Recently immersed in product iteration and trading operations, I rarely take the time to organize some accumulated thoughts. This time I want to discuss two topics I have been paying close attention to—airdrops and the KOL ecosystem, as these two areas directly impact the earnings and career paths of many participants.



**The Changing Landscape of Airdrops**

Since the second half of 2025, the market has sent very clear signals: rising interest in Perp, frequent IDOs, but the difficulty of airdrops has risen sharply. The era of small bets with big gains is over; now it’s about a comprehensive assessment of cognitive reserves, capital scale, and mental endurance.

This is not accidental but an inevitable stage of market evolution. Some still cling to the old methodology of checking in and刷TX for rewards—that’s living in a past illusion. VCs are already awake, project teams are adjusting strategies, and only some people have not kept up with the rhythm.

The upcoming game rules are only three words: Capital, Authenticity, Professionalism. This is the main direction, with no detours.

So stop prejudging Perp products, and don’t reject aggregation platforms. Even more, as long as policies permit, actively engage in the prediction track—these are currently the most active traffic carriers in the market. Lower unrealistic expectations, and use financial thinking rather than naive tactics to evaluate opportunities. The sooner you shift to the rhythm, the more comfortable your operational space will be later.

**The Reality of the KOL Ecosystem**

Small market fluctuations can turn into major crises for ordinary KOLs. If you only see KOLs as a label or farm tag, you will eventually be ruthlessly淘汰 by market cycles.

I’ve spoken with many mid-tier content creators, and their feelings are the same—their promotional collaborations have almost frozen this quarter. Opportunities to provide promotional funds are shrinking, and competition is intensifying. For creators relying on collaborations for income, the pressure is very real.
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MeaninglessGwei
· 01-18 13:33
Alright, now we're really shifting to a financial mindset. The era of grabbing profits is truly over.

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Regarding KOLs, I see it quite clearly. Many people rely solely on promotion fees to survive, and now they’re being squeezed hard.

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The words "funds," "authenticity," and "professionalism" are correct, but most people still lack money and awareness. How can they play the game?

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Honestly, I’ve been playing Perp for a while, but I can’t stand those who complain about project teams while grabbing profits.

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After this cleanup, I feel that 99% of KOLs should be prepared for unemployment. Don’t believe it? Just watch.

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Trying to make money by just signing in and spamming TX? Wake up, brother. That’s a thing of 2023.

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It’s indeed tough for mid-tier creators without collaboration fees, but it’s not the market’s fault—just a cycle issue.
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ChainWallflower
· 01-17 06:42
The mindset of just grabbing profits needs to change; indeed, funds are the hard currency.

KOLs feel this deeply—promotion costs have been decreasing, but the slogans are getting louder.

It's been obvious that the sign-in party is still dreaming—wake up, everyone.

It's a bit harsh, but everything said is correct—it's time to focus on professionalism.

The recent hype around Perp has indeed picked up; we can't keep pretending not to see it.
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MoneyBurnerSociety
· 01-16 04:57
Haha, you're so right. Over the past few months, I've been relying on Perp as a contrarian indicator. Airdrops are no longer worth it; they're too exhausting and unprofitable.

I’ve given the words "funds," "authenticity," and "professionalism" a big negative alpha crown. Now it's just a matter of who liquidates whom first.

The KOL side really hits home; freezing collaboration fees is a reality. Several bloggers around me have shifted to become traders—more reliable than writing articles...

Honestly, stop chasing after trivial gains; that was a dream from the last cycle.

To be honest, I’ve stepped on pitfalls in all the current tracks. I lost quite a bit with Perp, but at least it has genuine traffic.

Mid-tier creators are indeed struggling; even small market fluctuations can wipe people out. I've seen too many cases.
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just_another_fish
· 01-16 04:55
Yeah, there is some substance, but to be honest, it's still the same logic—if you have no money and no connections, don't bother.

It's very realistic; these days, it's really hard to succeed as a KOL, many people are still living in fantasy.

The old method of signing in and刷TX is really outdated; no one stands a chance these days.

Switching from a scalp mentality to a financial mindset sounds simple, but actually doing it is outrageous.

I've also heard about the quarterly freeze on KOL promotional releases; the pressure is indeed immense.

I agree that the Perp hype is rising, but I'm a bit skeptical about whether aggregation platforms are really reliable.

Funds, authenticity, professionalism—it's easy to say, but actually doing it is another story.

The market's ruthless cycle of cleansing is so true—many people got caught off guard.

The era of betting small to win big is over; those small retail investors feel this most deeply.
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SatoshiLeftOnRead
· 01-16 04:40
Checking in and刷TX is long overdue to die, anyone still playing that is just self-entertaining

Airdrop thresholds going up is actually a good thing, it can filter out a large wave of amateurs

KOL is just a cyclical game, it can't sustain without real money backing

Funds, authenticity, and professionalism are the three key words, all other tricks are虚的

Perp is indeed the hottest track right now, some people are still rejecting it, which is just ridiculous

Promotion freezes are normal, during this cycle creators are already having a hard time

Not everyone can survive until the next opportunity, that's the reality
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