Airdrops were once a low-threshold way to enter Web3, but now "grabbing airdrops" has lost its appeal due to chaos and rule changes. This article reviews the history and current state of airdrops, analyzes the end of the personal "grabbing" era, and proposes a new path to becoming a "Web3 expert" by learning, researching, and genuinely participating to seize long-term opportunities in Web3.
Introduction
Everyone has been talking about "grabbing airdrops" lately. Because it not only allows you to learn knowledge but also to earn some small money, it is the most economical and effective way for many people to enter Web3. But to be honest, I don't like grabbing airdrops, especially the word "grab," which immediately makes me think of "shearing sheep" and "taking shortcuts."
1. The Past and Present of Grabbing Airdrops
1. What is "grabbing airdrops"?
Airdrops are the most unique incentive method in the Web3 world. Project teams airdrop free tokens to attract early users to experience products, test features, and participate in the community. Grabbing airdrops, simply put, means: registering multiple wallets, interacting with projects, and if conditions are met, hoping for potential future gains.
2. The Golden Age of Grabbing Airdrops
I remember the beginning was in 2020 with Uniswap, which directly gave 400 UNI to anyone who used the product just once, distributing 400 UNI to all users, worth about $1,400. This was a true airdrop, sunshine for all. Later projects like ARB, ENS, and APE also brought high returns; at that time, as long as you were a user, you could receive rewards—fair, transparent, and open to everyone.
3. The Chaos of Grabbing Airdrops
However, with the popularity of airdrops, various "studios" and "scientists" began to emerge—using multiple accounts to interact, batch grabbing, and engaging in witch-hunt competitions. What appeared? Recruiting agents, selling three-piece sets, fingerprint browsers, and scripts simulating real user behavior. Even KYC could be done by someone else. Now, the internet is filled with "some project airdrop tutorials" and "how to level up with multiple accounts," completely changing the game.
4. Grabbing Airdrops as a Product of a Special Era
In the early days, airdrops were a conspiracy among three parties—capital wanted data, projects wanted users, and users wanted opportunities—everyone was happy. But now, project teams and VCs no longer need you to inflate user numbers. Just look at the complex rules set by last year's major projects like layerzero and zksync; the thresholds are so high, with over 6 million interacting addresses, but in the end, only about 10% of those addresses met the airdrop criteria.
5. Times Have Changed
In less than four years, the rules and landscape of the airdrop field have undergone significant changes. For invitation-based airdrop projects, you can't compete with those KOL self-media traffic bloggers. For staking-based airdrop projects, you can't compete with those whale investors. When it comes to the number of wallets, you can't compete with those grabbing studios. Some projects even have issues with insider trading and internal wallets, continuing to deprive ordinary users of fair participation in airdrops. The personal grabbing era has ended.
2. Embracing the Era of "Web3 Experts"
Since the path of grabbing airdrops is becoming increasingly difficult, what opportunities are left for ordinary people? I suggest everyone change their mindset, no longer "grabbing airdrops," but instead becoming a "Web3 expert."
1. What is a Web3 Expert?
A Web3 expert is not based on quantity or scripts, but on understanding and judgment. They understand on-chain rules, project logic, and can interpret data. They don't just "grab"; they are researching, practicing, and participating in the ecosystem.
2. What are the Core Abilities Behind a Web3 Expert?
Choosing projects: Able to pick out potential projects that are truly worth participating in from a pile of projects.
Interacting: Knowing what real interaction is—not inflating numbers, but using the product.
Using tools: Proficient in using common on-chain tools.
Capturing trends: Web3 changes rapidly, so one must be able to keenly capture trends.
Assessing risks: Understanding which behaviors are worthwhile, which are pitfalls, and which should be avoided.
Cognitive framework: From one project, seeing through an entire track; from one track, understanding the overall logic of Web3.
3. Can Web3 Experts Earn Returns?
As long as Web3 exists, airdrops will certainly exist; I believe this. But future airdrop rules will increasingly favor real users, loyal participants, and contributors, which is precisely the domain of Web3 experts. While it may not be possible to get rich overnight, there is a chance to obtain long-term, stable, multi-project early opportunities.
3. Conclusion
So, stop "grabbing airdrops" and choose to become a "Web3 expert." Participate in this industry in a more long-term and healthier way. This path is not a shortcut, but it is definitely a direction towards long-term value.
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