What Is A Crypto Faucet?

TL;DR

A crypto faucet lets users earn small crypto rewards by completing simple tasks. The metaphor is based on how even one drop of water from a leaky faucet could eventually fill up a cup. There are various kinds of crypto faucets, including bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and BNB faucets.

Introduction

The earliest crypto faucet may be a bitcoin faucet created in 2010 by the then-lead developer of the Bitcoin network named Gavin Andresen. It gave 5 BTC for free to each user who completed a simple captcha. This bitcoin faucet eventually gave out 19,715 BTC in total, helping to distribute early BTC ownership widely. It was instrumental in educating the initial network of bitcoin users, leading to the cryptocurrency’s healthy growth later on. 

Naturally, no crypto faucets would deliver such massive payouts today as bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies’ prices have increased significantly. But emerging crypto projects still need to attract new users, and there are many people out there who want to learn about crypto. Crypto faucets play a role in connecting the supply and demand.

You can think of faucets as coupons you sometimes get for downloading a new app to your phone or enrolling into a new online service. But with crypto faucets, you need to complete tasks to earn the reward in tiny pieces. As such, using faucets is a good way for beginners to start their journey with crypto.

How do crypto faucets work? 

Crypto faucets are generally made to be simple and user-friendly. Users usually need to register an account with the digital asset service first. There are also dedicated crypto faucet sites and apps that specialize in offering free crypto to users who complete simple tasks. In both cases, users should have their crypto wallets to receive the rewards and may sometimes be asked to verify their identity.

Users are offered to complete tasks that can include watching videos, reading articles, watching ads, playing games, and taking quizzes or surveys. The service can also ask users to refer friends to it. These tasks are relatively straightforward, and most people would have no problem completing them. But, in some cases, the tasks can be rather time-consuming.

Upon completing the required tasks, users are rewarded with small amounts of crypto. However, if you use a faucet consistently, the rewards can compound over time and reach more meaningful amounts. Note that some websites and apps may require users to accumulate their rewards to a minimum amount before they can cash out (for example, $5 worth of crypto at a minimum).

What types of crypto faucets are there? 

One way to categorize crypto faucets is by the token paid out as a reward. There are bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB faucets, and many more.

For example, when using bitcoin faucets, users can earn rewards denominated in satoshis, the smallest unit of BTC. There are also crypto faucet aggregation websites that offer users multiple options depending on which token they prefer to claim their rewards in.

Crypto faucets are different from airdrops in that the latter follow a predetermined schedule of reward distribution. Airdrops are usually given to those holding a specific token or using a crypto wallet to raise awareness of a particular project. 

Crypto faucets are also different from bounties, which refer to a list of reward-earning tasks published by a blockchain project. Bounties are a way for a blockchain project to ask the public for community assistance and offer one-time crypto rewards for anyone who can complete specific tasks.

What are the risks of crypto faucets?  

You must be extremely careful when using crypto faucets as scams and fraud are common among such offerings. Some websites or apps posing as crypto faucets could infect your computer with malware that can harm your machine and the data stored on it. It’s always a good idea to DYOR and rely on established brands that you trust.

Another potential downside is that the rewards you get could be too small or the tasks too time-consuming to make them worthwhile. In some cases, users reported that a week of active participation in crypto faucets has only led to less than $1 worth of crypto in rewards. Ideally, you should find crypto faucets with a good reputation and that are most likely to generate enough crypto rewards to justify your time and efforts.

Closing thoughts

Crypto faucets have become more sophisticated and diverse compared to their early days of giving out free bitcoins for solving simple captchas. To get started with crypto faucets, remember that extensive and careful research should be the first step. 

Be mindful of lofty promises and suspicious-looking websites. Rely on reputable and established brands that you trust. If you use crypto faucets correctly and consistently, tiny drops of crypto could eventually become a meaningful amount, especially if the market value of the tokens you’ve accumulated goes up.