Monad has officially launched the airdrop eligibility checker, and as expected, reactions have been mixed. Some users are celebrating unexpected eligibility, while others — who dedicated significant time and effort to the project — are frustrated after seeing the dreaded “Not Eligible” message.
This kind of emotional rollercoaster isn’t new in the world of crypto airdrops, especially when testnets are involved. Every time a major airdrop campaign goes live, some people feel rewarded for minimal effort, while others who went above and beyond walk away empty-handed.
Today, let’s break down what actually happened with the Monad Airdrop, how eligibility was determined, and why the community is so divided.
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Disappointment and Excitement Across the Community
Whenever a testnet campaign transitions into a real airdrop, expectations skyrocket. People spend months interacting with dApps, running nodes, joining communities, and completing quests — hoping that their effort translates into meaningful rewards.
But the truth is that testnets attract massive participation. Since they’re free to interact with, they inevitably fill up with bot farms and sybil wallets, alongside thousands of genuine users. That means the competition is fierce, and most people forget that only a small percentage of participants will ever qualify.
That’s exactly what happened with Monad. While many users were excited to finally check their status, frustration quickly grew as countless testnet participants — some with months of consistent activity — found out they weren’t eligible, while random wallets with minimal on-chain presence were.
This led to a wave of FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) across X (Twitter) and Telegram, with accusations of unfair distribution and random selection. But when you look closer at Monad’s methodology, the selection wasn’t random at all — it was deeply data-driven and focused on quality over quantity.
Understanding Monad’s Airdrop Criteria
The Monad (MON) airdrop is based on a combination of on-chain and off-chain activity, aiming to reward authentic contributors while filtering out automated behavior.
The snapshot was taken on September 30, 2025, at 23:59 UTC, and eligible users can claim their rewards until November 3, 2025, through the official portal.
Eligibility was determined using five main tracks, each representing a different type of contributor, combined with advanced anti-sybil detection systems that include AI analysis (via Trusta Labs), manual verification, and community input through tools like Monad Recognizer and Monad Cards.
Let’s look at each track in detail.
Track 1 – Monad Community (Largest Allocation)
This category rewards long-term and impactful community members, identified manually through social graph analysis and qualitative contributions — such as creative initiatives, community support, and organic growth efforts.
- Focus: Recognized members with consistent engagement and influence.
- Anti-sybil filters: Manual review and cross-verification of social overlaps.
- Total eligible wallets: ~5,500.
These are the users who helped build Monad’s reputation even before the token launch, often through community advocacy and early involvement.
Track 2 – Onchain Users
This track covers users with meaningful on-chain activity across both EVM and Solana ecosystems.
Subcategories include:
- DEX Traders: Users active on platforms like Hyperliquid, Phantom Wallet (spot and perps), Pump.fun, and Virtuals.
- DeFi Depositors: Participants in lending and liquidity protocols such as Aave, Euler, Morpho, Pendle, Lighter, Curve, PancakeSwap, and Uniswap.
- Long-Term NFT Holders: Owners of notable collections such as Azuki, CryptoPunks, Pudgy Penguins, Mad Lads, Milady Maker, Moonbirds, and others.
- DAO Participants: Users who have recently voted in DAO governance across DeFi protocols.
This track focused on power users — those with substantial trade volume, capital commitment, and long-term engagement rather than repetitive low-value transactions.
Track 3 – Crypto Community
This one expanded the net to broader crypto enthusiasts, identified through social graphs and ecosystem participation.
Subcategories include:
- Claimants of Monad Cards (Waves 1 and 2).
- Members of communities like Backpack, Legion, ARC Community, MetaDAO, Fantasy Top heroes, and LobsterDAO.
- Active users of Farcaster and other social protocols.
The goal here was to include genuine community builders and early believers — not just technical testers.
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Track 4 – Crypto Contributors and Crypto Curious
This category recognizes individuals contributing to crypto innovation, focusing on security, development, and education.
Subcategories include:
- Security Researchers: Known names like ZachXBT, SEAL 911, and auditors from Cantina with impactful findings.
- Developers: Members of Protocol Guild and contributors verified through Splits contracts.
- Educators: Participants from learning initiatives like RareSkills and SheFi.
These contributors represent the brains and backbone of Web3 — those pushing the ecosystem forward.
Track 5 – Monad Builders
Reserved for builders directly contributing to the Monad ecosystem, verified manually based on tangible output and real proof of work.
Subcategories include:
- Teams building native applications on Monad.
- Developers participating in Monad Blitzes, Dev Missions, and other hackathons.
- Builders with verifiable contributions in code or infrastructure.
Excluded: Monad Foundation staff, Category Labs employees, and full-time internal team members.
How Many Wallets Are Eligible?
According to official data, approximately 230,500 wallets qualified for the airdrop:
- ~5,500 from the Monad Community track.
- ~225,000 from the broader crypto ecosystem.
Even if you believe you don’t fit any of these categories, it’s worth checking the official claim portal, as there are many hidden criteria that weren’t explicitly disclosed.
How to Check if You’re Eligible
To verify your eligibility, head to claim.monad.xyz.
You can check using several methods:
- EVM Wallet (Ethereum)
- SVM Wallet (Solana)
- Social connections: Link your X (Twitter), Email, Discord, or Farcaster accounts.
- Telegram integration is visible but not yet available at the time of writing.
It’s extremely rare to qualify through every method simultaneously, but even one successful connection — like an eligible EVM wallet — can grant access to your claim.
The Monad airdrop has once again highlighted the reality of crypto rewards: it’s a mix of luck, timing, and consistency.
While some users who barely interacted are celebrating, others who spent hours farming testnets feel overlooked.
But this is a pattern we’ve seen before. Projects with high-value tokens and strong institutional backing (like Monad) often favor organic contributors, early community members, and verifiable impact over sheer volume of interactions.
If you didn’t qualify this time, don’t be discouraged. The crypto airdrop space is unpredictable — some days bring frustration, others bring life-changing surprises. The key is persistence. The moment you give up is when your biggest win could have been around the corner.
Disclaimer
This is not financial advice. If you decide to interact with the mentioned protocols, you do so at your own risk. Airdrop Guild is not responsible for any potential losses resulting from participation. Always do your own research before engaging with blockchain-based projects.