TL;DR Mint your XP NFT, experience Instant Rewards, and claim ZETA now! ZetaChain’s Instant Rewards introduces a new model of continuous incentives, redefining how users earn in web3. Tune into today’s monthly update to learn more!

At ZetaChain, our mission is to power Universal Apps that span all chains from native Bitcoin and Ethereum to Cosmos, Solana and beyond. Today, we’re excited to introduce Instant Rewards, enabling users to earn real rewards instantly for interacting within the ZetaChain ecosystem. This is the first step in creating a more continuous web3 perks model that supports sustainable growth of the first universal blockchain.

Goodbye Airdrops and Points

ZetaChain has a strong history of pioneering reward systems like airdrops and points:

• 2017: ZetaChain’s core contributors helped create Basic Attention Token (BAT), the first project to do an airdrop.
• 2021: ZETA Points incentivized ZetaChain’s testnet users, culminating in a 31,500,000 ZETA airdrop for over 800,000 participants.
• 2024: ZetaChain’s mainnet launch introduced a new loyalty program called XP, recently distributing 10,000,000 ZETA to 100,000+ loyal users and many more through 15 Universal Apps.

Challenges with Traditional Models

Despite their ubiquity in web3, traditional reward systems like airdrops and points have faced growing criticism for several reasons:

• Inflated Expectations: Points-based systems often build unrealistic expectations, distracting communities from the core technology and value of the project. In many projects, points are abandoned or lose meaning after airdrops.
• Allocation Models: Recent models like the XP RFP system relied on ecosystem apps to distribute ZETA under guidelines enforced by ZetaChain, leading to community concerns about transparency. In response to feedback, we shifted focus and reallocated ZETA directly to users.

With this evolution, ZetaChain continues to lead the way in rethinking incentive models that align with our long-term vision to sustain and grow the first universal blockchain.

Introducing Instant Rewards

Today, ZetaHub launches Instant Rewards, enabling users to claim real rewards immediately for interacting with the universal blockchain. This feature builds on the recent Fuel initiative (free ZETA claims based on Status) and is the latest perk unlocked by your XP Status NFT. The goal is to move beyond airdrop speculation to a more transparent and sustainable reward system.

In just three weeks, over 150,000 users minted their XP NFT, unlocking perks like Instant Rewards. In its recent stealth launch, Instant Rewards has already distributed 3,000 ZETA to over 9,000 ZetaChain stakers and will scale up. Building on-chain Status continues to unlock more perks and rewards!

Here’s how it works: Go to ZetaHub, complete an Instant Rewards activity, and claim your reward. It’s that simple.

What’s Next for Instant Rewards?

Instant Rewards is just the beginning. We’re developing new features to create a thriving ecosystem for app developers and users: