Skip to main content

Blog > Authors > IO Research

Airdrop games: towards a theory of tokenomics for blockchain system launches

26 June 2025 IO Research 7 mins read

Airdrop games: towards a theory of tokenomics for blockchain system launches

Blockchain systems are typified by teamwork and collaboration, requiring collective cooperation and contribution to succeed. The concept of 'public good games' has been extensively described in game theory studies. Can it be applied to understanding blockchain tokenomics?

What is unique about blockchains is that the number of engaged participants can be quite large, around the world, without communication or clear, central leadership. What convinces these players, in the game theoretic sense, to contribute1 to the common good of such blockchain communities? How can incentives be optimally and fairly designed? These questions are…

To slash or not to slash: that is the blockchain question

24 June 2025 IO Research 14 mins read

To slash or not to slash: that is the blockchain question

Blockchain systems operate at the intersection of cryptography and economic incentives, combining security mechanisms with game-theoretic principles to safeguard digital assets worth billions of dollars. At the heart of this security lie cryptographic techniques and, crucially, consensus algorithms that maintain a globally consistent ledger by receiving, sequencing, and…