What is a testnet airdrop?
A testnet is a practice version of a blockchain. ethereum.org describes testnets as networks for testing upgrades and smart contracts "in a production-like environment before deployment to Mainnet". Their tokens are free, and Optimism's docs say they "have no value and are only meant for testing."
A testnet airdrop is a reward paid later, on the real network, to people who used the testnet. It isn't automatic. Projects decide afterwards who gets what, and many promise nothing in advance.
Testnet airdrops that paid out
- Pharos: its PROS claim site listed "Testnet Participants" first among the groups that qualified. Claims ran from 28 April to 25 October 2026, and our Pharos claim page has the details.
- Sei: in May 2022 Sei set aside "1% of its total token supply to testnet rewards". In August 2023 it confirmed SEI for testers of its Atlantic testnet, which drew "more than 7 million unique wallets".
- Berachain: its docs say the BERA airdrop was "Distributed to testnet users, Berachain and ecosystem NFT holders, social supporters, ecosystem dApps, and community builders." Decrypt reported that it began on 6 February 2025.
Plenty of airdrops skipped testnet users. We found no testnet group in the published criteria for Celestia's, Monad's or Linea's airdrops.
How to farm testnet airdrops: step by step
- Use a fresh wallet. ethereum.org says "it's not recommended to reuse mainnet accounts on testnets or vice versa."
- Get test tokens from the project's own faucet or one it links to. Faucets are free and limited: Base's docs say each one "rate-limits claims, usually to one per 24 hours". Some ask for a small balance on the real network to stop abuse.
- Do the tasks the project lists, such as swaps, deposits, bug reports and feedback. Pharos said its rewards were for people who go above and beyond, "like finding bugs, sharing insightful feedback, or creating helpful tutorials".
- Stick to one wallet and one set of social accounts. Before paying testers, Sei said "over 7,000 clusters were identified and eliminated".
- Follow the project's official channels for the snapshot and the claim, and claim before the deadline.
Testnet airdrop risks
- No promise: projects keep the right to change or drop the reward. Sogni's testnet terms, for example, say the company "reserves the right to delay or cancel the Airdrop".
- Small rewards: Sei's testers who did fewer tasks "were rewarded with enough tokens to cover gas costs for their first transactions".
- Phases that don't count: Pharos said assets on its earlier devnet "will not be considered for any airdrop eligibility".
- Paying for test tokens: never do it. MetaMask says of testnet ETH: "there is no way of converting it into real value." Anyone selling testnet tokens or a guaranteed testnet allocation is running a scam.
- Fake faucets and claim sites: they copy real projects, so open them from the project's own site.
Sources
- Networks ethereum.org,
- Faucets Optimism docs
- Get Funds Base docs
- Testnet ETH scams MetaMask Help Center
- Pharos's Airdrop Pharos
- Pharos testnet FAQs Pharos,
- Pharos Network public devnet release Pharos,
- Seinami Incentivized Testnet Sei,
- Atlantic Rewards Sei,
- BERA Token Berachain docs
- Berachain Begins $1.1 Billion BERA Airdrop as Mainnet Launches Decrypt,
- Testnet Phase 3 Leaderboard Snapshot Sogni AI
- Initiating Genesis Drop Celestia,
- The MON Airdrop Results Monad,
- LINEA: Tokenomics Linea,
This page is general information, not financial advice. No airdrop is guaranteed. Check each project's official channels before you connect a wallet or deposit funds.