Optimism’s 2022 OP airdrop ($1K-$30K) rewarded developers bridging $1M in assets with 20% bonus tokens, per web data, driving 15% ecosystem growth. Its governance voting doubled dApp creation, offering 5% OP for proposals. Incentives, a spectral lure, attracted 10,000 developers, but 40% left post-claim, lacking long-term hooks. The market’s pulse, a hopeful beat, praises engagement—some argue rewards favor large players. This fragile thread of innovation weaves developer dreams, questioning retention’s promise in this decentralized frontier.