Shardeum, a Layer 1 blockchain network with a growing global community, is preparing for its mainnet launch with a structured airdrop campaign aimed at early contributors. A total of 5.5 million SHM tokens will be distributed across 63,000 eligible wallets, making it one of the more extensive community-driven distributions in the space. The initiative is designed to acknowledge and reward participants who have engaged with Shardeum’s testnets since its inception.
The airdrop has been structured in two distinct phases, each catering to different groups of contributors:
- Phase 1 recognizes the efforts of those who participated in the Liberty Alphanet and Sphinx Betanet from February 2022 to June 2024. A snapshot of these early adopters was taken on June 22, 2024, determining their eligibility for a total allocation of 3.3 million SHM.
- Phase 2 focuses on those who engaged with Shardeum’s Atomium Incentivized Testnet (ITN) from June 2024 to March 2025, with a snapshot taken on March 1, 2025. Participants in this phase stand to receive a combined total of 2.1 million SHM.
Shardeum has outlined how tokens will be distributed among different types of contributors. Those involved in on-chain activities, such as executing transactions, interacting with smart contracts, and maintaining active participation during Phase 1 as well as being among the top performers in the Incentivized Testnet (ITN) quest platform will receive their share based on network interactions and engagement levels.
Validators, who have dedicated time and resources to running nodes, will be rewarded according to node hours, participation across network versions during Phase 1, and their overall contribution during the Incentivized Testnet quests to the network stability.
Off-chain contributors, including content creators, community moderators, and those involved in marketing efforts, are also recognized, with allocations based on factors such as consistency and impact.
Ensuring fairness in distribution, Shardeum has implemented a strict exclusion policy to prevent abuse and Sybil attacks. Wallets belonging to the Shardeum Foundation, its partners, and sanctioned entities have been disqualified from participation. Additionally, a multi-layered Sybil detection process has been put in place, leveraging advanced clustering algorithms and machine learning models to detect fraudulent activity across various blockchain networks.
Next Steps
For those eligible, registration for the airdrop is a straightforward process. Between March 14 and March 21, 2025, participants can visit the official airdrop registration page, connect their wallet, and verify their eligibility.
Upon successful registration, SHM tokens will be automatically allocated and distributed at the Token Generation Event (TGE). Those who miss the initial window but register between March 22 and April 13, 2025, will still receive their tokens, with a delayed distribution scheduled for June 2025.
While this airdrop marks a significant milestone, it represents just the beginning of Shardeum’s broader incentive initiatives. With over 19 million SHM allocated for future campaigns post-mainnet, the network aims to further support ecosystem growth and engagement. Additional incentive programs and reward mechanisms are expected as Shardeum continues to develop.
Shardeum has also issued a caution regarding potential scams and unofficial sources. Participants are advised to register only through the official airdrop portal and stay informed via Shardeum’s verified communication channels. As the mainnet launch approaches, the network continues to focus on ensuring a fair and transparent distribution process for its contributors.
About Shardeum
Shardeum is an autoscaling EVM-based layer-1 blockchain. Dynamic state sharding helps keep gas fees low and TPS high as participation grows. Shardeum performs consensus at the transaction level and lowers the computational power needed for validator nodes. This consensus mechanism makes it possible for anyone to run a node while increasing decentralization.
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