A retroactive airdrop allocates tokens using a record of past participation. Qualifying actions might include using a protocol, supplying liquidity, contributing code, or supporting a community. Its defining feature is looking backward at completed activity, rather than requiring only new actions after the distribution is announced.
From historical records to eligibility
Organizers select a cutoff date, block, or observation period and apply their criteria to historical records. They may weight different activities, exclude certain addresses, or filter suspected automated and duplicate participation. A snapshot captures a particular state; it does not explain every rule used to turn that state into allocations.
Some distributions transfer tokens directly. Others require eligible users to claim within a deadline, sometimes using a cryptographic proof against a published allocation. Eligibility, allocation size, and claim completion are separate facts.
Past activity is not a promise
Using a project before an announcement does not guarantee that an airdrop will occur or that a wallet will qualify. Spending on transactions in anticipation of a possible reward can exceed any eventual benefit.
Fake eligibility pages can imitate real distributions and request harmful signatures or spending approvals. A legitimate claim does not require handing over a wallet's recovery phrase or private key. The project's verified rules determine what participation actually earns.