Airdrop vs presale: what Arc and Linera show
An airdrop gives tokens to users for free. A presale or community sale sells tokens for money. They are very different, and mixing them up costs people money.
The difference in one table
| Airdrop | Tokens given to users, usually for past activity. You do not pay for the tokens. |
| Presale or community sale | You pay to buy tokens, often before launch. Your money is at risk. |
| Points program | Activity is recorded as points. A token is not guaranteed. |
Example 1: Arc (Circle)
- Circle raised $222 million in a private ARC token presale in May 2026 at a $3 billion valuation.
- Arc mainnet launched on September 16, 2026, and 10 billion ARC were minted.
- Circle said this is a technical milestone, not a commitment to a public offering. No airdrop has been announced.
So a large presale does not mean a free airdrop for regular users.
Example 2: Linera
- Linera opened a paid community round for its planned token in September 2026.
- It raised about $848,000 against a $1.5 million minimum, so contributors were refunded.
- The project then ceased operations. Read the full case.
Rules of thumb
- If a site asks you to pay to take part, it is a sale, not an airdrop.
- Only put in money you can afford to lose.
- Check the announcement on the project's official site or account.
See which projects we track and their status: verified list. Also read how to spot a fake airdrop.