7 Biggest Airdrops of 2025

The crypto airdrop landscape in 2025 delivered some of the most generous token distributions in blockchain history. From Layer 2 scaling solutions to innovative DeFi protocols, projects rewarded early adopters with life-changing sums—some recipients walked away with five and even six-figure payouts simply for using protocols they believed in.

But these airdrops weren't random lottery tickets. They rewarded specific on-chain behaviors, community participation, and strategic positioning. Understanding what qualified users for these distributions offers a roadmap for positioning yourself for future opportunities.

In this retrospective analysis, we'll break down the seven biggest airdrops of 2025, examining the qualifying criteria, distribution mechanics, and key lessons every airdrop hunter should take away.

Starknet's highly anticipated airdrop finally landed in early 2025, distributing over 700 million STRK tokens to early users and contributors. As one of Ethereum's leading Layer 2 scaling solutions using zero-knowledge rollup technology, the project had been building anticipation for years.

Qualifying Activities: - Bridging ETH to Starknet mainnet before the snapshot - Interacting with ecosystem dApps like JediSwap, mySwap, and Ekubo - Holding specific NFT collections on Starknet - GitHub contributors to StarkWare repositories

Key Lesson: Starknet rewarded depth over breadth. Users who made multiple transactions across various protocols received significantly larger allocations than those who simply bridged funds and left them idle. The tiered distribution system heavily favored active participants in the ecosystem.

LayerZero distributed its ZRO token to users of its cross-chain messaging protocol, with top recipients earning tokens worth over $50,000 at peak prices. The distribution rewarded users who had bridged assets across supported chains using LayerZero-powered bridges like Stargate Finance.

Qualifying Activities: - Using Stargate Finance for cross-chain swaps - Interacting with LayerZero OFT (Omnichain Fungible Token) bridges - Messaging across chains using LayerZero infrastructure - Long-term holding and liquidity provision on Stargate

Key Lesson: LayerZero's anti-sybil measures were aggressive. The project used sophisticated on-chain analysis to cluster wallets and reduce allocations for suspected sybil farmers. Organic, single-wallet users received the largest rewards.

zkSync Era rewarded its loyal user base with one of 2025's most substantial airdrops. The distribution allocated 3.67 billion ZK tokens to over 695,000 eligible wallets, making it one of the most widely distributed airdrops in crypto history.

Qualifying Activities: - Bridging assets to zkSync Era - Conducting transactions over multiple distinct months - Interacting with ecosystem protocols like SyncSwap, Mute.io, and SpaceFi - Holding positions in zkSync-native liquidity pools

Key Lesson: Consistency trumped volume. zkSync's formula heavily weighted users who returned to the network month after month, rather than those who conducted hundreds of transactions in a single week. This punished airdrop farmers who rushed activity right before expected snapshots.

Scroll, another Ethereum Layer 2 using zk-rollup technology, surprised the market with a generous airdrop that rewarded patient ecosystem participants. While smaller in total value than some competitors, Scroll's distribution was notable for its fair allocation methodology.

Qualifying Activities: - Early testnet participation and feedback submission - Mainnet bridging and transaction activity - NFT minting on Scroll-native platforms - Providing liquidity on Scroll DEXs

Key Lesson: Scroll rewarded testnet participants generously—a reminder that engaging with projects during their testing phases can yield significant returns. Many users who only discovered Scroll at mainnet launch missed the largest allocation tiers.

EigenLayer pioneered the restaking narrative, allowing ETH stakers to secure additional protocols while earning extra yield. The EIGEN token airdrop rewarded early depositors who had locked their liquid staking tokens (LSTs) into the protocol.

Qualifying Activities: - Depositing stETH, rETH, or cbETH into EigenLayer - Early deposit timing (before TVL caps were reached) - Participating in EigenDA and other AVS integrations - Holding deposits through multiple snapshot periods

Key Lesson: EigenLayer demonstrated the power of early capital commitment. Users who deposited when TVL limits were in place and waitlists were active received dramatically higher allocations than later participants, even those depositing larger amounts.

Monad, the high-performance EVM-compatible Layer 1, delivered a landmark airdrop to its dedicated testnet community. With backing from major VCs including Paradigm, expectations were sky-high—and the distribution didn't disappoint.

Qualifying Activities: - Active testnet participation across multiple campaigns - Discord community engagement and role achievements - Completing Monad-sponsored quests and challenges - Creating educational content about the protocol

Key Lesson: Monad rewarded community building, not just on-chain activity. Users who contributed to Discord discussions, created tutorials, and helped onboard others received meaningful allocation boosts—proving that soft contributions still matter.

Berachain closed out 2025 with one of the year's most unique airdrops. Built on the novel Proof of Liquidity consensus mechanism, Berachain rewarded users who understood and engaged with its innovative tri-token model.

Qualifying Activities: - Testnet transactions and liquidity provision - Holding Bong Bears and affiliated NFT collections - Participating in the Berachain ecosystem galxe campaigns - Early community membership and engagement

Key Lesson: Berachain's airdrop heavily favored NFT holders, with Bong Bears and related collections receiving outsized allocations. This highlighted an emerging trend: projects using NFT ownership as a qualification criterion for token distributions.

Analyzing the biggest airdrops of 2025 reveals clear patterns that can inform your strategy for upcoming opportunities:

1. Early Adoption Pays Exponentially Every major airdrop of 2025 rewarded early users with multipliers or enhanced tiers. The earlier you engage with promising protocols, the better your potential allocation.

2. Consistency Over Intensity Projects increasingly favor users who return month after month over those who cram hundreds of transactions into a single session. Sustainable engagement signals genuine usage.

3. Anti-Sybil Measures Are Sophisticated Simple wallet splitting no longer works. Projects employ advanced on-chain analysis, and suspected sybil clusters face severe penalties or complete disqualification.

4. Community Contribution Matters Discord engagement, content creation, and helping other users can meaningfully boost allocations. Don't underestimate soft contributions.

The biggest airdrops of 2025 collectively distributed billions of dollars to crypto users who positioned themselves correctly. While no future airdrop is guaranteed, the patterns are clear: early adoption, consistent engagement, and genuine community participation consistently outperform mercenary farming strategies.

As you look toward 2026, apply these lessons to promising protocols still in development. Engage with testnets, provide genuine feedback, and build a track record as a valuable community member. The next major airdrop could be months away—and your actions today determine whether you'll be among the recipients.

For more strategies on maximizing your crypto opportunities, check out our comprehensive guide to identifying promising altcoins before they hit the mainstream radar.