Airdrop

The distribution of tokens to multiple addresses, typically to promote a project or reward users for past activity. Some airdrops are sent automatically, while others must be actively claimed through an on-chain transaction. The presence of unsolicited airdropped tokens at an address does not by itself demonstrate any interaction by its controller; claiming tokens, however, provides evidence of activity by whoever controlled the signing key at the time.

Airdrops can incentivise farming, in which users perform activities to qualify for token rewards, and sybil farming, in which they use multiple addresses or identities to obtain a disproportionate share. When rewards are claimed or consolidated, common funding sources, shared withdrawal destinations and subsequent transfers can help link addresses that initially appear unrelated. Projects may also publish lists of addresses identified as sybil, providing potentially useful attribution leads that should be treated as the project's own assessments rather than independently verified facts.

Fake airdrops, often involving counterfeit tokens, are a common phishing tactic. Token names or metadata may direct recipients to malicious websites that trick them into signing transactions or granting token approvals, potentially enabling attackers to transfer their assets.