Airdrop farming in 2025 demands 10 hours weekly, up 20% from 2024, as projects like ZKSync tighten criteria—tasks now include 50 transactions, costing $5 in fees. Returns, once 15%, now hover at 8%, with 30% of tokens dumping 50% post-airdrop (e.g., Notcoin). Time costs soar—Telegram group monitoring eats 5 hours, a spectral drain, while ROI dips as scams rise 25%. High-value airdrops like LayerZero ($500 potential) offset effort, but 60% fail to break even. The market’s pulse, a strained hum, reflects diminishing gains—a fragile thread where time’s weight outpaces fading rewards in this farming odyssey.