What is the best way to get free NFT drops? To discuss that, we have to define what an NFT is; NFT is crypto-speak for “non-fungible token”.
At least one source–CNet–describes NFTs as unique digital tokens, “with most using the Ethereum blockchain to digitally record transactions.” Non-fungible tokens are different than Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, etc. All those digital currencies are described as “fungible” which means you can buy, sell, or trade with them.
NFTs are tied to a product such as artwork, video, music, etc. uploaded to the marketplace digitally. Each NFT is recorded in an online database and that means there’s a record of who owns which NFT. In the way that Ethereum represents the ability to buy and sell using that currency, the NFT represents the digital product associated with it.
Ethereum is the “cash” and the NFT is the “product” as represented digitally.
Free NFT Drops
If that term sounds familiar it may be thanks to the practice of doing free crypto drops–where an exchange or other crypto-oriented group chooses to give away free digital currency as a promotion.
You can scoop up free Bitcoin and Ethereum this way, and you can also get the same result except with NFTs when there is a similar operation using them instead of the currency itself.
So the first thing to do in order to have a chance to get free NFT is naturally to Google search for “free NFT”. At least, you could be forgiven for thinking you might get really great results from such a blunt-tool approach.
No, the reason you’re using Google to begin your search for NFTs is NOT necessarily to find the NFT drops, but rather to get you thinking about all the ways you could find free NFTs.
Why do we say this?
NFTs Show Up In Unexpected Places
The wild west that has been the early days of virtual currency mean Ethereum, Bitcoin, and others still–to many people–have the air of mystery and danger.
People still have a tendency to view crypto as something that emerged from the “dark web” and when you see larger companies such as DC entering the world of NFT drops, it can be a quick reminder of just how popular Bitcoin and other currencies really are.
And that is something to be reckoned with–in 2021 DC announced it would offer free NFTs to those who were selected from a pool of those registering for the event DC FanDome. This particular promotion featured “no fees, no gas wars, no worries” referring to the charges used to create and trade NFTs and virtual currencies. For such promotions you may be required to set up an account to collect and store your NFT, but no two promotions are exactly the same and your experience may vary.
Finding Free NFTs and NFT Drops
This section isn’t meant to point you to current promotions that will ultimately end–this is more of a guide to the places you should be looking to find free NFTs and participate in NFT drops.
The most obvious place to start looking is cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms, especially those who are loyalists to a specific type of virtual currency.
One great place to begin collecting free NFT? Upstart virtual currencies or coins that are trying to establish a foothold in the marketplace. Bitcoin might not need the extra PR that NFT drops could earn a new company trying to make its mark on the marketplace–it’s smart to scope out new coins or projects to see if any NFT drops might be planned as a promotional tool.
Pro tip–that advice also works for cryptocurrency airdrops, too.
Using Social Media To Find NFTs
Twitter is a common source of information about NFT giveaways but some crypto projects do their freebies via Twitter too. The best way to learn about these is to follow hashtags like “#NFTFreedrop” and “NFT giveaways”.
“Free” NFTs In Exchange For Signups
No, technically getting an NFT in return for signing up for a platform, exchange, gaming site, etc. isn’t “free” since you have to exchange your signup for the reward. But it’s potentially a cheap way to start a collection of NFTs–all you have to do is to look for the offers.
Some offers require you to play or participate for a set amount of time in order to qualify for the NFT, others may not. One platform, Sandbox, has their free NFTs tied to certain stages of game play, for example…you can’t collect your NFT until you have passed a milestone of game play, made certain strides toward scores or finishing tasks, etc.
Playing Games To Earn NFTs
The Sandbox example above leads us to another great way to earn NFTs–gameplay. There are platforms–one is called Alien Worlds–that allow you to pick up free NFTs and purchase them all within the gameplay function.
You can get free NFTs this way thanks to Alien Worlds minting crypto on the WAX Blockchain. This is just one example, there are many to choose from. Some sources report you can earn as much as $20 a day playing free NFT type games.
Alien Worlds has in the past offered this without requiring an upfront investment of cash but the process can take time–as much as two weeks to earn your first NFT.
Make Your Own NFTs
Did you know it’s possible to mint your own NFTs? Its a process that many artists–especially digital artists whose work is already in the proper digital format and doesn’t need to be photographed or otherwise converted.
Creating the artwork you want to use as your NFT is free–you do that on your own equipment and on your own time. But putting the NFT online for sale is another matter entirely. Until 2021 most people would be subject to minting fees and other costs, but at press time at least one company has innovated a way around paying to create NFTs–something known as “lazy minting”.
This process allows the creator to make an NFT but not to technically “mint” it until it is actually sold. That helps users sidestep some fees and makes the entire process more affordable.
As you can guess, making your own NFTs usually requires some cash in the form of such costs, so this is NOT typically a “free NFT” option–you’ll have to pay gas fees and other costs of establishing the NFT and any fees associated with trading, selling, or otherwise working with the art in this form.
But that may be changing, if developments like lazy minting catch on and are supported in the marketplaces that use and accept crypto.
In most cases you may need to set up an account with an exchange or platform to do all of this–if you need to have the phrase “gas fee” explained to you, it’s likely you aren’t quite ready to begin trading or minting NFTs-there are plenty of things you need to learn including the basics of how gas fees work and why they are charged.
Joe Wallace has covered real estate and financial topics, including crypto and NFTs since 1995. His work has appeared on Veteran.com, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and many print and online publications. Joe is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News.
