You’re not missing airdrops because you’re unlucky.

You’re missing them because you’re not providing meaningful contributions to the project.

Here’s the value-first mindset I’m using to stand out to projects (instead of mindlessly clicking through farming guides):

There is no fixed formula for airdrops.

No L2 has followed the Arbitrum playbook.

Hyperlane won’t use the same criteria as Wormhole/LayerZero.

It’s likely that they won’t use the same criteria as previous projects for this very reason:

It can be easily gamed by Sybils and bots.

That’s why I stopped caring about wallet rankers as they rely on previous criteria.

Each project will set its own criteria.

Hopefully, others won’t use RedStone’s initial criteria that penalized pure on-chain contributions.

So if you want a sure-fire way to get airdrops:

There’s no specific playbook to follow.

The only way to guarantee airdrops is by doing this:

Make your wallet stand out.

If your wallet makes the same contributions as a Sybil:

It’s likely that you’ll be labeled one.

There are plenty of farming guides out there that claim they know how to qualify for an airdrop.

Even CoinGecko and other sites write guides because airdrops have become mainstream.

But these tasks listed are the bare minimum we should do.

We’re competing with the thousands of followers who are doing the exact same thing.

So, which wallets will the project reward?

Those who go above and beyond by providing meaningful contributions.

Some projects have made it clear that they only want to reward loyal community members, instead of tourists.

I.e. those who stop using the project once TGE happens.

If everyone is doing the same actions:

You’re likely to get nothing for doing it.

Because you’re providing no additional value to the project.

In their eyes, you’re just another Sybil.

So here’s what to do instead:

Filter the noise

There are plenty of accounts that claim to earn millions from airdrops.

Others will post lists of tokenless projects that will airdrop in the future.

But there’s no need to FOMO and ape into everything.

Some will only cook if you have referrals, and others benefit those with high liquidity.

It’s impossible to cook for every airdrop for this very reason:

We all have our own time and capital constraints due to our commitments in life.

So pick projects where you have an edge.

There’s no need to click aimlessly or grind out for an airdrop.

And this mindset will change your perception of airdrops:

Manage your expectations.

Airdrops will always be a long-term game.

Airdrops are not for someone who wants quick profits with minimal effort.

(It’s still possible, but the cases are rare.)

Airdrops are not proportional to the effort you put in.

Instead, it depends on how valuable your contributions are to the project.

Here’s a post from @Jaambutties that shared how real impact matters more than the amount of hours we put in.

Don’t treat airdrops like a job.

(I put X amount of effort, so I deserve Y amount of rewards.)

Instead, treat it as a symbiotic relationship with the project:

Projects that care about the community will reward those they deem to provide meaningful contributions.

Give to a project without expecting anything in return, and you may be pleasantly surprised.

But we have to develop our skills in finding projects that will cook vs those that won’t.

Airdrop farming will lead to burnout because you’re expecting a certain reward for the effort you put in.

And it will likely disappoint (no thanks to some accounts hyping them up way too much).

The art of letting go is key here:

If the project doesn’t see my contributions as valuable, so be it.

It will suck because of the time and capital that I put into the project, but I choose to move on.

There are plenty of opportunities, and there’s no point harping on a failed airdrop.

When I can channel that energy into interacting with other projects.

So I’m managing my expectations and doing this:

Be intellectually curious.

A point mentioned by @CryptoMage_YT, which I find extremely applicable to airdrops:

Don’t be afraid to try new things, especially new integrations on projects you’re interacting with.

For example, Optimism awarded wallets that made transactions on new Superchain L2s within the first week.

Try new things, don’t limit yourself to just one chain (or VM).

And the best way to continuously explore new projects begins with this:

Fit interactions into your routine.

Farming a project never ends well, especially when you’re using a project solely for the airdrop.

I’ve become way more selective in the projects I interact with:

If I don’t see myself using the project post-TGE, I would prioritize that project less.

I want to interact with projects that I’ll use, regardless of the token.

And the best option is to use it during my daily routine.

One example is @zerion:

❍ Signing transactions on this wallet gives me XP.

❍ XP helps me level up and qualify for different perks.

Another one is @JumperExchange:

Every swap earns me Jumper XP for my pass and potential exposure to other tokenless DEXes or bridges.

In this era of airdrops, where I could be ineligible for any of them:

Using 2-in-1 (or X-in-1) routes is the sustainable approach.

Farming aimlessly leads to burnout, so focus less on the TGE and more on how to give value back to the project.

But that’s not to say I’m not doing it for the rewards:

We are all here to make money.

But the rewards are not my only priority.

Changing your perspective can go a long way, especially for this:

Go for small, consistent wins.

We all wish we are the ones who post how we earned 6-7 figures from a single airdrop.

But that’s usually not the case (unless your contribution is deemed extremely useful by the project).

So I’m focusing on small wins instead:

It won’t be as sexy as the major wins, but they add up.

Some will just be a gas fee refund, while others can be nice surprises.

Just keep exploring and staying curious while providing value to the project.

Find your optimal route.

Through your experiences, you’ll discover what types of airdrops work best for you.

Everyone has their edge, and you’ll find yours eventually.

Don’t worry about others bragging on the timeline.

Your time will come.

Find your conviction and stick to it.

Mine is on-chain footprint, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow me exactly.

Learn to find your edge, and you will excel there.

One way I’m expanding my on-chain footprint is by interacting with modular airdrops, and I shared my strategy below:

FIP Crypto (on-chain footprint arc)

@FIP_Crypto

Stop hunting individual airdrops and start qualifying for multiple airdrops in one go.
​
By using just one modular rollup, you could be eligible for rewards from different infra projects.
​
Here's my strategy to capture every opportunity:

377

1:09 PM • Jan 9, 2025

Thanks for reading!