Airdrop means that you help the project team with some tasks, and then the project team provides you with certain rewards after the launch.
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Liking and retweeting on Twitter, tweeting, inviting friends to open accounts with the project team, etc., similar to marketing and promotion to acquire users.
You help the project team with testing; this can be quite challenging. For instance, on-chain testnets, you need to assist them with testing, such as performing token exchanges on their project, cross-chain exchanges, etc., or helping them with NFT testing. This often requires certain fees, especially on the ETH Ethereum chain, where the costs are higher.
Actively participate in project activities. Many projects reward users who actively participate in platform activities with airdrop incentives. You need to join their Telegram community, usually requiring you to find their Telegram group yourself and keep an eye on it. For good projects, there are often airdrop interactions.
In summary, the tasks provided by the project team, you complete them, and the rewards given by the project team are the airdrops.
This tutorial is roughly divided into six sections, without further ado, let's start the tutorial!!!
This article briefly summarizes six categories.
1. What is Airdrop and its Classification?
1. Testnet Airdrops with Zero Cost Investment
Airdropping refers to the process where project teams launch a testnet for internal testing before a new project goes live and invite users to participate. As a test user, you will receive testnet tokens for trading and operating in a test environment. Your trading and operational data will be recorded and analyzed to help the project team identify potential issues and improve the project.
By participating in airdrop activities, you provide valuable feedback and test data to the project team, helping them identify and resolve potential vulnerabilities and shortcomings. This helps the project team make necessary optimizations and improvements to ensure the stability and security of the project upon official launch.
As a token of gratitude for your contributions and support, project teams usually reward participating users with a certain number of tokens, known as airdrops. This is how project teams express gratitude and reward test users, allowing you to enjoy certain benefits or rights after the project officially launches.
2. Mainnet Gas Consumption Airdrops
Network interaction airdrops are rewards from project teams to early users, who have made significant contributions by providing liquidity, data, and feedback. In return, projects often directly airdrop 1-10% of tokens to regular interaction users. The value of these airdrops typically ranges from tens to tens of thousands of dollars. Based on the average airdrop quantity calculated from the highest sellable price, at least a dozen projects have seen airdrop values exceed ten thousand dollars in the past year, with at least 30 projects exceeding one thousand dollars, and hundreds of airdrops at the hundred-dollar level.
Participating in network interaction airdrops requires paying certain gas fees, suitable for small fund participation, but the returns are often substantial. It is important to note the risk of reverse airdrops, where the token value may drop or be flagged as a 'witch account' by the project team; this will be discussed later.
3. Mainnet Launched, Construction-Type Airdrops
Strictly speaking, this is not airdropping. It truly involves genuine investments in the project's construction, such as contributing real BTC, ETH, etc., for staking (recently popular projects like Puffer, B², Merlin, etc.), thereby improving the project's TVL data or contributing to ecosystem security, etc.
For example, the recent BackPack exchange on the SOL chain has also clearly stated that it will reward early supporting users with airdrops, and these airdrops will reference points, with points being earned through real transaction volume and fee contributions.
This type of airdrop often requires a significant amount of funds compared to the previous two types. Large amounts may require several BTC or ETH to obtain decent returns, while even small amounts require a fee contribution of 100 USD to rank well in points.
2. What Abilities Are Required for Airdrops?
1. Financial Planning Ability:
Before airdrops, you need to calculate your financial situation, understand the interaction costs required for each project, and ensure you have sufficient funds.
2. Persistence Ability:
Airdropping requires ongoing participation and persistence; thus, it is necessary to have the will and patience to persevere. If you cannot persist long-term, you may lose opportunities or work hard without reward.
3. Self-Management Ability:
You need self-management skills to track project progress, understand project situations, and timely adjust strategies. At the same time, you also need to manage your time and energy to avoid over-investing or overly relying on others' guidance.
4. Learning Ability:
During the airdrop process, you need to continually learn and think to improve your airdrop skills and strategies. This includes understanding new projects, mastering interaction techniques, and understanding market trends.
5. Judgement Ability:
You need to possess the ability to judge the feasibility and risk of projects, as well as the ability to conduct reasonable assessments of input-output ratios. Additionally, you must be able to identify potential risks and avoid being flagged as a 'witch' by the project team.
6. Innovation Ability:
Establish your own airdrop strategy, not relying solely on others' guidance or tutorials, but innovating and adjusting based on your own situation and practical experience.
3. What Preparations Are Needed Before Airdrops?
1. Computer & Mobile
If you want to participate in airdrops, I recommend buying a new computer to ensure that it poses no risk, isolating the common computer from the airdrop computer.
2. Scientific Internet Access
3. Record Keeping
Spreadsheets are an important tool during the airdrop process; it is essential to learn how to record in spreadsheets.
First, make sure to save each mnemonic phrase for your wallet and back them up in multiple physical notebooks.
My method is to find an old Apple phone, keep it offline for a long time, and use it specifically to store mnemonic phrases.
Secondly, record the projects you participated in daily and the accounts you used for airdrops. Only by keeping records can you understand your airdrop status and continuously improve.
4. Twitter, Discord (DC), Google Account Trio
These three accounts are common tools during the airdrop process, especially suitable for testnet tasks. Many testnet tasks require completing social tasks, so it is necessary to link a Google email, join the project's Discord (DC) group, and follow or retweet on Twitter. The coordinated use of these accounts can help complete various tasks.
On Twitter, DC, and testnet tasks, you will encounter various types of CAPTCHAs, so you need an automated CAPTCHA solving tool.
One very important point is: any trio of items you buy must have their passwords changed, and it is recommended to register accounts for easy order inquiries.
5. Static IP
Although most web3 projects do not check IPs, in web2, sometimes the number of logins from the same IP may be limited. Therefore, using a static IP can avoid login restrictions when using platforms like Twitter. (Musk won't allow you to log into five Twitter accounts from the same IP.)
IP can only drag one to two, not more.
6. Centralized Exchanges
It is recommended to use mainstream centralized exchanges like Binance, OKX, Bitget, etc., for trading operations. They provide convenient trading and fund management functions, suitable for the funding operations needed during airdrops.
4. Selection of Airdrop Projects
1. Mainstream Projects:
In any case, top-tier projects must be participated in. These projects hold a prominent position in the industry, and participating in airdrops can yield more returns and opportunities. It is essential to continuously follow these projects to ensure that you do not miss any participation opportunities.
2. Choose the Right Blogger:
For beginners, it is crucial to choose an experienced leader. Therefore, following several airdrop bloggers is a good choice. By following bloggers, you can select suitable projects from the information they publish to participate in. Although not every project can bring substantial returns, following the main track (like choosing a lane, such as the BTC ecosystem) can ensure your airdrop direction is clear and reduce randomness.
It is especially recommended to follow some university student bloggers; they are responsive and dream of contributing to this community.
3. Join Airdrop Discussion Groups:
There are many airdrop discussion groups on platforms like Twitter; joining these groups allows you to exchange experiences, gather information, and receive advice from other airdrop participants. In these groups, you can learn about more projects and opportunities, expand your airdrop network, and increase your chances of earning.
5. How to Ensure You Receive Airdrops (Prevent Witch Classification)
1. Use Independent Static IPs:
Avoid multiple accounts using the same IP address to prevent being categorized as a multi-account witch. Purchasing an independent static IP can effectively reduce this risk.
2. Diversify Fund Aggregation:
If multiple accounts are participating in the airdrop tasks, ensure that funds are not pooled into the same address to avoid being categorized as a fund-aggregating witch. Open sub-accounts and sub-addresses on exchanges to correspond wallet addresses with exchange recharge addresses one-to-one.
Avoid Personal Wallet Transfers:
Do not concentrate funds in the same personal wallet address, especially when distributing funds to different accounts. Using exchange accounts for fund distribution can reduce the risk of being identified as a personal wallet recharge witch.
Disperse Exchange Recharges:
If it is necessary to use exchanges for recharges, try to spread out the recharge time and amounts, avoiding recharging the same amount into multiple accounts at the same time to avoid being classified as an exchange recharge witch.
Do Not Use Script Interfaces for Operations:
Try to avoid using script interfaces for operations since most project teams will flag users who use script interfaces as witches. Manual operations are preferred to ensure the authenticity of accounts.
6. How to Ensure Fund Security?
Ensuring fund security is crucial; here are some suggestions:
1. Separate Accounts for Airdrops:
Separate small accounts from premium accounts; premium accounts should only participate in high-quality projects to avoid engaging with lesser-known or untrustworthy projects, preventing the risk of fund theft.
2. Choose a Safe Fingerprint Browser:
Select a fingerprint browser with higher security, avoiding those with questionable security to reduce the risk of theft.
3. Be Cautious with Links:
Avoid clicking on links from unknown sources, especially on airdrop computers; it is best to use a separate device from your personal one to minimize the risk of malicious link attacks.
4. Follow Good Airdrop Bloggers:
Follow well-known airdrop bloggers, but still carefully verify the authenticity of each link to prevent being deceived by fake links, which could lead to asset loss.
5. Be Wary of Low-Threshold Scams:
Be cautious of those promoting free or low-threshold airdrop teachings, especially projects that induce investment to avoid scams. Use caution and do not easily believe overly promising commitments.
6. Keep Good Records and Backups:
Use spreadsheets to record the status of each account and interaction, and back up all accounts and mnemonic phrases to prevent forgetting them and losing assets.