From the highly anticipated OMERTA game airdrop, to industry-leading projects, these are the must-join crypto airdrops you don’t want to miss before 2024 wraps up.
Crypto airdrops are a great way to earn free tokens from emerging blockchain projects, often through simply completing simple tasks or being an early adopter. Fortunately, as we continue Q3 and go into Q4 of 2024, there are many exciting airdrop opportunities out there, however only for those who know where to look.
In this article, we’ll highlight the 7 best crypto airdrops to watch in 2024, explaining exactly how to qualify for each, as well as how you can maximise your rewards in the process. Let’s get started…
What are Crypto Airdrops?
Crypto airdrops refer to the process of distributing free tokens or coins to a large number of wallet addresses. Intuitively, these tokens are often tied to new projects that want to increase exposure and reward early adopters.
The concept of airdrops has been around for several years, becoming especially popular during the initial coin offering (ICO) boom of 2017. One of the earliest and most well-known airdrops was the distribution of Aurora (AOA) tokens in 2014, where 50% of the total supply was distributed among Icelandic citizens.
Since then, the practice has evolved, with numerous projects adopting it as a marketing strategy to gain traction.
Purpose of Airdrops
Free airdrops serve various purposes, each beneficial to both the project and its potential users:
1. Marketing and Promotion
Airdrops create buzz around a new cryptocurrency project, as through distributing tokens for free, they can quickly attract attention and build a community. For example, the Stellar (XLM) airdrop in 2019 gave away $120 million worth of XLM tokens, drawing significant attention to the project.
2. Rewarding Early Supporters
Some projects use airdrops to reward early adopters and loyal users. These users may receive tokens based on the amount of cryptocurrency they hold or their participation in the project’s ecosystem.
A prime example is the Uniswap (UNI) airdrop in 2020, where users who had interacted with the platform before a certain date received 400 UNI tokens each. Those tokens quickly gained value, with some recipients making thousands of dollars.
3. Decentralization
By distributing tokens to many users, projects aim to decentralize their ownership and governance. This, in turn, helps create a fairer network where decisions are made by a broader group of token holders. A decentralized ownership structure also helps in avoiding control by a few large investors or crypto whales, making the network more resilient.
Top 7 Crypto Airdrops to Join in 2024
1. OMERTA – Web3’s First Crime Mafia Play-to-Earn Game
Airdrop Status: Ongoing
The OMERTA game is a Web3 crime action-adventure game that draws inspiration from classic open-world crime games like GTA and Saints Row. However, in being Web3, the game introduces a fresh twist by incorporating blockchain technology, allowing players to truly own in-game assets and earn real-world rewards.
In essence, OMERTA will provide players the opportunity to explore a crime-filled open-world setting, wherein they can complete missions, build criminal empires, and earn tokens (ticker not announced yet) via play-to-earn mechanics whilst doing so.
To promote the game’s launch, OMERTA’s in-house developer Orbit Cosmos has rolled out an industry-shaking airdrop campaign that insiders are already calling the best crypto airdrop of 2024.
How to Qualify for the OMERTA Airdrop:
Visit omertagame.com and sign up with your email.
Earn XP by completing missions: such as following OMERTA on social platforms like X, YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, and Medium. Here, each follow earns XP.
Share your referral link with friends to earn more XP when they join and complete tasks.
NOTE: According to The Economic Times, the first 10,000 participants to complete all social media tasks and refer at least one active friend will get a boosted token allocation. By design, this reward structure incentivizes participants to act as early as possible.
Why Join the OMERTA Airdrop?
Based on the teaser trailer (watch below) and concept art released so far, OMERTA is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious GameFi projects of 2024. The game's detailed whitepaper also lays out how its rich world of criminal cartels, sprawling city of Brookton setting, and its various gameplay mechanics manifest, along with ambitious tokenomics, plans for an OMERTA DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organization), and more.
Put simply, with GTA6 expected in 2026, interest in crime-based action games will likely hit a peak around the same time. Here, OMERTA will be well-positioned to ride this wave of excitement, as unlike GTA, players will be able to monetize their in-game efforts and achievements in OMERTA.
Even more excitingly, players will even be able to own stakes in in-game businesses (as part of an industry-first OMERTAVERSE blockchain architecture) and will be able to buy assets in the game, invest in B2B and B2C businesses, and climb the ranks of its criminal underworld, all while interacting with a fully decentralised, blockchain-powered economy.
In turn, the current airdrop gives early players a head start, positioning them for even greater rewards once the game fully launches.
2. Mantle – Ethereum Layer-2 Scaling Solution
Airdrop Status: Confirmed
Mantle is an Ethereum layer-2 network focused on improving transaction speed and lowering costs. It offers a modular architecture, using optimistic rollups to provide faster and cheaper transactions while still relying on Ethereum’s security. Mantle’s first airdrop campaign, "Methamorphosis," is live and offers rewards for those who participate.
How to Qualify for Mantle Airdrop:
Visit the Mantle airdrop page and connect your wallet.
Stake ETH to receive mETH (Mantle Staked Ether).
Earn Powder daily by opening mETH positions on partner protocols.
Complete additional tasks on the Mantle quest page to boost your Powder earnings.
Powder can later be converted into COOK tokens, which will act as governance tokens for Mantle.
Why Join Mantle Airdrop?
Mantle is a promising layer-2 network that builds on Ethereum’s strengths. The COOK tokens earned from this airdrop will be central to Mantle’s governance, giving early adopters a chance to influence the project’s future.
3. Fuel – Optimistic Rollup for Ethereum
Airdrop Status: Expected Soon
Fuel is designed to improve scalability and transaction efficiency of the Ethereum network. It aims to solve Ethereum’s high gas fees and slow transaction speeds by allowing multiple transactions to be bundled together and processed off-chain, while still benefiting from Ethereum’s security.
Though the project has not officially announced an airdrop, its Fuel Points program has raised speculation that early users could receive tokens when the mainnet goes live.
How to Qualify for Upcoming Fuel Airdrop:
Install the Fuel wallet.
Join the Fuel testnet by claiming testnet ETH and performing transactions.
Use decentralized applications (dApps) within the Fuel ecosystem.
Stay engaged with the community and participate in platform activities.
Why Join Fuel?
Fuel is quickly emerging as a top contender in Ethereum’s layer-2 scaling solutions. By offering lower gas fees and faster transactions, it addresses key pain points for Ethereum users. While no airdrop is guaranteed, early users of the Fuel testnet may be well-positioned for massive token rewards in the future.
4. Scroll – Layer-2 Ethereum Scaling Solution
Airdrop Status: Expected Soon
Scroll is a layer-2 scaling solution built on Ethereum. It is expected to improve transaction speed and reduce costs while maintaining compatibility with Ethereum's existing infrastructure.
Additionally, Scroll allows developers to easily port their Ethereum-based dApps to Scroll, providing a more efficient and scalable environment. Scroll is still in its testnet phase, and there’s growing anticipation for an upcoming crypto airdrop once the project launches its mainnet.
How to Qualify for Scroll Airdrop:
Add Scroll network to your MetaMask wallet.
Bridge assets from Ethereum to Scroll using the official Scroll bridge.
Use Scroll’s dApps for trading, lending, and liquidity provision.
Mint an NFT or secure a Scroll Network Service (SNS) domain to boost eligibility.
Why Join Scroll Airdrop?
Scroll is gaining attention as an efficient, developer-friendly layer-2 solution for Ethereum. Its seamless compatibility with Ethereum makes it appealing to developers looking for low-cost and high-speed alternatives to Ethereum’s mainnet.
Therefore, early users of the testnet stand a good chance of receiving rewards once Scroll’s mainnet launches, based on the model of retroactive airdrops seen in other layer-2 projects.
5. LayerZero – Blockchain Interoperability Protocol
Airdrop Status: Ongoing
LayerZero is a blockchain interoperability protocol designed to connect different blockchains, enabling seamless cross-chain communication. It allows users to transfer assets and data between various blockchains without the need for third-party bridges. This makes it a powerful tool for developers building decentralized applications (dApps) that need to interact with multiple networks.
How to Qualify for LayerZero Airdrop:
Use cross-chain bridges supported by LayerZero, such as Stargate Bridge.
Make transactions across different blockchain networks using LayerZero.
Provide liquidity on platforms like Stargate Finance.
Stay active within the LayerZero community for updates on eligibility.
Why Join LayerZero Airdrop?
LayerZero is solving a crucial problem in the blockchain world—interoperability. As more blockchains emerge, there’s an increasing need for them to communicate with each other and LayerZero could solve this problem.
In addition, the LayerZero airdrop is currently ongoing. Eligible users who interacted with the protocol by May 1st, 2024, can claim tokens until September 20th, 2024. Participating can reward you with ZRO tokens, which may have utility within the LayerZero ecosystem.
If you are interested in future LayerZero airdrops, interacting with the omnichain interoperability protocol now can be a right
6. Zaros – Perpetuals DEX on Arbitrum & Monad
Airdrop Status: Ongoing
Zaros is a decentralized exchange (DEX) for perpetual trading that operates on the Arbitrum and Monad blockchains. The project is currently in its testnet phase, and participants can earn zPoints, which will be redeemable for the upcoming ZRS token.
How to Qualify for Zaros Airdrop:
Connect your wallet to Zaros on the Arbitrum Sepolia testnet.
Claim testnet ETH through Alchemy or QuickNode.
Mint testnet USDC from Zaros and start trading.
Complete tasks like daily check-ins, trading volume milestones, and sharing referral links to earn zPoints.
The more tasks you complete, the more zPoints you will accumulate, increasing your future ZRS token rewards.
Why Join Zaros?
Zaros offers traders the chance to earn free tokens while testing out a new DEX platform. With its upcoming token launch, this airdrop could benefit those actively participating in the testnet.
7. Blast – Layer-2 Network with Native Yield
Airdrop Status: Ongoing
Blast is a layer-2 blockchain designed to provide automatic yield for ETH and stablecoins. It offers a 4% yield on ETH and 5% on stablecoins through staking and real-world assets (RWA) protocols. Blast is currently airdropping BLAST tokens to users who participated in its first phase.
How to Qualify for Blast Airdrop
Visit the Blast airdrop claim page and sign in to connect your wallet.
Watch the provided video about Blast, and claim your BLAST tokens.
Tweet the required message and install the Blast app to receive codewords.
Enter the codewords back on the claim page to finalize your airdrop.
Continue earning Blast Points by bridging ETH or stablecoins to the platform, which makes you eligible for future airdrops.
Why Join Blast Airdrop?
Blast’s unique feature of native yield on ETH and stablecoins makes it an attractive option for users seeking passive income. The current airdrop also rewards active participants, making it a good long-term opportunity for those interested in staking and DeFi.
How to Maximise Your Chances of Receiving Airdrops in 2024
Here’s how you can maximise your chances of receiving the best free crypto airdrops in 2024.
1. Stay Active on Testnets
Many of the best crypto airdrops target users who engage with a project’s testnet. Testnets allow developers to test their networks before going live, and they often reward users who provide feedback or help identify issues. For example, projects like Fuel and Scroll have active testnets where early users could receive airdrops once the mainnet launches.
2. Use dApps if Available
Many blockchain projects offer airdrops to users who interact with their dApps. This could involve trading, staking, or providing liquidity within the project’s ecosystem. For example, LayerZero encourages users to use its cross-chain functionality, and platforms like Stargate Finance within LayerZero may reward users who actively engage with liquidity pools and staking services.
3. Provide Liquidity or Stake Assets
Liquidity providers (LPs) and stakers are often rewarded in token airdrops. Many DeFi projects use this method to distribute tokens to users who help maintain the liquidity of their platforms. For instance, Mantle rewards users who stake ETH to earn mETH and complete quests on its network.
4. Participate in Governance
Projects often reward users who participate in governance decisions or vote on protocol changes. For example, projects like Scroll and LayerZero may issue governance tokens to users who have actively participated in community discussions or voting on key decisions.
5. Complete Social Media Tasks
Some projects distribute tokens to users who complete specific social media tasks, such as following the project on multiple platforms or referring friends. OMERTA, for example, has an active airdrop campaign where users earn experience points (XP) by following the game on platforms like X, YouTube, and Telegram.
6. Track Potential Airdrops
To avoid missing airdrop opportunities, stay updated by following crypto airdrop tracking platforms like Airdrop.io, DeBank, or CoinMarketCap’s Airdrop Tracker. These platforms compile lists of upcoming and ongoing airdrops, helping you stay ahead of the curve.
Pro Tip: Set notifications for new airdrop listings on tracking platforms or join crypto newsletters to get updates on the latest airdrop opportunities.
7. Be Early
Timing is everything when it comes to airdrops. Many projects reward early adopters who use their platforms before the official token launch, others reward early airdrop participants. OMERTA, for example, has announced a bigger token allocation for the first 10,000 people who complete all missions and refer to one other person.
Pro Tip: Look for projects in their early stages and start interacting with them as soon as possible. The earlier you participate, the better your chances of receiving a future airdrop.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Qualify for a Crypto Airdrop?
Eligibility for best crypto airdrops varies depending on the project, but it often includes tasks like using dApps, bridging tokens, or participating in community activities. Some projects, like OMERTA, make the process even easier by allowing users to qualify simply by following their social media channels and referring friends.
Are Crypto Airdrops Always Free?
Yes, most crypto airdrops are free. However, some of them may have conditions such as paying a small transaction fee to claim tokens.
Can I Participate in Multiple Airdrops Simultaneously?
Yes, of course. There's no limit. In fact, it’s often smart to get involved in multiple airdrops to maximise your rewards.
What Wallets Should I Use for Crypto Airdrops?
You should always use trusted wallets like MetaMask, Trust Wallet, or Ledger for security when claiming and storing airdrop tokens.
How Do I Track New Crypto Airdrops?
Follow platforms like Airdrop Alert, CoinMarketCap’s airdrop tracker, or join dedicated crypto communities to stay updated. For instance, if you want to track OMERTA’s airdrop, you can join the OMERTA’s official discord channel to stay up to date.
