Ripple is making headlines again, this time with mounting speculation around a potential partnership with asset management giant BlackRock. As talks of a spot XRP ETF surge across crypto circles, industry analysts are now pricing in an 87% likelihood of an XRP ETF becoming a reality. While this speculation fuels XRP’s narrative, another project is generating attention for actual execution. BlockDAG’s CEO Antony Turner, during the team’s most recent Keynote 3, unveiled a major testnet rewards initiative—$60,000 worth of BDAG tokens set to be distributed to 30 winners.
At a time when much of the market moves on speculation, BlockDAG is demonstrating real delivery. This new airdrop and rewards campaign gives investors a rare opportunity to test the ecosystem before mainnet, earn actual rewards, and experience how the protocol functions from the inside. And it's not limited to whales or early backers—this is a campaign for every verified investor.
According to FXEmpire, speculation is intensifying around a possible deal between Ripple and BlackRock, one of the world’s largest asset managers. The conversation centers on BlackRock’s potential interest in launching a spot XRP ETF, a move that would echo its earlier Bitcoin ETF entry through the iShares Bitcoin Trust.
On-chain analyst EGRAG Crypto claims the probability of an XRP ETF being approved has surged to 87%, pointing to increased regulatory clarity around Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC and broader crypto ETF momentum. This marks a dramatic shift in sentiment, particularly following Ripple's partial legal victory in 2023 that XRP is not a security when sold on exchanges.
If the XRP ETF materializes, it could be the catalyst that bridges traditional finance with Ripple’s long-standing mission of frictionless global remittance. However, until such an announcement is confirmed, Ripple remains at the center of speculation.
Meanwhile, another protocol isn’t waiting on institutional approval—it’s pushing forward with development, adoption, and community rewards.
While Ripple’s headlines stem from what could happen, BlockDAG is grabbing attention for what is already in motion. During its latest Keynote 3, CEO Antony Turner unveiled one of the project’s most community-focused initiatives to date—a live Beta Testnet and a $60,000 rewards campaign aimed at users who actively engage with the ecosystem before mainnet launch.
This is more than a demo. The testnet mirrors core functionality of the future BlockDAG network, including smart contract deployment, NFT minting, token creation, and live mining node interactions. As part of the campaign, every verified investor has received an airdrop of 10,000 testnet BDAG tokens—with the full vesting experience built in.
“This helps us test our vesting smart contract and simulates the launch process,” Turner stated. “It’s a mini rehearsal for the Token Generation Event.”
Each participant is allocated 10,000 testnet tokens, distributed over four weeks:
40% released immediately
20% released each week for the next three weeks
This process is controlled by a smart contract vesting tool and presented via an intuitive UI dashboard, allowing users to track balances and release schedules in real time. It’s not about just giving away tokens—it’s about familiarizing the community with BlockDAG’s launch mechanics ahead of time.
The airdrop itself has zero monetary value—but the engagement it drives is what BlockDAG is rewarding.
To encourage real participation, BlockDAG is giving away $60,000 worth of real BDAG tokens to 30 top-performing wallets during the testnet phase.
Here’s how the rewards break down:
Top 10 wallets by activity
Top 10 miners by testnet output
Top 10 wallets by testnet balance
Each winner will receive $2,000 worth of BDAG tokens, not on the testnet, but on the live network once TGE and listings go live. These rewards aren’t hypothetical—they will be credited as part of BlockDAG’s circulating supply, and will follow the official vesting timeline just like presale tokens.
The campaign is designed to do more than test load or user interest—it will actively stress test the protocol’s smart contracts, miner connectivity, and UI responsiveness before any real tokens enter circulation.
The crypto market may be buzzing about Ripple’s next big institutional move, but for now, it’s all speculation. While the possibility of a BlackRock-powered XRP ETF is certainly exciting, BlockDAG is delivering where it counts: user participation, live infrastructure, and real incentives.
With $208M already raised, a fully operational testnet, and a $60,000 reward campaign underway, BlockDAG isn’t just launching a network—it’s onboarding a community. As the countdown to the TGE continues, early involvement could be the most rewarding move an investor makes all year.
Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network
Website: https://blockdag.network
Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial
Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu
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