Base's Critics on Zora! What Did the Popular Chain Say About the Zora Airdrop?

The long-anticipated Zora airdrop has officially launched, bringing both excitement and confusion within the NFT community. The Zora network, built on the Base blockchain, recently rewarded early users based on activity snapshots. However, the lack of an official checker or claim site led to skepticism and frustration among airdrop hunters.

Airdrop participants had to navigate the technical process of checking allocations via smart contracts manually. NFT creators and collectors expressed concern over the absence of a user-friendly interface, with one contributor from NFTNG calling it “incompetence.” Zora later clarified that airdrop claims were processed automatically on-chain, which required users to read contract functions to check eligibility.

Despite the chaotic rollout, the airdrop successfully distributed 10% of Zora’s 10 billion token supply to early adopters including NFT minters and creators based on activity between January 2020 and April 2025.

Read also : ZORA Listing on Bitrue - Join and Get the Giveaway

Zora’s Vision: Empowering the Creator Economy

The Zora platform aims to decentralize content creation through NFTs, enabling artists to mint and monetize digital works with lower transaction costs via the Base network. It strives to create a permissionless and on-chain creator ecosystem, previously exemplified by distributing 300,000 OP tokens to its early users.

The Zora airdrop not only incentivized past engagement but also highlighted its mission to drive creator ownership. However, concerns have emerged around tokenomics. A majority 65% of ZORA tokens were allocated to insiders, prompting criticism for a perceived lack of transparency.

Jesse Pollak Shares Base’s Perspective on Zora and NFTs

In response to the airdrop frenzy and growing popularity of “content coins,” Jesse Pollak, creator of the Base network, weighed in on Zora’s role in reshaping web3 culture. In a conversation with BeInCrypto, Pollak defended the move toward content-driven tokens, stating that virality and accessibility are crucial for onboarding users to web3.

Pollak emphasized that Base is committed to growing the on-chain ecosystem beyond developers and traders. He explained, “We’re not here just to compete, we're here to grow the pie. And content coins on Base, like those supported by Zora, are a powerful part of that vision.”

According to Pollak, Zora’s model enables creators to earn directly from their content without needing technical crypto knowledge. This makes Base and Zora an accessible starting point for millions of internet users, aligning with the broader goal of bringing one billion people on-chain.

NFT and Content Coin Ecosystem: Changing the Web3 Landscape

The intersection of NFTs, airdrops, and meme culture has brought about a new type of token, the content coin. Unlike meme coins that depend on elaborate branding and hype, content coins are often simple pieces of media with intrinsic viral potential.

Pollak highlighted this shift: “Most content coins are just posts. But the market decides what becomes a meme. This philosophy unlocks creative freedom and removes the pressure to ‘shill’ a project.”

Base, as a blockchain tailored for creators, empowers platforms like Zora to launch NFTs and content coins that are spontaneous, viral, and community-driven. By allowing creators to tokenize moments, not just projects, Zora introduces a novel monetization model in the NFT space.

Read also : Zora Airdrop: Tokenomics, Premarket Price, and What Users Should Know

Final Thoughts: Zora and Base Signal Web3’s Evolution

The Zora airdrop, despite early hiccups, marks an important moment in NFT and content coin history. Paired with Base’s infrastructure and philosophy, Zora is paving a path toward a more inclusive and creative web3 future.

While criticism remains over transparency and insider allocations, Zora’s influence in redefining NFT utility and community engagement is undeniable. With Zora, Zora airdrop, and NFT adoption on the rise, the creator economy has found a new engine powered by virality, accessibility, and decentralization.

Whether Base’s approach outpaces competitors like Solana remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the web3 space is no longer about just trading tokens, it's about creating value through content.

FAQ

What is the Zora Airdrop and who was eligible?

The Zora Airdrop was a retroactive reward initiative by the Zora network to incentivize early users of its platform. Eligibility was based on two snapshot periods that tracked user interactions such as minting NFTs, bridging ETH, or using platforms like Uniswap. Early adopters who engaged with the network during these periods received a portion of the 1 billion $ZORA tokens allocated for the airdrop.

Why was there confusion around the Zora Airdrop claim process?

Many users were confused due to the absence of an official checker or claim site provided by Zora. Unlike traditional airdrops, the Zora team chose an on-chain distribution method, where users had to manually verify allocations using the smart contract's read function. This led to concerns over transparency and accessibility during the launch.

How does Zora contribute to the NFT ecosystem?

Zora operates as a decentralized NFT protocol aimed at empowering creators through low-cost transactions on the Base blockchain. By combining NFT minting with community incentives like the Zora Airdrop, the platform seeks to cultivate a permissionless, on-chain creator economy. Zora has also been instrumental in popularizing the idea of "content coins" that turn individual moments of culture into tradable assets.