Sonic Labs has initiated a significant airdrop, distributing approximately 200 million S tokens to users, including U.S.-based participants under full legal compliance with U.S. regulations. This move marks one of the first token distributions aligned with U.S. law, setting a potential precedent in the crypto space.
The 190.5 million S tokens are allocated via multiple phases. Eligible participants receive 25% immediately, with the remaining 75% locked in a 270-day vesting schedule. Notably, the vested tokens are represented as tradable NFTs, allowing users flexibility to either hold the tokens through the vesting period or liquidate early by incurring a burn penalty. This mechanism introduces a novel liquidity strategy in decentralized finance.
Eligibility depends on engagement with the Sonic ecosystem, such as earning Sonic Points, Sonic Gems, Game Gems, or interacting with the Sonic Arcade and Shard NFTs. The claim process is streamlined through Sonic Labs’ official portal.
Despite the offering's scale, the S token price has seen volatility, dropping over 22-30% in recent months. However, growth indicators such as total value locked (TVL) exceeding $860 million and a surge in daily active users from 16,000 to 50,000 since the year's start highlight solid fundamentals.
Other supporting developments include a $10 million token sale to Galaxy to boost U.S. market expansion and the launch of Flying Tulip, a DeFi super-app built on Sonic's fast blockchain infrastructure. The project’s regulatory-first approach is regarded as a potential model for future compliant token launches in the U.S., balancing innovation with legal adherence.