The Fall of No-Questions-Asked Airdrops... In a Crypto Market Backed by Institutional Capital, 'Trust' Determines the Winners

▲ Cryptocurrency

After years of relying on blind hype and airdrops, the digital asset industry is entering a more mature phase as it gains institutional selection. Regulatory standards and trust-building at the institutional level are now emerging as the key to survival, rather than short-term buzz.

According to investment outlet FXStreet on Feb. 25 (local time), Dr. Nisheeta Sachdev, marketing director and growth advisor at Ryder, said in a recent interview that the core of crypto marketing in 2026 is shifting from hype to trust. Having moved from agency head to brand leader, she noted that despite crypto achieving what once seemed unrealistic milestones—mainstream adoption and corporate integration—fraud remains rampant. She emphasized that the next phase of growth will belong to teams capable of building trust.

In particular, effective marketing in 2026 is being redefined as the process of building brand trust and recognition and fostering a loyal community, rather than generating pure hype. Sachdev identified the so-called “airdrop-first” model, which relies solely on incentives to acquire users, as the most common mistake, likening it to trying to tame monkeys with small rewards. Bots and bounty hunters drawn only by simple incentives quickly leave when the benefits disappear. A long-term approach that encourages users to participate directly in voting and key decisions, fostering a sense of ownership, is essential.

In a market flooded with information and prone to broken trust, public relations (PR) serves as a fundamental trust infrastructure that continuously reinforces long-term reputation. Rather than blind exposure, structured strategies that connect search engine optimization (SEO), brand awareness, credibility, and recall to tangible business outcomes and user acquisition are required. This aligns with how self-custody products like Ryder prioritize educating the market on why self-custody matters, rather than simply selling devices.

Unlike in the past, when a single news headline could shake the market within hours, positive developments today are often already priced in. Sachdev analyzed that as the long-awaited approval of spot ETFs for major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and increased institutional participation became reality, the flow of capital itself has changed. The influx of massive institutional funds has made market reactions more cautious. Meanwhile, the explosive growth in the number of tokens—from fewer than 10,000 in 2021 to more than 20 million today—has significantly dispersed liquidity, making it far more difficult to expect narrative-driven, broad-based bull runs.

Expectations shaped by the explosive cycles of the past can distort perceptions of what sustainable expansion truly means. The digital asset market persistently demanded mainstream integration and institutional legitimacy for years and has finally achieved that goal. The market has now entered a mature stage that rewards credibility, structure, and long-term conviction over short-term narratives or random spikes in visibility, and the industry must act with regulatory discipline befitting this new era.

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