FLOP has no presale and no investor round. Its entire genesis supply, 4.4 billion FLOP, is reserved for the people who run and use the network during its testnet, plus an ecosystem reserve. This guide explains who gets what, how each share is paid out, and what you can do right now to prepare.
The rules are not final. Everything below comes from the draft Yellow Paper v0.5.0 and public statements by Flop Labs. Several airdrop details are explicitly listed as open items and may change before mainnet.
The FLOP airdrop at a glance
- Genesis supply: 4,400,000,000 FLOP, with no VC allocation, no auction and no team allocation.
- Three airdrop cohorts: miners, validators and agents, with 1.2 billion FLOP each.
- Ecosystem reserve: 800 million FLOP for KOLs, referrals and growth incentives.
- How it is earned: through activity on the testnet, which starts in Q4 2026.
- When it is paid: at mainnet launch and token generation, planned for Q1 2027.
How the 4.4 billion genesis FLOP are split
| Bucket | Amount | Share | Earned by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miner airdrop | 1,200,000,000 | 27.27% | Compute delivered on the testnet |
| Validator airdrop | 1,200,000,000 | 27.27% | Securing the network as a validator |
| Agent airdrop | 1,200,000,000 | 27.27% | Compute consumed on the testnet, and testnet prizes |
| Ecosystem reserve | 800,000,000 | 18.18% | KOL, referral and growth programs |
| Total genesis supply | 4,400,000,000 | 100% |
How each cohort is paid
Miners: 1.2 billion FLOP
The miner pool converts what miners earn on the testnet into mainnet FLOP. The Yellow Paper sizes it as about 560 million FLOP of testnet block rewards plus a capped pool of about 640 million FLOP of testnet fees.
Miner grants are performance-locked. The current vesting parameter is 90 days, and the unlock speed depends on how much compute you keep delivering compared with what you pledged. The rule is squared, so running at half your pledged capacity unlocks tokens at only a quarter of the normal speed. If your capacity stays below 10% of your pledge for a full day, the grant can be revoked.
Want to be in this cohort? Start with the FLOP GPU mining guide.
Agents: 1.2 billion FLOP
The agent pool rewards the demand side: people and AI agents who consume inference on the testnet. The Yellow Paper splits it into a 600 million FLOP agent spending pool and a 600 million FLOP testnet prize pool. Challenge prizes, like the ones already running on Technocore, are paid in FLOP after mainnet, and this prize pool is their likely source.
Agent tokens are expected to unlock as they are used. The Yellow Paper discusses a 3:1 spend-to-unlock rule, where spending 3 FLOP on inference would unlock 1 FLOP. It also notes that this rule does not work at the current pool size and must be re-specified, so treat the unlock mechanics as unknown for now.
This is the easiest cohort to join, because it needs no hardware. Start with the Technocore and did:key guide.
Validators: 1.2 billion FLOP
The validator cohort is exactly the validator bond: 1,000 validator seats multiplied by the 1.2 million FLOP minimum stake. It is granted and bonded at launch, so it works as slashable stake rather than as liquid tokens. How testnet validators convert into this cohort is still an open item. Candidates can apply through the validator form.
Ecosystem reserve: 800 million FLOP
The reserve funds KOLs, referral programs and growth incentives. It is not an airdrop in the Yellow Paper's terms. The current plan releases 20% at token generation, then 80 million FLOP every six months for four years, but its controller and release rules are still undefined. Content creators can apply through the KOL form.
From testnet tokens to mainnet FLOP
In September 2026, Arthur Hayes said testnet FLOP will be exchanged for mainnet FLOP at a ratio still to be announced, and that testnet tokens will be tradable for real funds through the network's HTLC swap protocol. The Yellow Paper's per-cohort conversion pools are consistent with this: activity in a cohort is converted into a share of that cohort's pool.
In practice, test tokens only matter if you earn them through real participation. Tokens received from a faucet and left idle are not expected to count.
What counts and what does not
| Likely to count | Unlikely to count |
|---|---|
| Compute you deliver as a miner during the testnet | Only following @flop_labs on X |
| Inference your agent consumes during the testnet | Holding testnet tokens without using them |
| Prizes from official challenges | Farming with many throwaway identities |
| Steady activity over the whole testnet, not a burst at the end | Anything a third-party "claim" site asks you to do |
| Contributions recognized through official programs, such as the KOL form | Buying anything that claims to be FLOP |
Sybil resistance, meaning defenses against one person running many fake identities, is a major topic in the Yellow Paper. On mainnet, every agent identity locks a stake, and the design notes suggest that scoring should reward participation maintained over time. One well-used identity is a better bet than a hundred empty ones.
Step-by-step: how to prepare now
- Follow only official channels: flop.finance, @flop_labs on X and github.com/flop-labs.
- Create one did:key identity and back it up. The Technocore guide shows you how.
- Be active on Technocore with useful contributions, and join official challenges when they open.
- Choose your role and apply: as a miner, a validator or a KOL.
- Prepare compute if you want to mine. Check your GPU, or rent one on Vast.ai once the miner client is released.
- Show up every week during the testnet. Deliver or consume compute steadily until the testnet ends.
Timeline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Now | Create your did:key, use Technocore, apply for your role, follow official channels. |
| Q4 2026, expected in late October | Testnet launch. Airdrop allocations are earned from here. |
| About three months later | End of the testnet and conversion of testnet activity into cohort allocations. |
| Q1 2027 | Mainnet, genesis block and token generation. Airdrops start vesting according to each cohort's rules. |
Scams to avoid
- No faucet before the testnet. A faucet cannot exist before the network it belongs to. A fake faucet room already circulates on Technocore.
- No presale, ever. Flop Labs says there is no pre-sale, so any "early access" or "whitelist" sale is fake.
- No wallet connections. No legitimate step asks you to connect a wallet, enter a seed phrase or pay a fee to claim FLOP.
- Check the address. The official website is flop.finance. Look-alike domains and "claim" pages are the classic airdrop scam.
Frequently asked questions
When is the FLOP airdrop?
The airdrop is distributed at mainnet launch, planned for Q1 2027. It is earned during the testnet, which is expected to start in late October 2026.
How big is the FLOP airdrop?
Three cohorts of 1.2 billion FLOP each, for miners, validators and agents, plus an 800 million FLOP ecosystem reserve. Together they make up the entire 4.4 billion FLOP genesis supply.
Can I buy FLOP before the airdrop?
No. The token does not exist before mainnet, and Flop Labs says there is no presale. Anyone selling FLOP today is a scammer.
Do I need a GPU to get the FLOP airdrop?
No. Agents, who consume inference, have their own cohort and need no GPU. A GPU is only needed to mine, and you can rent one instead of buying it.
Is following @flop_labs on X enough?
No. The official site mentions following the account in connection with eligibility, but allocations are designed around real testnet activity.
Is there a FLOP faucet?
Not before the testnet launches. Only trust a faucet or claim page that flop.finance or an official Flop Labs account links to. Room names on Technocore prove nothing.
Will testnet FLOP be worth anything?
Arthur Hayes said testnet FLOP will convert to mainnet FLOP at a ratio still to be announced. Only tokens earned through real participation are expected to count.