BNB Chain unveils a $45 million “Reload Airdrop” to compensate over 160,000 memecoin traders affected by recent market volatility and liquidations.
In a strategic effort to bolster its ecosystem, BNB Chain has announced a $45 million “Reload Airdrop” to support users affected by recent market instability. The initiative, launched with partner Four Meme, will distribute the funds in Binance Coin BNB $1 278 24h volatility: 1.5% Market cap: $177.97 B Vol. 24h: $10.46 B to more than 160,000 memecoin traders.
According to a statement on X on Oct. 13, the move aims to recognize the dedication of its community, particularly memecoin traders who were hit hard by widespread trader losses.
BNB Chain and Four Meme Launch a $45M Reload Airdrop with Ecosystem Partners
Recent market conditions have created turbulence across the broader crypto landscape, yet the BNB community continues to build, create and stay engaged through it all. That spirit of resilience is what… pic.twitter.com/4TLUutttEl
— BNB Chain (@BNBCHAIN) October 13, 2025
Key ecosystem partners, including PancakeSwap, Binance Wallet, and Trust Wallet, are supporting the initiative. This follows a period of intense selling pressure that led to the largest crypto liquidation event in history.
The distribution of the airdrop is set to begin the week of Oct. 13, 2025, and is expected to be completed by early November 2025. The final amount of BNB sent to each eligible address will be determined randomly, rather than being based on trading volume. This approach has sparked discussion among community members on X, with some calculating an average of around $281 per wallet.
Market Reacts with Initial Sell-Off
The airdrop announcement, made at 3:55 PM UTC on Oct. 13, prompted an immediate but short-lived reaction in the market. Technical data shows that the price of BNB briefly ticked above $1,300 in the minutes following the news.
BNB price reaction | Source: TradingView
However, the initial positive momentum quickly reversed. The asset experienced a sharp sell-off, with its price falling from a high of $1,301 to a low of $1,250 within the hour. The move was accompanied by a notable increase in trading volume, indicating a strong selling response as traders appeared to “sell the news.”
A Response to Market Volatility
The airdrop comes just days after the Oct. 11 market crash, a historic event that saw $19.35 billion liquidated across the crypto market in a single 24-hour period. The event impacted all major digital assets and left many retail traders with significant losses.
BNB Chain later clarified that the airdrop specifically targets users who experienced losses while trading memecoin, one of the most active communities on the network.
This user-focused compensation aligns with a broader strategy from key ecosystem players. In a related move, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) announced a separate $283 million fund to protect users, part of a wider effort where CZ defended the Binance ecosystem against claims of market manipulation. This pattern of user support has contributed to BNB’s strong recovery following the crash.
The initiative is also being interpreted by some as a competitive play against rival blockchains, particularly Solana SOL $201.5 24h volatility: 2.9% Market cap: $110.14 B Vol. 24h: $11.20 B and its associated platform Pump.fun. By directly compensating its most active users, BNB Chain is making a clear effort to retain community loyalty in a competitive environment.
However, the announcement has left some questions unanswered. The precise eligibility criteria remain unclear, leading users of non-affiliated platforms like OKX Wallet to question if they will be included in the distribution.
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