This depends on your priority. Fully liquid airdrops maximize immediate engagement and simplify the claim UX, but they concentrate sell pressure in a narrow window. Vested airdrops reduce sell pressure and theoretically select for longer-term participants, but they reduce initial excitement and can feel punitive to recipients who did the qualifying work.

Forgd's research suggests a hybrid approach works best: distribute a meaningful portion liquid (enough that recipients feel rewarded for claiming) with the remainder vesting over 3-6 months. This balances initial engagement with sustained distribution. Whatever you choose, make the terms crystal clear before the claim opens — changing vesting terms after announcement destroys trust faster than any sell-off.