDO, the governance token of the sudoAMM protocol, was launched in early 2023. (Announcement)
MetaplexAirdropping MPLX to Solana NFT creators. (Announcement)
AptosA not-yet-launched blockchain by ex-Meta executives. Will tokenise. Some will likely be airdropped to those participating in the current series of incentivised testnets.
Blur #1Season 1 ended in February, allowing early users of Blur to convert their care packages into BLUR tokens.
Arbitrum Airdropped ARB to early users of Abitrum based on criteria of activity. Claiming ends late September. (Airdrop eligibility)
ZigZagEarly ZigZag users were rewarded with 7 airdrops. (Airdrop eligibility)
Optimism #3The third of three OP airdrops occurred in September 2023, with those who participated in governance being the main recipients. Airdrops were automatically sent to eligible addresses (i.e. no claim window).
Blur #2Season 2 ended in November, allowing Blur users to claim another BLUR airdrop. A total of 300M BLUR were airdropped as part of this season.
CelestiaAirdropped 60M TIA to early contributed and ecosystem users. (Announcement) Claim window closed.
JitoAirdropped 10% of the total supply of JTO to early Jito stakers. (Announcement) Claim window ongoing.
The above list is ordered from least to most recent and is updated intermittently based on the dates shared at the top of this page.

To keep up with the latest airdrop news, speculation and announcements, visit the Airdrops Mega Thread in our member-only Facebook group and the #airdrops channel in our Discord server.