How to take part in airdrops safely

Airdrops and points programs are among the most popular topics in crypto, and for the same reason one of scammers’ favourite hunting grounds. The good news: a few simple habits remove most of the risk.

1. Never give anyone your seed phrase

The 12 or 24 words that restore your wallet are the wallet. Anyone who knows them can take your funds. No real airdrop, support team or app will ever ask for them; anyone who does is a scammer.

2. Open links from official sources, not from search results or messages

Fake sites can be exact copies of the real thing and can even appear at the top of search ads. Cross-check a project’s address against its official X account and docs, and bookmark it once verified. Ignore DMs and e-mails saying “your airdrop is ready, claim now”.

3. Use a separate “airdrop wallet”

Do not connect the wallet that holds your savings to experimental projects. Open a second wallet with only what you need for fees and participation. If something goes wrong, the damage stays limited.

4. Read the “approve” screen

Many thefts happen through a single signature that grants unlimited spending from your wallet. Before signing, check what you approve: if you see an “unlimited” allowance, an unknown contract or a token unrelated to what you are doing, stop.

5. Points programs come with no guarantee

In most programs the token has not been announced, and points may turn into nothing. Trading big volumes or using leverage just to earn points can cost more in fees and losses than any reward.

Find current programs on our Airdrop tracker and terms in our Glossary.