Just saw @Velvet_Capital announce the VELVET airdrop rules yesterday. A total of 2,710,049 tokens will be distributed on August 10, with a total value exceeding a million dollars based on current prices. Everyone’s first focus is on the airdrop, but I think what’s more interesting is how Velvet is using the Gem system to filter for specific types of users. Simply put, Gem is a record of user activity within the Velvet ecosystem. Trading, using products, staking veVELVET, and inviting real users to participate can all help boost your ranking. Rewards will ultimately be distributed based on the Leaderboard snapshot, with higher rankings earning larger shares. The competition is especially fierce for the top 10 spots, where each rank carries significant weight. This shows that this isn’t just about completing a few simple tasks to earn rewards—it leans more toward long-term participation. Velvet itself isn’t just a platform designed for airdrops. Its goal is to become an AI-driven on-chain trading terminal, combining trading, data analysis, asset management, and AI assistance. Users can trade by simply connecting their wallets, keeping full control of their assets, while AI tools help them understand the market, identify opportunities, and lower the barriers to on-chain trading. For everyday users, the easiest way to participate is to turn your regular on-chain activities into contributions to the ecosystem. If you’re already trading on networks like Base, Ethereum, Solana, or BNB Chain, then using Velvet while accumulating Gems is like experiencing the product while contributing to the early ecosystem development. Of course, the airdrop is just the beginning. What will truly determine Velvet’s long-term value is whether the product can retain trading users. From the current design, it’s clear they’re trying to connect real trading behavior with ecosystem incentives. This model is much closer to the development logic of a mature trading platform compared to simply farming tasks.