Top 5 crypto airdrops in 2025—The last one sent markets into a frenzy

In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency, airdrops are emerging as one of the most compelling and potentially lucrative ways to engage with the latest blockchain innovations. This year, airdrops have matured from simple token giveaways into strategic distribution mechanisms. They are no longer here to reward early adopters, but to ignite ecosystems across gaming, DeFi, AI, and NFT communities.

As more Layer-1 and Layer-2 projects launch, these token drops have become essential tools for building awareness, decentralizing governance, and sparking viral community momentum. But legitimate airdrops require much research and shouldn’t be jumped on just for their flashy campaign.

CoinHeadlines has curated a list of the top five airdrops of 2025, highlighting their unique value, what was their criteria to qualify, and why they stand out amid a crowded airdrop landscape. 

1. Berachain (BERA)

This proof-of-liquidity Layer 1 blockchain, was launched on its mainnet on February 6, 2025. This was accompanied by a massive $632 million airdrop. The distribution included ~79 million BERA tokens, comprising 15.8% of the initial 500 million supply. This was a DeFi / Network launch, and early users, content creators, and community contributors were eligible via profile access. Airdrop recipients included testnet users, Bong Bears, and other ecosystem NFT holders. Binance BNB simple-earn subscribers were included too. The airdrop was a success; however, some testers expressed frustration over small or zero allocations despite extensive participation.

2.  Kaito AI (KAITO) 

This is an AI / DeFi hybrid project for an InfoFi platform that will enable user reputation through social engagement. The airdrop will be distributed via “Yaps” with a total estimated value of ~$200.4 million. Holders of Genesis NFTs, program participants, and Binance BNB Earn users were eligible and the distribution happened in 3 phases. 

Phase 1 was on Dec 20, 2024 and was reserved for early users with linked EVM/Solana wallets (~66% supply). Phase 2 was on 2 days later and required >0 Yap points or >10 smart followers (~33% supply). Phase 3 was the public mint of the remaining supply, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The claim went live in mid-February 2025. Many Reddit users reported that they earned small KAITO amounts without even linking their X accounts or yap points.

3.  Story Protocol (IP)

Story Protocol is a Layer 1 blockchain enabling creators to tokenize intellectual property (IP). This is done using tools like Proof of Creativity and Programmable IP Licenses (PIL). The Genesis block was launched on January 19, 2025, while the claim portal opened on February 13, for a 30-day claim window. And this was for a Content / Data streaming platform. The project was estimated to rake in $190 million.

Users needed at least 20 points on Gitcoin Passport to be eligible. 10% of the total 1 billion $IP tokens were set aside for airdrop. Of this, 5% was distributed to the community, and 5% to ecosystem partners. Added to the regular claim window, a “Singularity Period” followed, wherein for the next 42 days, tokens could be staked, but no additional rewards were distributed. Community sentiment was strong, with many reporting triple-digit gains. Since the drop, IP token has been surging in trade with over 500% to highs of $7.30 and peaks of up to 10,000% intraday.

4. Solayer Labs (LAYER)

Solayer is a high-performance Solana infrastructure project aiming to provide restaking and ultra-low latency blockchain services via custom hardware. The claim period ran from February 11 to March 4, 2025. And DeFi users interacting with synthetic assets were made eligible for this project. In its first season, 12% of total LAYER tokens (i.e., 120 million) were distributed to community members, partners, and liquidity providers. Over 250,000 addresses were eligible, and their estimated value was ~$123.6 million.

As part of its season 2, it launched the “Emerald Rewards” program. These were on-chain rewards tied to real-world spending via the “Emerald Card”. One can pre-order the Solayer Emerald Card for $75 (or $10 activation fee for Genesis Airdrop participants)

5. Pudgy Penguins ($PENGU)

Pudgy Penguins, an NFT icon, launched the $PENGU token on Solana, touted as one of the largest Web3 airdrops ever. The token plays a key role in their gaming, streaming, and retail ecosystem via Abstract Layer 2. The airdrop started December 17, 2024, with an 88-day claim window ending March 14, 2025.

 Holders of Pudgy Penguins NFTs (original, Lil Pudgys, Rogs, SBTs) were eligible, with no snapshot. ~25% of supply reserved for active users of the broader Solana ecosystem. Abstract L2 powers connectivity between Pudgy Toys, Pudgy World, and the token claim process via LayerZero bridges, rewarding activity within the ecosystem. Moreover, unclaimed tokens were burned after the claim period. 

While the token is trading at $0.03171 at the time of publishing, the token has gained 1.18% in the past 1 month according to CoinMarketCap data.

Upcoming airdrops to watch

Rumored or expected airdrops in the latter half of 2025 include Monad, which is a high-performance blockchain with impressive specs like 10,000 TPS and 1-second block times. Participating in its testnet could earn you tokens. Or you can check out Mitosis, which is a cross-chain interoperability platform. The anticipated airdrop will reward testnet participants who help test bridging features. AI-powered platform used for building AI agents, Spectral Labs, too, is planning an airdrop. They’re allocating 10.3% of SPEC tokens in their upcoming airdrop campaign.

These launches represent a diverse set of airdrop models, from infrastructure and interoperability to AI. One can prepare early to maximize eligibility, but also be alert and check official project channels to reap the maximum benefits.