ZK Nation, the team behind ZKsync, addressed the community’s questions and concerns regarding the upcoming ZKsync airdrop by providing a detailed explanation on June 13. The clarification aimed to ensure fairness and reward long-term commitment within the community. The airdrop announcement included distributing 3.675 billion ZK tokens to 695,232 wallets, constituting 17.5% of the total token supply of 21 billion. The upcoming airdrop was divided into two main categories: users and contributors, with users needing to bridge crypto-assets to the ZKsync Era and meet at least one of seven eligibility criteria to qualify.
Despite meeting all criteria, some users with smaller average holdings may not have qualified for the airdrop due to a complex formula that considered the amount sent to ZKsync Era and the duration the assets stayed in the wallet. This led to a loss of confidence in the airdrop and a decrease in the project’s Total Value Locked (TVL). The user-based allocation aimed to reward a diverse group of ZKsync Era users by identifying those who bridged assets and providing a multiplier bonus for organic behaviors. Contributors, comprising developers, researchers, communities, and companies contributing to the ZKsync protocol and ecosystem, were allocated 11% of the airdrop regardless of network usage or ZKsync Era activity.
The ZKsync community detailed the factors determining the ZKsync airdrop allocations, which included the number of conditions met, the amount bridged and held on ZKsync Era, and a bonus multiplier for specific behaviors and groups. Transaction volume alone did not impact allocation size, as results had to exceed ZK 450 to qualify for the airdrop. Value scaling played a significant role in rewarding users who maintained assets over time in the ZKsync Era, with allocations adjusted based on the amounts sent and the duration of holding. For example, an address holding $100 since the mainnet launch was weighted more favorably than one that deposited $100 shortly before the snapshot. ZKsync Lite users could earn up to two eligibility points but still needed to bridge assets to ZKsync Era to qualify for the airdrop.
The ZKsync community aimed to reward committed community members through the airdrop by ensuring that real users who felt part of the community were recognized. Real users tend to take more risks, explore new protocols, and hold speculative assets when they are engaged in a community. The allocation process included a multiplier bonus for organic behaviors to incentivize participation and engagement within the ZKsync ecosystem. Contributors, who played a significant role in the development and expansion of the ZKsync protocol and ecosystem, were also recognized and allocated a portion of the airdrop based on their contributions to GitHub repositories, security research, community moderation, and participation in various ZKsync-related communities.
The ZKsync community’s explanation and detailed breakdown of the airdrop allocation factors aimed to address concerns and ensure transparency in the distribution process. By outlining the eligibility criteria, allocation factors, and multiplier bonuses for specific behaviors, the community sought to reward long-term commitment, community engagement, and contributions to the ZKsync ecosystem. Despite initial criticisms and a drop in Total Value Locked following the announcement, the ZKsync team remains committed to fostering a fair and inclusive community through the airdrop distribution process. The upcoming airdrop will distribute billions of ZK tokens to eligible users and contributors, recognizing their participation and contributions to the ZKsync community.
