The DCo Podcast
December 11, 2025

The Airdrop Mistake Luca Netz Won’t Repeat

This podcast segment features Luca Netz discussing his lessons learned from a previous airdrop and how he plans to approach future token distributions for Abstract, emphasizing community alignment and discouraging opportunistic behavior.

Airdrop Regrets and Grifter Mentality

  • “Yeah, I think the one thing that I would change that we will do differently for Abstract is you better be aligned sooner rather than later, right? Like I felt really dirty when guys were just buying a day before, making a ton of money, dumping everything. I felt really cheated.”
  • “People call founders grifters. I call people like that grifters. If you call a founder trying to go make some money for him in his business a grifter, then I'm going to call you who's going and trading a [ __ ] thing and dumping right like on my [ __ ] head with no loyalty. I'm gonna call you grifter, too.”
  • Netz expresses strong disapproval of users who buy tokens just before an airdrop, profit, and then dump them immediately.
  • He equates this behavior to "grifting," mirroring the criticism often directed at founders.
  • Netz's stance is rooted in a sense of betrayal and a desire to protect genuine community members.

Shifting Focus to Genuine Community

  • “I only have the interest now in rewarding real holders, real believers. I have no interest in giving opportunist grifters a quick win.”
  • Abstract's future token distribution will prioritize rewarding long-term holders and active community members.
  • The aim is to deter short-term profit seekers and cultivate a loyal user base genuinely invested in the ecosystem.
  • Actions taken now will serve as proof of genuine belief in the project.

Transparency and Forewarning

  • “So when everyone's crying about it, you know, the day of and they're mad that I didn't tell them 3 weeks prior, it's not going to matter to me. I'm not going to care because they're griing, right? They're just grifting for themselves.”
  • Netz explicitly states that he won't offer advance warnings or cater to last-minute entrants hoping to capitalize on the airdrop.
  • He intends to let his current statements stand as a clear warning to potential "grifters."
  • The focus is on aligning rewards with genuine community involvement, dismissing complaints from those seeking quick profits.

Key Takeaways:

  • Prioritize Early Alignment: To benefit from Abstract's ecosystem rewards, demonstrate commitment now, not right before a potential airdrop.
  • Community Over Opportunism: Future rewards will favor genuine holders and active community members over short-term profit seekers.
  • No Second Chances: Don't expect warnings or sympathy if you try to "grift" the system; Netz is committed to protecting loyal users.

Podcast Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I38dHFst7lM

This episode dives into Luca Netz's uncompromising strategy to combat "grifters" in future token airdrops, emphasizing genuine community alignment as the sole path to rewards for his project, Abstract.

Lessons from Past Airdrops and Abstract's Future Token Strategy

  • Quote: Luca Netz asserts, "I felt really dirty when guys were just buying a day before, making a ton of money, dumping everything. I felt really cheated." This sentiment underscores his commitment to fostering a loyal community over enabling quick speculative gains.
  • He firmly states his intention to implement a different approach for Abstract, his current project, should it launch a token. The core principle will be to reward early and sustained alignment with the project's vision and community.
  • Technical Term: An airdrop is a method of distributing cryptocurrency tokens to multiple wallet addresses, often used by projects to reward early adopters, generate awareness, or decentralize token ownership. In this context, a grifter refers to an individual who exploits such distributions for rapid financial gain without genuine commitment to the project's long-term success or community.
  • Luca Netz warns that those seeking to "grift" by joining late will not be rewarded, emphasizing that his public statements in interviews like this will serve as sufficient notice. He explicitly desires for these opportunists to "get smoked," mirroring their perceived desire for founders they label as grifters to fail.
  • Luca Netz, as the speaker, conveys a passionate and resolute stance. His personal experience of feeling "cheated" drives his future strategy, indicating a founder deeply invested in the integrity and loyalty of his project's community. His direct and unapologetic language highlights a shift towards founders taking a more proactive role in shaping their token distribution ethics.

Actionable Insights for Crypto AI Investors and Researchers

  • This signals a growing trend towards more sophisticated anti-sybil and community-alignment mechanisms in token distribution. Projects like Abstract are prioritizing long-term value creation and genuine participation over speculative trading.
  • For Crypto AI investors, scrutinize tokenomics and community engagement strategies for robust anti-grifter measures. These indicate a project's commitment to sustainable growth and a healthy ecosystem, crucial for long-term investment viability.
  • Researchers might explore how AI-driven analytics could identify and filter out "grifter" behavior more effectively, contributing to fairer and more impactful airdrop designs and enhancing the integrity of decentralized networks.

This episode underscores a pivotal shift in token distribution, favoring genuine community alignment over opportunistic gains. Crypto AI investors and researchers must scrutinize projects' anti-grifter strategies and community engagement models to identify sustainable ventures and anticipate evolving tokenomics.

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