How Sui Handles Airdrops & How to Stay Safe

On Sui, airdrops are usually done in two ways:

Direct drop: Projects send coin objects straight to user addresses.

Claim model: Users interact with a contract to claim tokens (common for fair distribution).

Safety measures:

Legit tokens are published via verified packages; spam/fake coins can appear in wallets but have no real value.

Most Sui wallets (like Sui Wallet, Suiet, Ethos) allow hiding unverified tokens and flagging suspicious ones.

Never connect your wallet to random links — only claim from official project channels.

Beware of “dusting” (tiny unknown tokens sent to you); just ignore or hide them.

Best practice for projects: use transparent smart contracts, publish package IDs, and distribute via audited methods.

Rule of thumb: If you didn’t expect it or can’t verify the source, don’t touch it.

On Sui, how can developers design a secure claim-model airdrop contract that prevents spam token injection (dusting) while ensuring only eligible addresses can interact, and what best practices should be enforced at the package and front-end level?

On Sui, airdrops are straightforward at the protocol level, but the risks usually come from how they’re presented to users. Here’s a breakdown of both the mechanics and the safety practices you should follow:

How Airdrops Work Technically

On Sui, tokens are represented as coin objects under a specific type, e.g. 0x2::coin::Coin<MyToken>. Airdrops can be done in two main ways:

• Direct distribution: the project simply transfers coin objects to user addresses. This is the safest for users because they don’t have to sign any transaction.
• Claim-based distribution: the project publishes a contract that lets users “claim” tokens by calling a function. This requires signing a transaction, which introduces risk if the contract is malicious.

Standards and Safer Patterns

There isn’t yet a universal “airdrop standard” in Sui like ERC-20 airdrop contracts on Ethereum, but best practice is leaning toward direct send airdrops when possible. If claiming is necessary, projects should open-source the Move module, get it audited, and provide a clear package ID so users can verify they’re interacting with the correct contract.

Verifying Legitimacy of Tokens

Because any developer can mint a coin object with a fake name, you should always verify the package ID and type of a token before trusting it. Unverified or “dust” tokens may show up in your wallet, but that doesn’t mean they’re legitimate. Legit tokens are usually announced via official channels (docs, GitHub, verified explorers).

Wallet Protections

Most Sui wallets (like Sui Wallet or Ethos) now display warnings on unverified tokens, allow you to hide spam coins, and will flag suspicious airdrops that look like phishing attempts. These features help users avoid interacting with malicious assets.

Best Practices to Avoid Scams (User-Side)

• Don’t click on random “claim” links, especially on social media or DMs.
• Verify package IDs with official project announcements before signing anything.
• Be cautious of “dusting attacks” (tiny unverified tokens appearing in your wallet) — don’t try to move or sell them.
• Use only official explorers like Sui Explorer to check token authenticity.

Best Practices for Projects

If you’re distributing tokens, the most trustworthy way is to send them directly to user wallets. If a claim mechanism is needed, you should:

• Make the Move module public and auditable.
• Get the package ID verified in the community.
• Announce the details on official, signed channels.
• Avoid requiring excessive permissions or unnecessary approvals in the claim function.

✅ In short: On Sui, airdrops are just token transfers, but scams come from malicious claim flows and fake tokens. Users should double-check package IDs, avoid clicking unknown claim links, and use wallet protections. Projects should default to direct sends or fully-audited claim contracts to build trust.

On Sui, airdrops of new tokens can happen in two main ways. A project can directly send new coin objects into users’ wallets, or it can ask users to actively claim tokens through a transaction. Both approaches are valid, but the first one is simpler while the second allows projects to filter eligible users and prevent spam. At the protocol level, tokens are just objects, so when you see a new token in your wallet, it is essentially a new object minted and sent to your address.

There is no single enforced standard for airdrops yet, but responsible projects usually publish official documentation, verified smart contracts, and clear instructions through trusted channels. Wallets like Sui Wallet and Ethos already include safeguards such as hiding unverified tokens, warning about suspicious assets, or allowing you to filter what shows in your balance.

As a user, the most important safety practice is to never connect your wallet to unverified “claim” sites. Fake claim links and dusting attacks are common, where someone sends you worthless or malicious tokens hoping you will interact with them. A good rule is to check that a token contract is verified, confirm announcements through official project channels, and avoid clicking random links in Discord or Telegram.

From the project side, the most trustworthy way to airdrop is to either directly send tokens to wallets of eligible users or, if using a claim system, to make sure the claim contract is open-source, audited, and the process is explained clearly. Transparency builds trust and prevents users from falling for phishing copies.