Don’t Buy Cryptocurrencies (Earn them)

Unless you’re working for McDonald's, there is no such thing as a free lunch, and cryptocurrency is no different. The ecosystem is rife with opportunities to earn your digital “skin-in-the-game” if you don’t mind rolling up your sleeves. 

“But I can’t code my microwave dinner! How can I stack Sats without a PhD in DLT?!”

Well, my smart-contract illiterate friend, here are 5 ways to earn cryptocurrency without investing:

1. Community Management/Moderation

Like it or not, if you’re into cryptocurrency, you’re part of the community (one of us, one of us!).

Online community platforms, such as Telegram and Discord, are a beehive of blockchain banter and, most, if not all, respectable coin communities will have one or more spaces for their people to hang out and chat. Some of them are a place where like-minds flourish, and everybody gets along with one another like happy little campers. Most, however, are not. Moderators, admins, peacemakers, call them what you may, are a necessary cog in the machine of the room's workings. 

Utilize those people skills! Join some communities! 

2. Content Creation

Can you read? Well, you can write then! There are numerous platforms out there where you can monetise your knowledge, opinions, or inane fanboying with words.

As well as the best site out there for writers to grow their voice, Hackernoon (of course!), you can indirectly grow an audience in places like Medium, and move to monetise your expertise. Or, if you prefer smaller and more instant gains, Publish0x pays readers and writers directly in micro cryptocurrency tips. If your article goes viral, those pennies can add up! 

3. Airdrops/Bounty Campaigns

Social media is unavoidable nowadays. If you still don’t have a Twitter account, then you’re missing out on more than just Elon Musk’s crazy rants! Almost every coin and token with worth has a social media presence, and they need to raise awareness and retweets for their awesome announcements of their announcements. You can make a digital dime or two simply by sharing. Check sites such as Coinmarketcap or airdrop-detective for active campaigns!

Recent airdrops you could have claimed include Uniswap (peak value around $16,000) and Cope (peak value around $12,000).

4. Esports and Poker

Got your eyes on a bigger prize? Why not try your hand at some cryptocurrency Esports tournaments?

In the last months, the decentralized community I work with, Free TON, has sponsored dozens of competitions for players of  CS:GO, PUBG, DOTA2, and more, distributing thousands of dollars worth of TON Crystals to the winners.

And if you prefer your games card-based, Poker TON holds daily freerolls, open to all! 

5. Contests and Grants

Combining all of the above, contests tend to occur mostly with DAO-based communities. Grants are similar but are usually offered in response to a tender to the representatives of a community. 

Free TON currently has literally millions of dollars worth of rewards available to those with the time and skills to enter and win contests.

Recent contests include decentralized PR, designing two-sided NFTs, and even the chance to be an ambassador for Free TON in expenses paid trip to Dubai for the AIBC conference!

To see all active contests on Free TON right now, check out https://gov.freeton.org/main.

TL;DR - Invest Effort, not Earnings

As the old adage goes:

Don’t invest what you can’t afford to lose.

While elbow grease doesn’t come for free, it does enable you to stake a claim in the future of this blossoming economy without sacrificing living standards. So get involved with the right project, and who knows where it will take you!