Are airdrops slowly being replaced by ICOs?
Since the beginning, airdrops were crypto’s go-to growth strategy
But after endless Sybil farms, mercenary hunters, and instant TGE dumps, the model hit a wall
Projects built massive communities that disappeared as soon as they launch
Now a new pattern is emerging
Public sales that carry the same early-access energy as airdrops, but with real commitment
When people commit capital, they behave differently
They tend to read updates, join governance, and stick around through volatility
And teams get something airdrops never offered: aligned holders
Airdrops, if done right, can still reward usage, testing, and core community contributions
However, ICO-style public sales are becoming an easy way for teams to know who has skin in the game
Maybe ICOs aren't replacing airdrops after all. Maybe it's finally fixing what broke