Since Bitcoin’s launch in 2009, cryptocurrency has seen a tremendous transformation. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), which formerly dominated the fundraising landscape, have changed as the market has matured. Airdrops, when cryptocurrency projects give out tokens to holders for free rather than holding ICOs, are a recent development. We’ll go into tokenomics and token distributions, examine the circumstances that led to the growth of airdrops, and then highlight what investors should look for in a cryptocurrency project based on these considerations.
How do Airdrops work?
As the name implies, airdrops entail the free distribution of tokens to a specified group of users, frequently current owners of a certain cryptocurrency. This allocation may be determined by a number of factors, including wallet addresses, transaction history, or community involvement. Due to a number of variables, such as governmental crackdowns on ICOs and shifting dynamics in the cryptocurrency market, airdrops are becoming more and more popular.
As an experiment to possibly replace the Icelandic Króna and Bitcoin, Iceland introduced Auroracoin in March 2014. Each citizen received 31.8 AUR, then 318 coins, then 636 coins in the first airdrop in the history of cryptocurrency. The goal of this and future airdrops was to introduce the token to a market and promote it. Since then, a number of cryptocurrency projects have employed the airdrop technique to increase awareness, foster communities, and distribute tokens. Sending free tokens to owners of a certain cryptocurrency encourages them to find out about and contribute to the new venture.
ICOs to be Replaced by Airdrops?
The regulatory monitoring of ICOs is one of the major factors contributing to the increase of airdrops. Many projects previously used initial coin offerings (ICOs) to raise money by giving investors tokens in return for cryptocurrencies or fiat contributions. However, several governments have placed stronger limits on ICOs in response to increased regulatory scrutiny and worries about fraud and scams. Due to this, ICOs are a more difficult and expensive method for obtaining money. In contrast, airdrops give projects a mechanism to distribute tokens without holding a formal sale and avoid the legal restrictions that apply to initial coin offerings (ICOs).
The evolving dynamics of the cryptocurrency market are another factor driving the growth of airdrops. Investors and customers have grown more demanding as the sector has matured. It is no longer enough to just raise money through an ICO. With the help of airdrops, projects may reward early adopters, encourage user engagement, and build a vibrant community. Free token distribution enables projects to attract users’ interest, involvement, and loyalty, all of which can be beneficial in the long term.
Not only are phishing and hacking risks to be aware of, but airdrops may also have financial and legal repercussions. Airdrops could be seen as taxable income depending on the nation in which you live. As a result, not reporting them might result in fines and penalties.
When assessing a crypto project, tokenomics and token distributions are also essential considerations. The economic structure of a cryptocurrency is referred to as tokenomics. This covers the availability, use, and utility of the token. An effective tokenomics model may incentivize users to hold tokens, use them, and engage with the ecosystem. This may increase interest in and value of the token. The allocation and distribution of tokens among stakeholders, on the other hand, is referred to as token distribution. Stakeholders include the team, advisers, investors, and the community. Some initiatives choose a token that is entirely community owned. Others choose to save large sums for early backers, team members, and treasuries in order to guarantee the project’s long-term viability.
Since each model has benefits and disadvantages of its own, we are unable to determine which is superior.
In my perspective, projects that have a carefully considered tokenomics model and a clear token distribution strategy are more likely to be successful in the long run. Everyone enjoys a free meal, so airdrops may be quite helpful in raising awareness. It is not fully free—users are required to participate in network activities or test software—but it attracts attention on well-known crypto media platforms like Twitter, Discord, and Telegram.
