How to earn free Bitcoin in 2026: 11 safe and simple methods
Nov 17, 2025・7 min read
In the last five years, the price of Bitcoin (BTC) has soared – closing at $9,350 in January 2020 and reaching $100,000 in November 2024. This skyrocketing price has caused many traders to turn to other altcoins or traditional assets with lower entry points and smaller returns. It’s also left some investors feeling priced out of the Bitcoin market altogether.
Still, not all hope is lost for those feeling priced out. There are ways to make money with crypto without investing or spending electricity by mining.
The promise of “free Bitcoin” might sound too good to be true, but with a little effort and consistency, anyone can start building a small crypto position. If you’re wondering how to earn free Bitcoin, there are now several legitimate, risk-free ways to stack sats (Satoshis) and collect other cryptocurrencies. We’ll explore 11 of them in this guide.
Key insights
- You’re not limited to BTC: While this guide focuses on the best way to earn Bitcoins, many platforms offer other valuable cryptocurrencies for free, including Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). Exploring these options can diversify your holdings and maximize your gains.
- Different strategies fit different goals: Some earning methods, such as completing educational quizzes or joining referral programs, are quick and easy. Others, like staking or play-to-earn gaming, require more time, expertise, or even a small investment, but often come with bigger rewards.
- Be vigilant against scams: Not every “free crypto” opportunity is legitimate. Always verify the source before clicking any link or downloading software, and never share your private keys or recovery phrases.
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How to get free Bitcoin and other cryptos: 11 methods
You’ll find how to earn Bitcoins for free generally requires little more than a stable internet connection, time, and persistence. It may not yield more than a few sats, but Bitcoin’s price tends to rise after each halving, so even small amounts of BTC can become valuable over time.
Ready to bank a bit of free crypto? Here are 11 methods to try.
Learn and earn free crypto
A few cryptocurrency platforms reward users with small amounts of free crypto in exchange for learning about the technology:
- Binance Academy: Operated by Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance Academy has learn-and-earn opportunities for beginners and experienced traders alike. Users can earn Bitcoins online by completing quizzes after watching videos and reading information about the blockchain, mining, and trading strategies.
- CoinGecko: This crypto market analysis platform has a similar learn-and-earn setup to Binance Academy. Users can watch sponsored videos and take quizzes about the material to earn cryptocurrencies and “candy,” CoinGecko’s loyalty rewards points. The earnings aren’t always consistent, but you can count on the ability to exchange candy for e-books on crypto.
Coinbase previously offered free crypto as a reward for taking video courses on various cryptocurrencies, but they closed the program in March 2025.
Refer a friend and get free crypto
Referring friends or family members to a cryptocurrency exchange or decentralized application (dApp) is another way to earn free digital assets. These referral programs typically reward users with a set amount of crypto once the person they refer completes their first trade or transaction.
Here are a few platforms to consider:
- Coinbase: You can earn Bitcoins fast when someone you referred buys or sells $100 in crypto. Users in the United States can also join the Coinbase One Referral Program to get $10 off their next subscription month (up to $100, or 10 referrals, total), while friends receive a 30-day free trial and $10 off their first paid month.
- Kraken: Both you and your friend can earn $75 when they create an account using your referral link and deposit fiat currency into their Kraken account. Though you can invite as many people as you’d like, you can only cash out $1,500 in total rewards.
- Gemini: Get paid $50 in crypto when your referral trades $100 within 30 days. Gemini Credit Card holders can also earn $50 per approved friend (after their first purchase), plus a $250 bonus after every five successful referrals.
Get crypto cashback on purchases
Many cryptocurrency exchanges offer cashback rewards, especially exchanges that have credit or debit cards. Coinbase’s Visa debit card and Gemini’s Mastercard credit card, for instance, allow users to earn Bitcoins for free by making everyday purchases with their cards.
Browser extensions such as Lolli offer a simpler card-free option for earning BTC. You can shop through 25,000+ partnered online stores and get up to 30% back in cash or Bitcoin.
Browse and earn crypto rewards
Some privacy-focused web browsers let you earn free crypto instantly through regular internet use. These platforms share a portion of their advertising revenue with users who view the ads, usually in the form of the browser’s native token.
For example, Brave is a popular in-browser crypto earning option. Its built-in Brave Rewards program allows users to earn Basic Attention Token (BAT) for viewing ads while still blocking trackers and intrusive pop-ups.
Join crypto giveaways and contests on social media
Many reputable platforms host social media giveaways and contests where you can win Bitcoins or other tokens. Rather than just doom-scrolling on social media, start following official exchange accounts.
Binance is one platform to follow. They sometimes run quizzes and promotions that reward participants with crypto prizes on Meta platforms and X.
Just be cautious and ensure you’re only engaging with verified campaigns. Fake accounts and scams are common, especially through third-party apps. CashApp, for example, rarely runs giveaways, but scammers often use CashApp’s hashtags and platform to lure in potential victims. Don’t send any money without verifying exactly who is receiving it and why, and never share your wallet’s private keys or seed phrase.
Participate in bug bounty programs
If you notice a gap in security that could impact other traders while you’re using an exchange, report it – it’s one way you’ll learn how to make Bitcoins for free. There are several bug bounty programs, like HackerOne and ImmuneFi, that reward users with tokens for finding bugs or finding vulnerabilities. This is one way for tech-savvy traders and ethical hackers to make cryptocurrency for free and give back to the community.
Some platforms also offer in-house bug bounty programs. Kraken’s bug bounty program, for example, will pay researchers a minimum of $500 in Bitcoin for every vulnerability found. But these in-house bounty programs often pay in the platform’s native currency, so be aware that you might not be earning BTC specifically.
Claim free crypto from faucets
Crypto faucets are websites that offer users small amounts of cryptocurrency in exchange for completing simple tasks, such as watching ads, solving CAPTCHAs, or participating in surveys.
Although the rewards are typically minimal, faucets offer an accessible entry point into the crypto space without the commitment of investing fiat. Over time, consistently using faucets can help users accumulate a modest amount of digital assets.
FreeBitco, BTC Clicks, and Freecash are some popular faucet options to explore. Always be careful when you use faucet sites, however. Many contain phishing links or malware. To stay safe, avoid downloading files and never share your crypto wallet information.
Get free tokens from airdrops
Airdrops are promotional events where cryptocurrency companies distribute free tokens to generate interest in new blockchain projects. These tokens are usually sent to active wallets in hopes of encouraging engagement.
Free airdrops
Users are randomly selected to receive new tokens based on wallet activity or other criteria set by the project. These tokens can be used for trading, staking, or participating in the project’s ecosystem. Users only need to hold an active wallet address on a specific blockchain to qualify for a free airdrop.
Chore-based airdrops
Users complete specific tasks, such as following a project’s accounts, posting on social media, or filling out surveys, to qualify for a chore-based airdrop. By participating, users are actively engaging with the project, which can lead to long-term investment opportunities (or free crypto rewards from the company).
For example, MT Pelerin offers rewards through its Bridge Wallet app, where users can complete in-app gamified quests like buying crypto or referring friends to earn sats on the Lightning Network. Some exchanges, like KuCoin, will regularly run promotional airdrops that reward users for simple engagement.
Token-holder airdrops
In a token-holder airdrop, users receive free crypto simply for holding certain digital assets. This is most common during major events like a hard fork (a split in the blockchain) or blockchain partnerships, where new tokens are distributed based on wallet balances. Token-holder airdrops reward loyalty, often offering governance or utility tokens.
Play-to-earn (P2E) cryptos
P2E games let players earn crypto for completing in-game tasks and achievements. These apps offer a way to earn Bitcoin by playing mobile games that integrate Lightning Network payouts on Bitcoin’s network to send sats directly to your wallet.
ZBD is one example of a P2E crypto app, with over three million downloads and an active Discord community. Another is Hamster Kombat, which runs as a Telegram bot where users connect a TON wallet and tap the screen to earn coins.
Before you start playing any P2E game, verify payout methods and only play via official app stores or verified links.
Read or write to earn crypto
Some platforms reward users with cryptocurrency for creating or consuming content. These systems work like blogging or social platforms where writers and readers can earn tokens based on engagement.
On Publish0x, users earn crypto for reading and tipping articles. Authors receive a share of each tip in tokens provided by the platform, while readers earn a small portion of the tip for participating in the community. Read.cash is another platform that rewards users in Bitcoin Cash (BCH) for publishing posts, leaving comments, and supporting other writers through microtransactions.
Stake and earn rewards
Staking allows users to earn rewards by locking up their cryptocurrency holdings with a blockchain validator to support network operations. It’s only available for cryptocurrencies that use a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, such as ETH or Cardano (ADA). Some exchanges, like Kraken, let users earn profits on stablecoins like Tether (USDT) through their rewards programs.
By staking, users help secure the network and validate transactions, and earn additional crypto coins as a reward for their contribution. The longer and more substantial the staking commitment, the higher the potential rewards, making it a popular method for generating passive income while supporting Web3.
Maximize savings and minimize stress with CoinTracker
Making Bitcoin for free may be exciting, but you’ll still need to keep track of your gains (and losses) for tax season. With new regulations developing under initiatives such as the FIT21 Bill and the IRS Form 1099-DA, tracking and reporting your digital assets accurately is more important than ever.
As one of CBS and Statista’s world's top fintech companies 2025, CoinTracker simplifies the process of filing crypto taxes by syncing with all your digital wallets and exchanges, accounting for every trade and gain. Then, you can generate accurate reports of your annual activity in minutes.
Ready to take your crypto portfolio to the next level? Start making informed decisions with our expert guides.
Disclaimer: This post is informational only and is not intended as tax advice. For tax advice, please consult a tax professional.