When new blockchain and cryptocurrency projects emerge, they frequently distribute their coins or tokens to members of their community at no cost. These token distributions are known as crypto airdrops and serve as an effective marketing tactic for blockchain startups.
The process of obtaining these airdrops can sometimes be as straightforward as holding Bitcoin and awaiting the arrival of complimentary cryptocurrency in your wallet. Notable examples of such "holder airdrops" include Byteball, Stellar, and OmiseGo.
Typically, the structure of these complimentary cryptocurrencies follows a pattern— at a pre-announced time, the project conducting the event captures a "snapshot" of the blockchain. Anyone holding Ether or Bitcoin at that moment receives a certain number of free tokens. While this practice can also be implemented on other blockchains, Ethereum and Bitcoin are the most commonly used for this airdrop format.
Another prevalent type of crypto airdrops involves users completing a few simple social media tasks. These projects leverage airdrops as a form of viral marketing.
The main reason for doing a crypto airdrop is to advertise a new blockchain startup, project, or service. By giving out tokens to users, the team can get their project going and make sure everyone in their community gets some tokens fairly. Also, when people get these tokens, they're encouraged to tell others about the project, which helps it become more popular when the token starts being traded on an exchange. If more people are interested in the token, its price is more likely to go up.
If any coins conducting giveaways are not yet listed on a crypto exchange, you can explore our exchange page to find the best options for selling your crypto airdrops and bounties. Alternatively, you can consider DeFi exchanges like Uniswap or PancakeSwap to offer your tokens for sale to other users.
However, it's worth noting that many projects that have conducted airdrops, such as NEM, DECRED, and XRP, are now among the top 40 coins. So, there's no rush to immediately sell your free crypto; there's nothing wrong with holding onto it for potential future gains.
There are various methods used to carry out a crypto airdrop:
However, despite their widespread popularity, crypto airdrops may not always be as risk-free as they appear. Some airdrops turn out to be pump-and-dump schemes where creators issue tokens hoping for enough hype to get them listed on an exchange. Once trading starts, the token owner sell off a significant portion of their tokens, causing the price to crash.