An airdrop following a Bitcoin fork is like finding an unexpected bonus item in your grocery bag just because you shopped at a certain store. Whenever a new chain splits off from the main Bitcoin blockchain, holders of BTC at the fork’s snapshot time generally become entitled to an equal number of the new coins on the forked chain.

Sometimes these coins can be accessed by using the same private keys that controlled the original BTC. However, the process often carries risks, such as exposing private keys to unfamiliar software or ending up with worthless tokens if the fork doesn’t gain traction. Airdrops can spark excitement among crypto enthusiasts, but also confusion if the fork’s purpose isn’t clearly defined or if there are security concerns.