After one of the biggest market meltdowns in crypto history, BNB Chain has announced a $45 million “reload airdrop” to help users recover from losses suffered during last week’s flash crash.
More than 160,000 wallets are eligible to receive BNB tokens, with the rollout starting this week and continuing through early November. The move comes days after nearly $20 billion in leveraged positions were wiped out following a market collapse triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s 100% tariff threat on China.
Community Steps In to Repair Damage
The BNB Chain team, working alongside ecosystem partners like PancakeSwap, Trust Wallet, and Four Meme, said the initiative aims to restore user confidence rather than act as a bailout. Former Binance chief Changpeng Zhao (CZ) described the distribution as partially randomized, emphasizing fairness and transparency.
Despite the turmoil, BNB’s price rebounded sharply, touching a new record high of $1,370 on Monday – a surprising show of strength given the scale of the recent market liquidations.
Aftershocks Hit Binance Users
Much of the chaos centered around Binance, where several assets experienced dramatic price anomalies. USDe briefly plunged to $0.65, while wBETH and BnSOL also saw extreme depegs. Traders complained of being unable to close positions as volatility overwhelmed the exchange.
In a statement, Binance said its core systems stayed operational and blamed the erratic pricing on thin liquidity and legacy limit orders. The exchange later confirmed it had reimbursed users with roughly $283 million and dismissed rumors of a wider technical failure.
Turning Crisis Into a Confidence Test
The “reload airdrop” marks BNB Chain’s most ambitious user relief effort to date, reflecting how decentralized projects are increasingly taking matters into their own hands after major market shocks.
While the crypto industry debates how such extreme volatility can be prevented, BNB’s rebound – and Binance’s rapid response – suggest that even in the midst of chaos, market trust can be rebuilt from within.
