Monad Airdrop controversy erupts: over 99% of Discord users excluded, Hyperliquid and Hypurr NFT communities angrily denounce "lack of transparency"

The Layer-1 blockchain project Monad has triggered strong dissatisfaction in the crypto community due to the opening of its MON token airdrop claim portal. Although the claiming period will last until November 3rd, this airdrop has excluded originally expected eligible users such as Hyperliquid (HYPE) traders and HypurrNFT holders, leading to widespread feelings of exclusion and questions about transparency. DeFi researcher Coin Metrika analyzed that only 5,500 wallets were eligible, which is less than 1% of the total Monad Discord members, and many early supporters feel misled and betrayed.

Early supporters left out: Hyperliquid traders and NFT holders feel betrayed

The Monad team's initial communication hinted that Hyperliquid traders, Phantom perps users, and HypurrNFT holders would be eligible to receive MON Tokens, but the final distribution results were far from expectations.

· High trading volume users are excluded: Multiple reports indicate that only a small portion of HypurrNFT holders are eligible. Some traders claim they recorded huge trading volumes exceeding 200 million dollars but still did not meet the eligibility threshold.

· Community backlash: A large number of community members expressed their disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), accusing the Airdrop criteria of lacking transparency and failing to fulfill previous promises. Many users labeled the incident as “a joke” and accused Monad of misleading its early supporters.

· 235,000 users will still receive Tokens: Despite the controversy, Monad stated that over 235,000 users will receive Tokens, including long-term community contributors, hackathon participants, governance advocates, and social engagement participants.

Strict Qualification Standards Raise Questions About Fairness

The official allocation plan of Monad covers various types of participants, including active community members, high-volume traders, well-known NFT holders, DAO voters on the Ethereum platform, and developers. However, critics argue that the actual implementation is not fair.

· Core community underestimated: Well-known DeFi researcher Coin Metrika is one of the fiercest critics. His analysis shows that the final qualifying Wallets are only 5,500, which is less than 1% of the total Monad Discord members.

· A large number of non-core users benefit: Coin Metrika claims that the 225,000 addresses that received tokens appear to come from outside the core community of Monad, suggesting that most recipients may not even be familiar with the project.

Criticism Directly Points to Airdrop Logic: Are Testers Inferior to the Wealthy?

Coin Metrika's sharp satire summarizes the frustration of the Hyperliquid, HypurrNFT, and broader Decentralized Finance community, who question Monad's commitment to fairness and transparency.

· The irony of “Airdrop for the Rich”: Coin Metrika sarcastically stated on social media: “You helped us test the product for free, but sorry—you don’t qualify. You created viral content for Monad—thank you for your joy. But if you have money on the chain, congratulations—this is your airdrop.”

· Damage to reputation or impact on long-term growth: Analysts warn that reputational damage could affect Monad's long-term growth prospects. In a decentralized ecosystem where user trust and participation are crucial, improper handling of token distribution may have lasting consequences on adoption rates and investor confidence.

Market Performance and Industry Warning: HYPE Token Price Drops 13%

The controversy surrounding this airdrop has also had a negative impact on market performance and serves as a warning for future blockchain projects.

· HYPE token price drops: The native token HYPE of Hyperliquid has decreased by 13% in the past week, trading at around 39 dollars.

· Lessons from Airdrop Strategies: The controversy surrounding Monad's airdrop serves as a reminder to emerging blockchain networks that transparency and fair reward mechanisms are crucial. Failing to clearly communicate eligibility criteria or neglecting key contributors risks alienating the project's most loyal supporters, who are essential for building momentum in the early development stage.

Conclusion

The airdrop controversy of Monad has become a cautionary tale in the encryption field, highlighting the significant deviations that meticulously designed airdrop strategies may encounter in practice. When early project contributors, especially key participants from communities like Hyperliquid and HypurrNFT, feel excluded, the resulting sense of community disillusionment can severely erode the project's long-term trust foundation. As the claim window opens until November 3rd, whether Monad will respond to community concerns or adjust its distribution model will be crucial in determining its future reputation.

This article is for news information only and does not constitute any investment advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and investors should make decisions cautiously.