Blast Mainnet Is Now Officially Launched

Key Points:

• Blast mainnet officially launches, offering early access to dApps and bridging options for users.
• Airdrops totaling $2.1 billion are distributed to Blast Point users and dApps, with plans for bi-weekly “GOLD” distributions to dApps.

The much-anticipated Blast mainnet officially launched at 9:00 pm UTC on March 29, ushering in a new era for decentralized applications (dApps). Early access users now have the opportunity to bridge to the mainnet and explore the myriad dApps available on Blast.

In a bid to foster community engagement, Blast has allocated 50% of its airdrop to Blast Point users, with the remaining 50% designated for Blast dApps. Notably, the “GOLD” airdrop will be distributed to dApps biweekly, with many opting to pass on these rewards directly to their users.

With a staggering $2.1 billion and a community boasting 223,250 members set to join the Blast mainnet, users can anticipate continued rewards in the form of Blast points. Moreover, the platform’s optimistic rollup blockchain scaler promises an annual percentage yield of up to 5% on assets held within the network.

Blast Points serve as incentives for user engagement within the protocol, with plans for conversion to tokens slated for May. To further incentivize development, Blast has reserved 50% of the community airdrop for mainnet protocols, alongside additional rewards for winners of the prestigious Big Bang competition.

However, concerns arose prior to the Blast mainnet launch regarding the inability for users to withdraw deposited tokens from the Layer 2. This decision drew criticism, notably from Dan Robinson of Paradigm, a significant investor in Blast.

Interestingly, the lead-up to the Blast mainnet launch saw the emergence of an unofficial bridge to the platform, reminiscent of events preceding Coinbase’s Layer 2 Base network launch in August 2023.