Airdrops are not a zero-sum game chip; they should not be a harvesting tool. They should become the trust infrastructure of the industry.

Author: Ice Frog

Last year, I wrote an article titled “How to Manage Airdrop Expectations: The Correct Approach for Projects to Have a 'Big Picture'”.

However, reality ironically showed me another side of the industry—user expectations collapsed, project trust bankrupted, and capital fell into a vicious cycle, forcing me to enter the rights protection arena.

Airdrops have also degenerated from growth engines into a "harvesting game," until the emergence of the Initia airdrop, which not only validated my viewpoint but also proved that an airdrop "with no losers" is possible.

The Initia airdrop demonstrated to the entire industry what a big picture looks like: building trust through transparency, managing expectations with reasonable rules, making airdrops not just a marketing tool but a foundational infrastructure for project governance.

1. Initia Airdrop Strategy: Reject PUA, Reject Showboating, Return to Simple User Operation Thinking

In September last year, the two co-founders of Initia had an interview where the core idea was to maintain a high degree of consistency between the project and the community and to create a long-lasting wealth effect, clearly opposing short-termism. From the analysis in the first part and the founder's statements, you will find that from product design to token economics design to the final airdrop, the project is indeed practicing long-termism.

Upon careful analysis, Initia's airdrop does not have any particularly superior airdrop strategies, nor does it engage in manipulative tactics to entice users. Especially, the entire airdrop is almost "de-KOL-ized," which I call a simple yet very effective "marketplace philosophy." Nothing more than fairness, integrity, and transparency.

1⃣ Transparency: Predefined Rules, Transparent Progress

In the airdrop, the project clearly provided incentives during the first testnet task phase and, after completion, did not delay or equivocate, clearly informing users that there would be no further incentives.

Secondly, during the entire airdrop period, an anti-cheating mechanism was initiated during the testnet phase, rather than modifying rules afterward, eliminating concerns about insider trading. Unlike some projects that ambiguously allow bots to inflate volume and then sharpen their knives once the airdrop begins.

This is like a customer going to a clearly priced marketplace; you can see the prices upon entry, and you decide whether to buy, rather than being misled by a sign that says lamb but actually sells dog meat.

2⃣ Fairness: Inclusive Airdrop, Dynamic Adjustment

Another distinct feature of this airdrop is that, unlike traditional projects designed around KOLs and whales, Initia created a highly inclusive token distribution framework with a very high vision.

Zero-threshold coverage: Most users only need to complete two tweets to receive 400+ tokens, bringing participation rights down to real user groups.

Long-tail incentive design: The airdrop covers 4,000 users based on YAP points (far exceeding the top 100 model on the YAP leaderboard), allowing small and medium participants to receive returns that match their contributions.

Dynamic adjustment mechanism: Excluding 1 million low-tier users, more tokens are allocated to deeply engaged participants, creating a positive feedback loop where the more active you are, the higher your rewards.

Throughout the process, whether you are a KOL or an ordinary user, the focus is on the fairness of the rules rather than the KOL's sales effect.

3⃣ Integrity: Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Reject PUA

On this point, the project has demonstrated this in multiple instances, with basically no vague promises. The founder tweeted that the TGE would start at the end of the month, and it was promptly initiated at the end of the month.

Additionally, the development progress of the testnet and mainnet is basically consistent, with a clear planning route for the remaining three months after 70%; the same applies to the airdrop, with the testnet deadline communicated clearly on Twitter and Discord, following through on promises.

2. Initia Made Users Feel True Long-termism

Based on the above three points, it is not difficult to understand why community users voluntarily maintain the project, allowing users to feel true long-termism rather than short-term speculative games. This accumulation of trust transforms users from indifferent "airdrop hunters" into organic participants in the project, even actively promoting and defending the ecosystem. When rules are clear, interests are bound, and values coexist, community stickiness and loyalty naturally form.

Initia proves that the core of the decentralized world is not KOLs but the silent majority. Traditional project airdrops often revolve around KOLs and whales, leading ordinary users to become "runners." Initia's strategy emphasizes inclusivity, contribution quantification, and transparent fulfillment, allowing every real user to receive matching rewards.

From a business perspective, Initia's success does not rely on complex "magic tricks" but rather returns to the most basic business ethics: long-termism never requires flashy designs; it only needs to fulfill simple promises 100%, and that’s it.

This is evident in the century-old shops and marketplace operations in the real physical world—simple, yet capable of earning sustained trust.

3. Outlook Discussion: What Kind of Airdrop Does the Industry Really Need?

Is there a need for airdrops in this industry? I believe Initia has already provided the answer. I am confident that if this sincere operational method continues and technical development persists, the vitality and height of this project may exceed our imagination.

In this industry, airdrops seem to be going increasingly awry, with most projects indulging in grand narratives while failing in airdrops. Initia proves that as long as you can honestly make a bowl of noodles, this sincerity is far more vital than a fictitious banquet. This is a very simple operational philosophy, but I believe it could be a breakthrough point.

Airdrops are not a zero-sum game chip; they should not be a harvesting tool. They should become the trust infrastructure of the industry. In the current industry, a good airdrop is nothing more than: transparency (verifiable rules), quantifiable contributions (fairness), accumulable rewards (long-termism), value diffusion (ecosystem binding), and promises that can be fulfilled (integrity).

A deeper consideration is whether project parties and capital view users as traffic or assets. If you do not treat users as assets to operate but merely as traffic, then this opposition, distortion, and even rights protection will not cease.

The crypto industry is still in a cold start phase, and airdrops remain a necessary market tool. However, if users are only seen as traffic rather than long-term assets, the industry will fall into a vicious cycle of "short-term user arbitrage - project harvesting - market trust collapse." What the industry needs is not a revolution in airdrop production relations but a shared understanding of rule details between project parties and capital.

Perhaps we can say it is time for a supply-side reform of airdrops!

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