Blockchain Airdrop: What It Is, How It Works, and Which Ones Are Real

When you hear blockchain airdrop, a free distribution of cryptocurrency tokens to wallet holders as a marketing or reward tactic. Also known as crypto airdrop, it’s one of the most common ways new projects get users onboard without paying for ads. Sounds simple—free money, right? But most airdrops you see online are fake, abandoned, or designed to steal your private keys. Real ones? They’re rare, well-documented, and tied to actual projects with working tech.

A token distribution, the process of handing out cryptocurrency tokens to participants based on set rules isn’t just a giveaway. It’s a strategic move. Projects use it to build a user base, reward early supporters, or launch a decentralized network. For example, the Midnight (NIGHT) airdrop, a token drop by Cardano’s Glacier Drop that rewarded holders of BTC, ETH, and ADA gave out 24 billion tokens to people who already held other coins. That’s not luck—it’s targeted distribution. Meanwhile, scams like the TOKAU ETERNAL BOND airdrop, a fake claim that had no official team or contract just trick you into connecting your wallet so they can drain it.

What makes a blockchain airdrop worth your time? Three things: transparency, eligibility, and a working product. If a project can’t show a whitepaper, a team, or a live platform, skip it. If they ask you to send crypto to claim free tokens? That’s a red flag. Legit airdrops never ask for money upfront. They might ask you to hold a specific coin, follow their Twitter, or join their Discord—but never to send funds. The HUSL NFT airdrop, a real campaign on MEXC that rewarded users for voting with MX tokens is a good example: you earned tokens by participating in a platform you already used, not by giving away your wallet info.

And don’t forget timing. Many airdrops are tied to specific events—like a mainnet launch, a token swap, or a protocol upgrade. The Liquidus (old) LIQ airdrop, a now-dead token that was abandoned when the team relaunched with a new one is a cautionary tale. People claimed it thinking they’d get rich. Instead, they got worthless tokens because the project moved on. Real airdrops don’t vanish after the claim window closes.

Below, you’ll find real stories of airdrops that paid out, ones that vanished, and others that were never real to begin with. We’ll show you how to spot the difference, what to watch for, and which claims are still active in 2025. No fluff. No hype. Just what actually happened—and who ended up with something valuable.