Zora, with Coinbase backing, will airdrop its token after facing a week of controversial promotions.

Zora, the on-chain social media platform supported by Coinbase, revealed that its ZORA token will officially launch on April 23, just days after a viral surge in interest driven by Base network creator Jesse Pollack’s promotional efforts. The airdrop will be based on two distinct snapshots: one covering user activity from January 1, 2020, to March 3, 2025, and another from March 3 to April 20, 2025. Snapshots are a method used to record blockchain data at specific moments, enabling token rewards for users who interacted with the platform during those timeframes.

The attention surrounding Zora skyrocketed last week after Pollack highlighted the platform’s ability to create “content coins”—tokens linked to unique images or phrases that can be traded. This promotion sparked a surge in activity, with Zora recording over 230,000 new traders on Sunday alone. One token, “Base is for everyone,” gained particular attention, with its market cap rising from a few thousand dollars to over $17 million within hours of being posted by Base’s official X account. However, blockchain analysts soon discovered that three wallets had purchased the tokens before the public announcement, reaping a $666,000 profit in the process.

Coinbase, the parent company behind Base, clarified that “Base is for everyone” was not the official token of the network and that it did not sell the tokens directly. Nonetheless, the timing of the promotion and the large profit made by early buyers sparked accusations of insider trading, with many questioning the transparency of the campaign. Some social media users called out the effort as a scheme to artificially inflate the token’s value before a planned sell-off, while others speculated that insiders stood to make millions when the token went public.

Jesse Pollack addressed the controversy by denying the allegations of manipulation, stating that the promotional push was not part of a broader marketing strategy. Despite his response, the debate continued to simmer on social media, with some critics accusing Coinbase and Zora of poor communication and a lack of clarity surrounding the promotional campaign.

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