Recent data from Binance reveals that holders of BNB experienced an impressive 177% return on their investments over a 15-month period, specifically from January 2024 to March 2025. This return, averaging approximately 11.8% per month, is attributed not only to the appreciation in BNB”s price but also to the rewards accrued from Launchpool farming and various airdrops.
During this period, BNB traded at $612.86, reflecting a slight decrease from the peak of $640 reached at the conclusion of Q1 2025. At the start of 2024, BNB was valued at $313, leading to a significant price gain of 104%. However, the true advantage for passive holders came from the additional rewards obtained through the exchange”s initiatives.
In 2024, Binance conducted 21 Launchpool events that collectively distributed over $1.75 billion in token rewards to participants. Users who staked their BNB in these pools received early access to new project tokens prior to their exchange listings. Some of the standout projects included Saga (SAGA), which peaked at $13.07, Ethena (ENA) at $10.37, and PIXEL at $9.47. The average annual percentage yield (APY) across all Launchpool events was reported at 84%, calculated from first-day closing prices.
In addition to Launchpool rewards, participants benefited from the MegaDrop and HODLer Airdrop programs, which contributed another 19.7% yield. These programs incentivize users who complete specific tasks or maintain a certain balance of BNB based on historical snapshots. For an investor holding just 1 BNB throughout this timeframe, the total rewards amounted to approximately $226, leading to a total gain of $553 from an initial investment of $313.
Active traders can further enhance their returns by converting airdropped tokens back into BNB, thereby increasing their principal for future rewards. This strategy allows for straightforward compounding without needing complex decentralized finance (DeFi) maneuvers.
Binance has recently revamped its Launchpool interface and introduced a centralized BNB page that provides real-time information on all airdrop initiatives. This suggests that the exchange is positioning yield generation as a fundamental benefit for its token holders.
While the reported 177% return assumes consistent participation in every available program and utilizes conservative first-day prices for calculations, actual returns may vary significantly based on individual timing and engagement levels. Nevertheless, this data underscores an important insight: exchange tokens with robust reward ecosystems can significantly outperform their simple price movements.
For holders of BNB already utilizing Binance, the missed opportunities from not engaging in these reward programs could be considerable. With BNB currently boasting a market capitalization of $83.58 billion, it retains its status as the third-largest cryptocurrency by that measure. The sustainability of similar yield opportunities will largely depend on Binance”s future project launches and its commitment to continuing reward distributions for BNB stakers.
