PAWS Airdrop Backlash: How a Crypto Giveaway Turned Into a PR Disaster

Another day, another airdrop fiasco—this time with PAWS token holders crying foul over botched distribution mechanics. Here’s why the community is fuming.

The promise vs. the reality

Project teams keep treating airdrops like marketing gimmicks rather than actual user rewards. PAWS doubled down on this trend with vague eligibility criteria that excluded early supporters.

Gas wars and wallet sniping

Like clockwork, degens with automated scripts vacuumed up 40% of the allocation before real users could claim—while the team pocketed "operational costs" worth triple the airdrop pool.

The cynical calculus

At this point, airdrops exist primarily to: 1) create artificial trading volume, 2) distract from tokenomics red flags, and 3) let VCs dump on retail. The PAWS team checked all three boxes with Wall Street-level precision.

The Bybit Airdrop Fiasco

On April 15, Bybit distributed PAWS tokens to eligible users. Unfortunately, the rollout was riddled with errors. Many users received incorrect token amounts, while others received nothing at all. Acknowledging the mistake, Bybit reversed all allocations and promised a corrected redistribution based on updated eligibility criteria. It’s worth noting that users located in the European Economic Area were excluded due to regulatory restrictions.

The incident caused widespread confusion and frustration, with some users watching their token balances vanish overnight. Bybit assured the community that no tokens were permanently lost and that a fair reallocation was underway. They urged users to confirm their status through official channels and warned against falling victim to phishing scams.

PAWS Lists on MEXC: A New Chapter?

Despite the airdrop drama, PAWS secured a listing on MEXC on April 16. The exchange opened trading for PAWS/USDT and PAWS/USDC pairs, alongside launching promotional campaigns to boost visibility. The MEXC listing has helped provide users with broader access to the token and supported PAWS’ adoption efforts.

PAWS Labs has allocated 62.5% of its total token supply toward community rewards, including early adopters of the Telegram mini-app and holders of selected Solana-based assets. The project’s broader vision is to foster a strong, engaged community, positioning the token as both a value medium and the primary incentive within its ecosystem.

The PAWS team publicly apologized for the airdrop mishap and invited affected users to seek assistance. They also offered on-chain claiming options and reaffirmed their commitment to a transparent and equitable distribution process.

Still, the truth remains: the PAWS airdrop experience left many users deeply disappointed.

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• AI Trading Assistant: An autonomous AI agent monitors social media and blockchain activity to spot promising trading signals.
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While MIND of Pepe offers groundbreaking features and significant potential, it’s important to remember that early-stage crypto investments come with high risks. APYs are likely to decrease as more users join the staking program, and the project’s success heavily depends on the performance of its AI agent and broader market adoption.

MIND of Pepe presents an exciting opportunity by fusing AI advancements with the popularity of meme coins—but as always, thorough research and caution are crucial before investing.