$EDGEN Airdrop 2025: LayerEdge Highlights Challenges Faced and Future Plans

LayerEdge recently made headlines with its $EDGEN token airdrop, which was received by many users. On June 4, 2025, the protocol’s foundation posted a detailed community update on X, addressing the airdrop's outcomes, challenges, and next steps. 

The $EDGEN airdrop, which began on June 2, 2025, aimed to distribute tokens to participants while fostering a decentralized network. The scale of the airdrop was unprecedented, with "about 500k+ unique users (across 800k+ wallets)" receiving tokens. Within 48 hours, "more than 400,000 wallets had completed the claim process — one of the most active airdrop events in crypto history," according to the LayerEdge Foundation's X article. 

However, this massive turnout brought challenges. The foundation admitted, "Infrastructure was stretched. Timelines were tested. And many of you — despite participating early — still faced moments of confusion, delay, or frustration."

Transparency Measures and Liquidity Allocation

To address concerns about fairness, LayerEdge outlined several transparency measures. The airdrop was "completely gasless," enabled by a Paymaster system that covered fees for users. Additionally, the protocol stated that team tokens are fully locked, with no early access, hidden unlocks, or insider movement, ensuring no preferential treatment for insiders. 

The foundation also raised $1 million, which "went directly into on-chain liquidity — across Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Edgen Chain." This liquidity, totaling $2.6 million, was distributed as follows:

• $1.5 million on Ethereum. 
• $600,000 on BNB Chain. 
• $500,000 on Edgen Chain. 

LayerEdge underscored its commitment to transparency, stating, "We did this to reflect our core value: transparency builds trust. The network needs to be backed by the same principles we expect from participants."

Challenges: Sybil Attacks and Community Frustration

One of the major hurdles during the airdrop was the presence of Sybil attacks, where users create multiple fake accounts to claim more tokens. LayerEdge implemented safeguards like Proof of Humanity, referral caps, and uptime-based scoring to prioritize genuine participants. 

However, the foundation acknowledged, "Some airdrop farmers still made it through. And we hear the frustration from those of you who played it fair — who ran nodes, verified your identity, showed up every day, and still had to watch others game the system."

This frustration was compounded by broader community concerns about perceived favoritism.. Binance Alpha users with 223 points received 1,111 EDGEN tokens, while early supporters with significant contributions, such as 500 referrals, received only 875 tokens. This disparity led to backlash, with users calling the distribution unfair.

Future Plans: Addressing Issues and Enhancing User Experience

LayerEdge is taking steps to address these issues in future phases. The foundation promised that airdrops will be capped and targeted, not open-ended, and Sybil resistance will be strengthened through "proof-of-device, behavior models, and extended identity attestation." Additionally, long-term contributors will take center stage, not just in rewards, but in protocol governance.

For users awaiting token bridging from Edgen Chain to BNB Chain, LayerEdge announced a forthcoming solution: "free bridging with a 24-hour processing window," complete with a user-friendly interface. 

Node runners, who played a crucial role in bootstrapping the network, were also recognized. LayerEdge stated, "Whether you spun up nodes manually or used a hosted infra, you were part of the backbone that made LayerEdge possible." The foundation plans to introduce mechanisms to reward ongoing contributors beyond one-time airdrops.

What’s Next for LayerEdge and $EDGEN?

Looking ahead, LayerEdge plans to roll out a more resilient, human-centric model, improve cross-chain visibility, and enhance UI clarity. The foundation also aims to activate loyal users and limit access to edgenOS for stability. These steps reflect LayerEdge’s commitment to learning from the airdrop’s challenges and building a better experience for its community.

The $EDGEN airdrop, while groundbreaking in scale, highlighted the complexities of managing large-scale crypto events. LayerEdge’s transparency and willingness to address issues offer hope for a stronger future, though the project must navigate ongoing community concerns and market challenges to regain trust.