How To Get Free Crypto: 9 Easy Ways To Start Earning Today
Written by
Jacob Wade
Edited by
Elizabeth Constantineau
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Wondering how to get free crypto? There are plenty of easy ways to earn it without spending a dime — even if you’re just starting out. From playing games to taking surveys, completing simple tasks or staking coins you already own, you can begin building your crypto portfolio without making an upfront investment.
9 Ways To Get Free Crypto
Getting free crypto isn’t just about luck — it’s about knowing where to look and choosing the right platforms. Here’s exactly how to get free crypto today, even if you’re a total beginner:
- Crypto faucets
- Airdrops
- Play-to-earn games
- Crypto social media
- Survey sites
- Staking
- Crypto lending
- Referral bonuses
- Affiliate marketing
Each of these methods works differently depending on your goals and time. Some are passive, letting you earn without much ongoing effort, while others reward you for active participation. Here’s a closer look at each way you can start earning free crypto.
Earning Crypto Through Faucets and Airdrops
Crypto Faucets
Faucet services allow you to sign up and complete activities such as solving puzzles, watching videos, taking surveys or filling out a CAPTCHA to earn crypto.
You simply need to sign up for a faucet platform, follow the instructions and receive crypto in your connected wallet. If you prefer to earn crypto when you’re bored online and have some time available, a faucet may be the best option.
Some of the top faucet platforms include:
Airdrops
If you’re wondering how to get free crypto, participating in an airdrop can help you add some coins to your wallet.
When a new developer releases a cryptocurrency, it’s not uncommon for them to give some of the coins away for free. The goal is to build some interest around the coin and hopefully kickstart the long-term success of the cryptocurrency.
The downside of this option is that many airdrops turn out to be scams. So, even if you receive the coins, they might not be worth anything. Do your research before jumping into an airdrop opportunity.
You can find legitimate airdrop opportunities on Airdrops.io.
Good To Know
While it’s usually free to participate in an airdrop, you might need to complete some specific tasks. For example, you might need to follow the project on social media or interact with the project on its website.
Earning Crypto Through Active Participation
Play-to-Earn Games
Play-to-earn gaming has become popular in the crypto community over the past few years. These games allow you to earn rewards in the form of the in-game cryptocurrency token — which can be used to make in-game purchases or be transferred to your wallet.
Top Play-to-Earn Crypto Games
- Sandbox: Create a whole Kverse and buy virtual land.
- Decentraland: Decentralized 3D virtual reality platform.
- Valhalla: Turn-based tactical combat game launched by the Floki-Inu memecoin team.
- Aavegotchi: Collectibles game that earns crypto rewards.
Crypto Social Media and Content Creation
There are several decentralized social media platforms that allow you to earn crypto rewards for participating in the platform. For example, Publish0x rewards users for publishing blogs on the platform. Readers can “tip” writers and also earn rewards in return.
Some of the most popular social media and content creation crypto platforms are:
Survey Sites and Tasks
There are survey-for-money websites that let you earn cash. Some platforms such as GrabPoints will offer gift cards instead of cash — and you can get a Venmo or PayPal gift card to use for buying Bitcoin.
It’s a great way to start building your bank of tokens while passing the time by answering questions and taking quizzes. Other sites pay crypto rewards for using their shopping portal, or performing other micro-tasks.
Here are a few of the most popular survey and task platforms for earning crypto:
Earning Crypto Through Passive Methods
Staking
Once you start building a crypto portfolio, you could stake your tokens to earn more crypto. It’s a form of currency stabilization.
Similar to a certificate of deposit, you’ll need to commit your crypto for a period of time to earn interest while it’s staked. Rates can vary between 3% and 20% APY.
StakingRewards is a site that tracks the most lucrative tokens to stake and the top platforms. If you have the following coins, they may earn you a return of:
- Ethereum (ETH): 3.23%
- Solana (SOL): 8.09%
- Near Protocol (NEAR): 9.5%
If you choose to pursue crypto staking, do your research to find the best returns for your situation.
Crypto Lending
If you already have some cryptocurrency, you can use those funds to generate more cryptocurrency through peer-to-peer lending.
- Many platforms offer peer-to-peer lending in the form of crypto.
- As with all peer-to-peer lending options, you should confirm the borrower can repay the funds before you finalize.
- Many centralized crypto lending platforms went insolvent in 2022, such as BlockFi and Celsius. Make sure you carefully research the platform before finalizing a loan.
- Decentralized platforms that offer crypto lending still include Aave and Compound.
Earning Crypto With Referral Programs and Affiliate Marketing
Crypto Exchange Referrals
Banks and other finance apps offer bonuses for referring friends and family, and many crypto exchanges do too. Check out the following:
- Gemini: Offers $50 in crypto of your choice when you refer a friend and they trade at least $100 in the first month after signup.
- Coinbase: Invite a friend to Coinbase and you’ll both get $10.
Good To Know
Many crypto exchanges offer referral bonuses, but make sure to read the fine print. You’ll likely need to make some trades before the sign up bonus hits your account.
Affiliate Marketing
Many centralized crypto exchanges and platforms offer commissions for referring friends to the platform using your affiliate link. Here’s how it works:
- Once you sign up for the affiliate program, you can create a customized link to share online or directly with friends and family.
- If someone signs up and meets the program requirements, you receive a commission — which may come in the form of crypto.
Crypto Affiliate Marketing Programs To Know
Some popular crypto affiliate programs include:
How To Get Free Crypto Methods Compared
If you want to learn how to get free crypto, check out this comparison table to find the best way to start earning:
| Method | How It Works | Potential Earnings | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto faucets | Complete tasks to earn small amounts of crypto | High | Beginners with spare time |
| Airdrops | Receive free crypto from new projects looking to increase awareness | Medium | Users willing to research new coins |
| Play-to-earn games | Earn in-game crypto by playing games | High | Gamers looking for crypto rewards |
| Social media and content creation | Earn crypto for posting on decentralized social media platforms | Medium | Content creators and social users |
| Survey sites and tasks | Complete online surveys or tasks to earn crypto | Medium | Users looking for small, easy rewards |
| Staking | Lock up your crypto holdings to earn interest over time | Low | Existing crypto holders seeking passive income |
| Crypto lending | Lend out your crypto assets to earn interest | Low | Advanced users comfortable with lending |
| Crypto exchange referrals | Refer friends to crypto exchanges or platforms | Low | Anyone with friends interested in crypto |
| Affiliate marketing | Promote crypto platforms using affiliate links and earn commission | Low to medium | Bloggers, influencers or social sellers |
Risks To Consider When Earning Free Crypto
Many platforms that promise free crypto are actually scams designed to empty your crypto wallet. Once that happens, there’s no way to get it back.
To avoid scams, keep these tips in mind:
- Before using a free crypto platform, make sure it’s reputable.
- Use credible websites like TrustPilot to see if it’s legitimate.
- Look for reviews of people with first-hand experience to make sure you won’t get ripped off.
- When participating in schemes like Airdrops, make sure you understand how the crypto is distributed, how the platform uses your data and if your location is even eligible for an airdrop.
Best Practices for Storing Your Free Crypto
If you receive free crypto from a platform or activity, it’s important to keep it safe in your digital wallet. You can first transfer it to your online wallet, but if you want to be extra secure, you’ll want to consider transferring your crypto to an offline cold wallet.
Security Tip
If you keep your crypto on an exchange or online hot wallet, it’s important to take these precautions:
- Have a very strong password in place.
- Enable two-factor authentication.
- Always keep your passkey secure.
FAQ
Here are the answers to some common questions that you may have when you start exploring the possibilities of earning free crypto.- How much free crypto can I earn per day?
- While there are free crypto platforms available, you can usually only earn a few cents worth of crypto per day. If that crypto rises in value, your earnings will become more valuable over time.
- Are there any risks with using faucets and airdrops?
- There are risks to be aware of.
- If you connect your digital wallet to a faucet without verifying it, the platform may be able to drain your wallet completely with no way to recover your crypto.
- Airdrops may have tight restrictions on who can qualify, and the coins you earn may end up being worthless.
- What’s the best way to stake crypto and earn rewards?
- You can use a crypto exchange to deposit and stake crypto to earn monthly rewards. Crypto exchanges usually pay competitive interest rates and offer flexibility in accessing your coins if needed.
- How do crypto lending and borrowing work?
- You can lend your crypto through a platform to other users and earn interest -- just like you were a bank. This is done by locking your crypto into a smart contract. You allow borrowers to access the cryptocurrency and it will be paid back over time.
- Can I earn significant amounts of crypto by referring others?
- While referral programs can help you earn crypto quickly, many have earnings caps and prevent you from building wealth through them. If you’re a business that promotes crypto affiliate programs, you may be able to earn hundreds or even thousands a month — depending on the size of your following.
Suchetana Bhattacharyea, Cynthia Bowman and Sarah Sharkey contributed to the reporting for this article.
Information is accurate as of April 1, 2025.
Our in-house research team and on-site financial experts work together to create content that’s accurate, impartial, and up to date. We fact-check every single statistic, quote and fact using trusted primary resources to make sure the information we provide is correct. You can learn more about GOBankingRates’ processes and standards in our editorial policy.
- 101 Blockchains. 2022. "A Complete List Of Top Crypto Faucets."
