Top methods to start earning with crypto for free (Part 1)

When you first step into crypto, you don’t want to throw thousands of dollars into risky bets. The smartest way is to start with methods that cost you little (or nothing) but can still help you make money with crypto.

Let’s break down three of the most practical strategies in part 1: airdrops, crypto lending, and staking, and I’ll also show you how AI can make the whole process safer and more profitable.

👀 Airdrops: The Zero-Cost Entry

Airdrops are literally free money. Projects hand out tokens to early users who test their apps, hold tokens, or even just follow social media tasks.

• Advantages: Zero upfront investment, potential high rewards. In 2023, some users earned hundreds of dollars simply by participating consistently.

• Disadvantages: Many airdrops are small, scams exist, and rewards are not guaranteed

• Difficulty: Low, but you need persistence and an eye for real opportunities.

• Resources needed: A crypto wallet (like MetaMask), basic knowledge of decentralized exchanges, and access to Twitter/Discord for announcements.

Back in September 2020, Uniswap, the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) on Ethereum, shocked its community with a retroactive airdrop. Without any prior warning, every wallet that had interacted with the platform before September 1 received 400 $UNI.X ( ▲ 0.29% ) tokens

At launch, $UNI.X ( ▲ 0.29% ) traded at about $3, so the airdrop was instantly worth around $1,200. But the opportunity to make money with crypto grew even bigger. Within weeks, UNI’s price doubled past $7, and by May 2021, during the peak of the DeFi bull run, it hit an all-time high of nearly $44. That meant the same 400-token airdrop was suddenly worth close to $18,000.

Add-on: Another way to make money with crypto is through learn-to-earn and play-to-earn programs. These campaigns are launched depending on the project, but I group them under the same category as airdrops because the idea is similar: You complete simple tasks and receive rewards.

With learn-to-earn, you watch short lessons or answer quizzes to earn tokens, while play-to-earn lets you earn by playing blockchain games. Both are fun, educational (or entertaining), and often free entry points.

For a deeper dive into airdrops, you can explore the part 1 and part 2 of airdrop farming here.

🏦 Crypto Lending: Turning Coins Into Interest

Crypto lending is one of the simplest and most sustainable ways to grow your holdings. Think of it like being a digital banker. Instead of your cash sitting idle, you lend your crypto to others and earn interest in return.

It works like a bank but with digital assets. Investors deposit funds into a lending company, which then lends money to borrowers who put up crypto as collateral. When borrowers repay the loan with interest, the company returns the principal plus interest (minus fees) to investors, allowing them to make money with crypto passively.

• Advantages: Passive, predictable income (5–20% APY on many platforms). It’s much safer than speculative trading if you stick to blue-chip assets.

• Disadvantages: Platform risk (BlockFi, Celsius collapsed), crypto price volatility can erase interest gains.

• Difficulty: Medium. You need to research reliable platforms and understand loan terms.

• Resources needed: Funds to lend (stablecoins are safest), a secure wallet, and access to lending protocols like Aave, Compound, or centralized providers.

Some of the most trusted crypto lending companies in the market include Aave, Compound, Nexo, Unchained, Binance Earn,… These platforms connect investors who want to earn interest with borrowers who need liquidity. Each lending company has its own model, but the basic principle is the same: you supply your crypto to a lending pool, and borrowers pay interest to access those funds.

To start lending your crypto, you simply need a wallet and some assets like Bitcoin $BTC.X ( ▼ 1.94% ) , Ethereum $ETH.X ( ▼ 5.86% ) , or stablecoins (USDT, USDC).

First, choose a reputable lending company, connect your wallet, and deposit your assets into their lending pool.

From there, the platform automatically manages the loans, collects interest, and pays you regularly. This way, you can make money with crypto without actively trading, while keeping full visibility of your returns.

💸 Staking: Passive Growth Without Trading

Crypto staking is like locking your coins to help secure a blockchain, and in return, you get rewarded. Unlike crypto lending, you’re not giving your assets to borrowers, you’re directly supporting the network.

The process is locking up your cryptocurrency to support the operations and security of a blockchain network that uses Proof of Stake (PoS) or its variations. When you stake, your coins are delegated to validators who confirm transactions and maintain the network. In return, you earn rewards in the form of new tokens, similar to earning interest in a savings account.

The more you stake, the higher your chances of receiving rewards, making it one of the most accessible ways to make money with crypto passively.

Types of Cryptocurrency Staking:

• Delegated Staking: You assign your voting power to a validator instead of running your own node. This way, you still earn rewards while someone else handles the technical setup.

• Liquid Staking: Stake your coins while keeping them liquid for DeFi. You receive a “receipt token” that can be used for trading, lending, or collateral, then burned when unstaking.

• Restaking: Stake your assets across multiple platforms at once to earn higher rewards. It’s powerful but riskier, since poor validator performance may lead to slashing losses.

• Pooled Staking: Combine your coins with others to meet validator requirements. Rewards are shared based on each person’s contribution, lowering the entry barrier for smaller holders.

• DeFi Staking of PoW Coins: Proof-of-Work chains like Bitcoin don’t natively support staking, but L2 protocols (e.g., Stacks with Proof of Transfer) let you stake tokens and earn $BTC.X ( ▼ 1.94% ) rewards

Like any investment method, crypto staking has its upsides and downsides. Here’s a quick look at what you should consider before getting started.

One of the biggest advantages of crypto staking is its predictable rewards. For example, Ethereum typically offers around 2.9% APY, while smaller blockchains may provide returns of up to 20%. This makes staking an attractive option for those who want a steady and relatively low-risk way to make money with crypto.

On the other hand, staking has some drawbacks. Many networks require lock-up periods, meaning you can’t always withdraw your coins instantly. There’s also the risk that price volatility could reduce your overall gains, even if rewards are consistent.

In terms of difficulty, staking on centralized exchanges is simple, but managing it yourself with a staking wallet requires more effort. To get started, you’ll need the native tokens of a network such as $ETH.X ( ▼ 5.86% ) , $SOL.X ( ▼ 7.49% ) , or $ADA.X ( ▼ 6.86% ) , plus a staking pool or compatible wallet.

💳 Cashback & Affiliate Programs: Earn While You Spend or Share

Crypto cashback works much like traditional credit card rewards, except the payback comes in crypto instead of fiat. By spending with cards from Crypto.com, Binance Card, Coinbase Card, or even certain DeFi wallets, you can earn between 1% and 8% of your purchases back in BTC, ETH, or platform tokens.

Everyday expenses, such as coffee, flights, or online shopping, suddenly become a way to make money with crypto. To get started, all you need is a card or app that supports cashback in digital assets. Once activated, the process is automatic, and your rewards accumulate every time you spend.

Affiliate Programs are another low-barrier option. When you refer friends or followers to an exchange or crypto product, you receive rewards in tokens or a share of their trading fees. Major platforms like Binance, Bybit, and OKX run affiliate programs, allowing you to build passive income just by sharing referral links.

Of course, it’s not always that simple. For your referral to count, the friend you invite usually needs to complete KYC, make a small deposit into their wallet, and carry out some trading activity on the account. Only then will the reward be credited.

• Advantages: No large capital needed, easy to access, and allows you to profit from either spending or your personal network.

• Disadvantages: Rewards depend on platform conditions. Cashback fluctuates with token prices, while affiliate income requires time to grow a network.

• Difficulty: Very low for cashback; medium for affiliates (you’ll need marketing skills or a community).

📊 Trading & Long-Term Holding (HODLing)

This is probably the most common method people think of when they first hear about crypto. That’s also why I’ve saved it for last. Trading has always been at the center of the market and, for many, it’s the entry point into the ecosystem.

Active trading isn’t for everyone, but with the right plan, it can be a powerful way to earn money with crypto. Short-term trading tries to capture profits from price volatility, while long-term holding (HODLing) relies on strong fundamentals in assets like Ethereum, Solana, or Bitcoin.

• Advantages: Flexibility because profits can come from both short swings and long runs. Long-term holding is simpler and often safer.

• Disadvantages: Emotional stress, risk of losing capital, and the need for discipline. Many traders lose more than they win.

• Difficulty: High for active trading, low for simple holding.

🔧 The AI Shortcut

The hardest part of all these methods, airdrops, staking, crypto lending, is information overload. Too many platforms, too many scams, and too much fine print. That’s exactly why AI, such as Perplexity, GenSpark, is a game-changer. Here is a prompt that helps you save time:

Help me find the latest [Type of program] (updated to Sep 22, 2025) and put them into a table.

Please:
- Suggest the best criteria to rank and filter these projects (I’m new and don’t know what to look for).
- Automatically create a table with those criteria as columns.
- Rank the projects so I know which ones to try first.
- Output the result in a format I can easily open in Google Sheets or Excel.

Here is the result:

AI makes it easier to cut through the noise in crypto. It can filter out low-quality projects and highlight real opportunities, saving you hours of research. For example, AI can automatically check whether your wallet qualifies for the latest airdrops, ensuring you don’t miss free chances to make money with crypto.

AI also helps maximize returns. It can compare APYs across multiple platforms and track staking validators, even suggesting better options when performance drops. In short, AI turns chaos into clarity, and when you’re just getting started, that clarity can be the most valuable tool for growing your portfolio.

💡 Key Takeaway for Part 1

Start free with airdrops, scale with crypto lending, and build long-term passive income through staking. If you layer AI on top, you not only save time but also avoid most of the risks that kill your own portfolios.