Optimism Launches 4th Airdrop, Awarding $38 Million in $OP Tokens to Web3 Artists

Layer 2 network Optimism has announced its fourth airdrop, shifting its focus to appreciate and reward the contributions of web3 artists across its network. The distribution, totaling 10,343,757.81 OP tokens valued at approximately $38 million.

Specifically, the airdrop targets NFT creators who have made meaningful contributions to the Superchain's cultural fabric. Over 200,000 addresses that launched NFT collections are acknowledged for their role in crafting the narrative of the Optimism Collective.

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Rewarding NFT Creators

Eligibility for the airdrop was extended to users who created NFT art on the Ethereum mainnet or Optimism's Superchain between Jan. 10, 2023, and Jan. 10, 2024. 

NFT creators were rewarded based on the gas spent by other users while minting or trading their NFTs. The popularity of the NFT project determined the rewards, with gas spent on Optimism's Superchain netting 5,000 OP for 1 ETH of gas, and Ethereum mainnet activity earning 50 OP for 1 ETH of gas. 

The maximum reward per address capped at 6,000 OP, equivalent to about $23,640.

Bonus Eligibility and Governance Engagement

As a result of bonus eligibility criteria, token allocations were eligible for a 50% increase or a 1.5x multiplication. 

Bonus activities included creating an NFT contract before Jan. 10, 2023, transferring an NFT created after Nov. 11, 2023, being active on the Superchain since Nov. 11, 2023, or collectors spending more than 0.0005 ETH to transfer one of their NFTs since July 14, 2023. 

While past eligibility doesn't guarantee future distributions, this approach encourages community members to engage deeply with governance processes.

Optimism’s first airdrop was initiated on May 31, 2022, followed by distributions on Feb. 8, 2023, and Sept. 13, 2023. There are approximately 560 million OP left for future airdrops