Thread by @thisIzDWay

A thread 🧵on 'validator specific' #airdrops in #Cosmos -- my views on such airdrops, a list of some validators I stake with, and planned airdrop info for some of them.

First, my views...

1/15)

#CosmosEcosystem #ATOM #JUNO #OSMO

2/15) I usually stake with >20 validators (mostly outside top 20) on most chains to help decentralize.

Consequently, more often than not I benefit from this recent trend of 'validator specific' airdrops. In fact, I am already staking with some validators who announced drops.

3/15) So my views may come across as biased but hear me out...

I don't have any problems with validator specific #airdrops as long as they are not announced before the snapshot.

Reasons below...

4/15) I think validator specific airdrops are a good way to reward (if there is value attached to the token, some are for governance) the delegators especially those who are truly helping decentralize the network by staking with multiple validators (preferably outside top 20).

5/15) This also gives validators a way to engage with their delegators with future benefits/decisions prioritized for holders of validator specific tokens, thus building sub-communities/ecosystems within the larger community, and I think that's a good way this space can evolve.

6/15) What I don't like is validators announcing beforehand that they'll be doing airdrop snapshots for their delegators on day X.

This will be unsustainable for most validators bec: (a) people who are only in it for airdrops and don't care about the ecosystem & community...

7/15) will keep on redelegating between validators for airdrops and then eventually either leave the ecosystem when there are no more airdrops or stake with just the last one they delegated to.

and...

8/15) (b) serious delegators who truly care about the ecosystem will avoid staking with some of these validators in the future.

Unsurprisingly, I am observing a lot of backlash and hatred towards this mechanism on reddit/telegram/discord groups and sometimes towards otherwise

9/15) great validators who I personally like & stake with. Often joining this backlash are also people who are in it just for airdrops (and with small amounts) because sometimes the un-bonding period prevents them from redelegating.

10/15) Neither the validators nor the ecosystem benefits from this except for a short period of time.

So, I'll not encourage staking with specific validators just for airdrops. Please go through different validator websites, their twitter/tg/discord, engage with them & determine

11/15) whether you want to stake with them.

Below are some validators I stake with on multiple chains, some of whom have planned airdrops with some snapshots already taken and some to be taken in the future. Check them out and also others who you may like:

12/15)
- @GoldenStaking - enough said :)
- @kingnodes - great community engagement;
airdrop at some point based on Feb 8 shapshot, it would be to enable delegators to govern certain decisions to begin with. Also, part of bonus airdrop for @crafteconomy_

...

13/15) - @nodes_smart - great at taking care of their delegators, bonus $CRAFT.
- @ChandraStation - bonus $CRAFT
- @binaryholdings & @frensvalidator - airdrop for @diffusion_fi
- @stakecito
- @EarthValidator
- @QuantumNodeIo - $HUAHUA/ $JUNO snapshots

14/15) - @Bro_n_Bro - Check out monitor.bronbro.io
- @ben2x4
- SpacePotato - bonus $CRAFT
- @Provalidator
- @polka_chu
- @KleomedesDAO - 2 snapshots, 1st one today/tomorrow.
- @crosnest_com - bonus $CRAFT
- @NosNodes - bonus $CRAFT
- @JoeAbbey
- Chillvalidation

15/15) - @ponimajushij - snapshot Q2, tokenomics released
- Validator.run
- @rhinostake
- @forbole - bonus $CRAFT
- @Sentinel_co - bonus $CRAFT
- @OmniFlixNetwork - potential $FLIX #airdrop, bonus $CRAFT