Cryptocurrency Airdrop: How They Work, Who Gets Paid, and How to Avoid Scams

When you hear cryptocurrency airdrop, a free distribution of tokens to wallet holders as a marketing or reward tactic. Also known as free crypto drop, it’s one of the most talked-about ways to get tokens without buying them. But here’s the truth: 9 out of 10 airdrops you see online are scams. Real ones don’t ask for your private key. They don’t require you to send crypto first. And they’re never promoted on random Telegram groups with glowing promises.

Real airdrop eligibility, the specific actions or holdings needed to qualify for a free token distribution usually ties to something you already did—like holding a certain token, providing liquidity on a decentralized exchange, or using a platform before a snapshot. For example, the BAKE airdrop from BakerySwap only paid out to people who locked BETH in their wallets. The METIS airdrop required you to interact with their Layer 2 network before a set date. And the PLAYA3ULL airdrop gave tokens just for joining their Discord and completing simple tasks—no deposit needed.

That’s why airdrop scams, fraudulent schemes pretending to give away crypto but designed to steal wallets or personal data are so dangerous. They look real. They copy logos. They use fake websites that even fool experienced users. The BULL Finance airdrop? Never happened. The ROSX airdrop? Also fake. These projects don’t exist—or they’re long dead. But their names live on in phishing pages and bot-driven ads. If a site asks for your seed phrase, it’s a scam. If it says "claim now before the deadline" with a countdown timer, it’s a scam. If it’s not listed on CoinGecko or CoinMarketCap, treat it like a red flag.

And then there are the ghost projects—like Manna (MANNA). It was supposed to be a universal basic income coin, giving free tokens to everyone. But you can’t trade it. You can’t spend it. No exchange lists it. It’s just a digital artifact with $0 value. That’s not an airdrop—it’s a failed experiment. And it’s still out there, tricking people into thinking they’re getting something valuable.

Real airdrops don’t come from nowhere. They’re tied to projects with code, teams, and history. Sologenic’s SOLO airdrop required you to hold XRP and use a specific wallet. The Coreum distribution had strict snapshot rules. You had to be on the right chain, at the right time, with the right setup. No shortcuts. No magic links. Just clear, public rules.

So what’s left for you? Stay sharp. Check official project websites—not Twitter, not Reddit, not Telegram. Look for announcements on GitHub or their blog. See if the team has a track record. And never, ever share your private keys. The best airdrops are the ones you don’t chase. They find you because you were already using the platform. The rest? They’re just noise.

Below, you’ll find real case studies of airdrops that paid out—and others that vanished overnight. You’ll learn exactly what to look for, who got paid, and how to protect yourself before the next one drops.