I just realized that many newcomers to crypto overlook a fairly accessible way to make money — airdrops. Actually, what is an airdrop and why is it so attractive? It doesn’t require a large capital, just effort and time, and the results can be quite surprising.

An airdrop is essentially a project distributing rewards to early supporters. The rewards can be coins, tokens, NFTs, or early purchase opportunities at favorable prices. New projects often use this method to build communities and distribute tokens initially. In fact, the airdrop budget is usually part of the project’s marketing expenses, so it’s not a scam but a normal business strategy.

The question is, what is an airdrop and how do you start? First, you need to understand that it’s an exchange — you spend time, effort, and possibly money to experience the product in exchange for rewards. Not everyone is suitable. Newcomers with small capital, people who are free and diligent, or those with money but want to experiment with lower risk — they are the ideal targets.

Airdrops come in many forms. DeFi is suitable if you have capital but little time — just send tokens to a platform, which takes a few minutes. Game and NFT airdrops require more time, but the rewards can be huge; for example, Pixel airdropped thousands of dollars to each wallet. Testnet and product experience airdrops are free, suitable for beginners, with the lowest risk. ARKM is a good example — just testing the product, no money spent, each person received $200–$300 when the token hit $0.8.

When starting out, you need to prepare the basics. Knowledge is the most important — you must understand the market to choose the right opportunities. You also need to master wallet operations and on-chain transactions. Social media accounts like Telegram, Discord, X are mandatory. And of course, money, effort, and time — the three essential factors.

How to allocate resources reasonably? In my opinion, 65% for high-potential opportunities, 25% for risky ones, and 10% reserved for unexpected chances. The key is not to spread yourself too thin. Doing too many opportunities will lead to abandoning them all, while focusing on fewer good ones is more effective.

The benefits of airdrops are clear — you have the chance to receive tokens and sell for profit. Moreover, you can establish a good position to stay involved long-term with the project; for example, Sui airdropped WL (whitelist) access bought early at $0.03, with the lowest price later reaching $0.35. During the process, you will learn a lot about the market, connect with the community, and develop skills.

But the risks are not small. Losing money is the biggest risk, especially with opportunities that require fees. Scams are very common — fake links, impersonation invites, all can happen. And opportunity risk — you put in effort but might get nothing. No opportunity is 100% guaranteed.

The important thing is to see airdrops as a second job, not a main income source. You need diligence, the ability to learn, and perseverance. Immerse yourself in the market, seize every opportunity, but also know how to manage risks. If done correctly, airdrops can be a pretty good way to start your crypto journey.