LayerZero’s ‘Not an Airdrop’ Drama Causes 19% Fall in ZRO Token

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As an analyst with a background in cryptocurrency and token economics, I find the launch of LayerZero’s ZRO token intriguing, given the unique claiming mechanism they have implemented – Proof-of-Donation. This requirement for users to donate a small amount of money per token before being able to claim them has led to a controversial response within the crypto community.

Since its debut on June 20, the value of ZRO’s launched token experienced a significant decrease of approximately 19%. This downturn can primarily be attributed to controversy surrounding the token’s unique claim condition. Some critics have likened this prerequisite to a “tax,” while others view it as a prospective remedy for the problems that have recently afflicted numerous token giveaways. Intriguingly, upon its initial release, ZRO experienced a sharp increase of over 15% within mere minutes, only to subsequently drop by around 22% within just two hours. Many observers attribute this rollercoaster ride in value to the peculiarities inherent in the token’s claiming requirements.

Unique Claiming Mechanism

With the latest update, LayerZero introduces a fresh claiming method called Proof-of-Donation. Under this system, users are obliged to contribute a modest sum of money for every ZRO token they hold, which subsequently goes towards the Protocol Guild – an Ethereum development community pooling funds.

Approximately $18.5 million is what LayerZero anticipates this project will generate in donations. Furthermore, the LayerZero Foundation has committed to matching every donation, with a maximum contribution of $10 million.

Today, LayerZero unveils its fresh claiming method known as Proof-of-Donation, set to transfer approximately $18.5 million towards @ProtocolGuild – an Ethereum developer community’s collective financing platform.

Protocol Guild and Ethereum’s core developers have been fundamental to…

— LayerZero Foundation (@LayerZero_Fndn) June 20, 2024

Community Reactions

The reaction among cryptocurrency enthusiasts towards this mechanism has been varied. Some skeptics contend that asking for a donation prior to receiving tokens transforms the airdrop into something closer to an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). A Twitter user put it this way, “If you make a donation compulsory, then it’s not an airdrop but rather a tax. I have voluntarily supported PG in the past. If you wish to support PG, you can donate directly or give allocations to those who have donated.”

Alternatively, some community members advocate for the initiative, maintaining that the donation system contributes positively to the wider crypto community. One user expressed, “Those complaining about the donation requirement for the LayerZero airdrop are unintelligent. You’re receiving something for free and being requested to contribute a small portion of it towards bolstering a larger ecosystem. It’s an effective way to establish a base value price for a token.”

As a researcher studying the recent token launch by LayerZero, I’d like to share my perspective on the defense given by co-founder Bryan Pellegrino regarding those expressing concerns about the event. He emphasized that the decision to claim or not claim the tokens is entirely up to each individual. No one is compelled to participate in the donation aspect if they so choose.

If you choose not to make a donation, that’s perfectly fine. No contribution is required of you. What’s being proposed is a gift, not an obligation.

— Bryan Pellegrino (臭企鹅) (@PrimordialAA) June 20, 2024

Eligibility Criteria and Airdrop Details

As an analyst, I’d describe it this way: The community airdrop by LayerZero distributes a significant portion of the total ZRO supply, which amounts to 8.5%. This allocation consists of several segments: a 5% share for our core community members, a 3% portion reserved for Request for Proposal (RFP) participants, and lastly, a 0.5% allocation towards our community pool.

To be eligible for the airdrop, certain conditions needed to be met. These conditions encompassed elements like regular trading activity, fee payments, a minimum of fifteen sent L0 messages, and an extended history of engagement.

As a crypto investor, I’ve been keeping an eye on the newcomer in the market, ZRO. With a launch market capitalization of $934 million and a total fully diluted valuation (FDV) of an impressive $3.7 billion, I was intrigued by its potential. The price soared to a peak of $4.71, but soon dipped below the $3.50 mark, as indicated by CoinMarketCap.

As events progress, it is yet to be determined how LayerZero will handle the criticism and if their Proof-of-Donation model will gain traction among other cryptocurrency initiatives.

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2024-06-21 11:12