A cryptocurrency airdrop is like a surprise party thrown by a marketing team. They toss coins or tokens into the wallets of unsuspecting, yet active, blockchain enthusiasts. Why, you ask? Well, usually in exchange for being an early-adopter, network-user, and social butterfly within the community. The end game? To create buzz around their shiny new product or network and its token, like a proud parent showing off their child's first steps. 👣

Latest notable airdrop

Recently, the Arbitrum team expressed gratitude to their early adopters by distributing over 1 billion ARB tokens. 🪂 Fortunate recipients were gifted between 1,250 and 10,250 tokens. At today's value of $1.44 per token, that’s a delightful reward! After this, the curiosity about airdrops reached new highs.

zkSync is a trustless layer 2 protocol that makes Ethereum payments faster and cheaper, using zkRollup technology. It uses clever zero-knowledge tech to keep users' funds safe while improving speed, openness, and other features of the main network. 🔒🚀

Matter Labs, the brain behind zkSync, wrapped up their Series C round in 2022 with a cool $200M, pushing their total funding to an impressive $458 million. By comparison, Arbitrum's team raised $143.7M. While this doesn't assure heftier airdrop rewards, it certainly paints a bright picture for the future. 🌟

While the team has not officially confirmed an airdrop they already announced that there will be a token for the network!

Here's a little backstory: there are a few versions of zkSync. In 2020, Matter Labs introduced zkSync 1.0 (zkSync Lite), and in 2022, they announced the testnet for the updated version 2.0 (zkSync Era).In February 2023, the team launched the zkSync Era mainnet. To maximize your chances, it is recommend to engage with all of these versions.

Here are the typical primary factors for airdrops:

1. Consistent transactions over a specific period (usually months).

2. The number of smart contracts you've engaged with on the network.

3. The total number of transactions completed on the network.

4. The overall transaction value in dollars generated on the network.

5. The dollar amount held on the network.

zkSync Lite steps

1) Start by bridging some ETH from the ETH network (recommended) to zkSync Lite using one of the following links:

• lite.zksync.io

• layerswap.io

• trade.zigzag.exchange

• orbiter.finance

A recommended amount is 0.1 ETH. Bridge in and out monthly using the bridges listed above.

2) Engage in trading on the network at trade.zigzag.exchange.

3) Unleash your inner artist and mint an NFT. Sign up at pinata.cloud, upload a masterpiece (or any random picture), and copy the CID. Then, head over to lite.zksync.io and mint your NFT using the CID. Voilà!

That should be enough for Lite version.

zkSync Era steps

Round 2!

1) Bridge some ETH (0.1 suggested) to zkSync Era from Ethereum network (or from zkSync Lite using orbiter.finance). You can beam it using either http://bridge.zksync.io or layerswap.io.

More bridges to explore: app.multichain.org, app.symbiosis.finance, cbridge.celer.network. But beware, bridges are blockchain's Achilles' heel and are vulnerable to hacks.

2) Go to these DEXs and swap any coins on zkSync Era network
swap-zksync.spacefi.io, syncswap.xyz, app.mute.io, app.velocore.xyz. Additionally, provide small amounts of liquidity on these apps and withdraw it every couple weeks.

3) Crave more on-chain action? Try lending/borrowing on app.nexon.finance. Also, mint a zkSync domain (longer domains = cheaper) at app.zkns.domains. Keep in mind, engaging with more smart contracts and transactions is likely to boost your position in the ranking system!

4) Revisit the NFT realm: Head to mintsquare.io, upload a picture, and mint your very own NFT treasure.

Bear in mind that fueling this crypto adventure might burn a pretty penny in gas fees. It is suggested pacing yourself with just a few transactions per week, as you're in it for the long run. No need to sprint; in fact, cramming all those transactions into a short window and then going radio silent could actually put a dent in your ranking.

zkSync Testnet steps

To participate on testnet you’ll need to get some tokens first, don’t worry this time it’s free. Grab your complimentary test ETH at - goerli.portal.zksync.io

You can use testnet with these apps - app.mute.io, mintsquare.io, syncswap.xyz. Just remember to switch the network to zkSync Era Testnet in the top-right corner of the site.

Do swaps, provide liquidity and mint NFTs, this time you won’t burn actual money on gas fees. While Testnet participation might not be a game-changer for qualification, leaving your mark there surely won't hurt.

As airdrops grow popular, sneaky hackers trick users by pretending to be major platforms and sending fake tokens. Clicking these tokens can take you to a fake website that looks like a famous project's site. These scam sites often ask you to connect your wallet, share your seed phrase, or even send money to get more tokens. Remember, real airdrops never ask for payment. To avoid scams, bookmark trusted websites or type their URLs manually.

Also, consider making a separate wallet just for airdrops to keep your funds extra safe. This way, even if you accidentally visit a scam site, your main FUNDS ARE SAFU. 🔐