Bulk Exchange is one of the most anticipated launches on Solana, bringing CEX-level performance to decentralized perpetual futures trading. The project raised $8 million from Robot Ventures, 6th Man Ventures, and other top-tier investors, with testnet launching mid-November 2025 and mainnet expected in Q4 2025.
The best part? You can start farming BULK points (officially called "BULK [redacted]") right now through multiple strategies—staking BulkSOL, earning fixed yield on Exponent Finance, and looping positions on Loopscale. This guide walks you through every method step-by-step, with realistic earning expectations and risk management.
What You'll Earn: Realistic Expectations
Bulk Exchange hasn't announced official airdrop criteria, but multiple DeFi protocols explicitly mention earning "BULK points" or "BULK [redacted]" when you use their BulkSOL products. Based on comparable Solana perpetual DEX airdrops like Hyperliquid's HYPE token, early participants who combine multiple strategies typically receive more meaningful allocations.
Example Position Scenarios
Conservative (1-2 SOL invested):
- Base BulkSOL staking: 6-8% APY on SOL value
- Exponent fixed yield: 11.37% APY as of November 2025
- Bulk points accumulation: Unknown conversion rate
- Estimated time investment: 30 minutes setup + 5 minutes weekly monitoring
Moderate (5-10 SOL invested):
- All conservative strategies plus Loopscale looping
- Combined APY: 11-19% depending on leverage and market conditions
- Higher points multiplier from using multiple protocols
- Estimated time investment: 1 hour setup + 15 minutes weekly monitoring
Advanced (20+ SOL invested):
- Multi-protocol positions across Sanctum, Exponent, and Loopscale
- Discord role farming (Contributor/OG) for additional weight
- Testnet trading when it launches mid-November
- Combined APY: 15-22% with optimized strategies
- Estimated time investment: 2-3 hours setup + 30 minutes weekly monitoring
Important: All APY figures are estimates that change based on market conditions, protocol incentives, and utilization rates. Past airdrop performance doesn't guarantee future results.
Requirements Checklist
What You Need
- Solana-compatible wallet (Phantom, Backpack, or Solflare recommended)
- Minimum 1 SOL (approximately $150-300 depending on market prices)
- Basic understanding of liquid staking tokens (LSTs)
- 30-60 minutes for initial setup
- Discord account for community participation
Cost Breakdown (November 2025)
- Solana network fees: 0.00001-0.0001 SOL per transaction (negligible)
- Swap fees on Jupiter: 0.1-0.5% depending on liquidity
- No deposit or withdrawal fees on Exponent, Loopscale, or Sanctum
- Minimum recommended to start: 1-2 SOL to make gas fees worthwhile
Compatibility Requirements
- Desktop or mobile browser with wallet extension
- Stable internet connection for transaction signing
- Ability to interact with multiple DeFi protocols
- Email address if you want to track points dashboards
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Get BulkSOL on Sanctum
BulkSOL is a liquid staking token that automatically earns staking rewards while letting you use it across DeFi protocols. Sanctum offers the simplest swap interface.
- Go to app.sanctum.so/explore/BulkSOL
- Connect your Solana wallet using the "Connect Wallet" button in the top right
- Verify you're on the correct network (Solana Mainnet)
- In the swap interface, select SOL as the input token
- Enter the amount you want to convert (start with 1-2 SOL for testing)
- Review the exchange rate—you should receive approximately 1:1 BulkSOL for SOL with small slippage
- Click "Swap" and approve the transaction in your wallet
- Wait 30-60 seconds for confirmation
What you should see: Transaction confirmed notification, BulkSOL balance appearing in your wallet, swap recorded in your transaction history.
Common error: "Insufficient SOL for transaction fee"—Keep at least 0.01 SOL in your wallet for future transactions.
Fix: Reduce your swap amount by 0.02 SOL to leave buffer for gas fees.
TIP: BulkSOL immediately starts earning staking rewards (6-8% APY) just by holding it, so you're never losing yield while deciding your next strategy.
Step 2: Deposit BulkSOL on Exponent Finance for Fixed Yield
Exponent Finance lets you lock in fixed yields on your BulkSOL, currently offering 11.37% APY for positions maturing February 26, 2026. This is higher than base staking and explicitly earns BULK points.
- Navigate to exponent.finance/liquidity/bulksol-26Feb26
- Connect the same wallet containing your BulkSOL
- Review the position details displayed on the screen:
- Current Fixed APY: 11.37%
- Underlying APY: 5.68%
- Maturity Date: February 26, 2026
- Time Left: 88 days (as of late November 2025)
- Click the "Income" tab (not "Farm")—this locks in your fixed rate
- Enter the amount of BulkSOL to deposit (can be partial, leaving some for other strategies)
- Review the breakdown showing:
- Your expected return at maturity
- Fixed yield you'll earn
- BulkSOL rewards accumulation
- Click "Deposit" and sign the transaction
- Confirm transaction in your wallet (should cost less than $0.01 in fees)
- Wait for confirmation—position should appear in "My Position" tab within 1 minute
What you should see: Position listed under "My Position" tab showing your deposited amount, current earnings, and maturity countdown.
Common error: "Insufficient BulkSOL balance"—Remember transaction fees consume a tiny amount.
Fix: Reduce deposit amount by 1-2% to account for fees and rounding.
WARNING: Fixed yield positions have a 3-month duration. While you can exit early by selling on secondary markets, you might receive less than your principal if market rates have changed. Plan your liquidity needs accordingly.
Step 3: Join Bulk Discord for Role Farming
According to the official announcement, Bulk offers three roles—OG, Contributor, and Testnet—with the first two being manually awarded for quality participation. These roles likely carry additional airdrop weight.
- Go to discord.gg/bulk (always verify this link from bulktrade.com official website)
- Click "Accept Invite" to join the server
- Complete verification by clicking the checkmark emoji in the verification channel
- Review the roles announcement in the pinned messages
- Read the community guidelines and existing discussions to understand the vibe
- Start contributing meaningfully:
- Share educational content about perpetual trading or DeFi
- Help other members troubleshoot issues
- Create memes or graphics about Bulk (not AI-generated spam)
- Engage in technical discussions about the protocol architecture
- Be patient—moderators manually review contributions over days/weeks
- Avoid AI-generated content, spam, or low-effort posts
What you should see: Your messages appearing in channels, reactions from community members, and eventually a DM or announcement when you receive a role.
Common error: Expecting instant role awards—this is a multi-week process.
Fix: Focus on quality over quantity. One thoughtful guide or helpful debugging session is worth more than 50 "wen airdrop" messages.
TIP: Check the announcements channel daily for testnet launch updates and new farming opportunities. Being early to testnet typically carries the most weight in trading airdrops.
Step 4: Loop BulkSOL on Loopscale (Advanced)
Loopscale offers leveraged yield strategies where you borrow SOL against your BulkSOL to buy more BulkSOL, amplifying both returns and risks. Two pools are available: PT-bulkSOL-26Feb26 (up to 34.31% max APY) and ELP-bulkSOL (up to 19.91% max APY).
ADVANCED USERS ONLY: This strategy involves liquidation risk. Start with 1.5-2x leverage maximum if testing.
- Navigate to app.loopscale.com/loops/bulksol-26feb26-sol
- Connect your wallet
- Review the two available loops:
- PT-bulkSOL-26Feb26 SOL: 34.31% max APY, 32.45% avg net APY, $867K deposits
- ELP-bulkSOL-26Feb26 SOL: 19.91% max APY, 22.66% avg net APY, $568K deposits
- Click on your preferred loop to see detailed breakdown
- In the "Leverage" slider, start at 1.5x (not maximum)
- Enter your BulkSOL deposit amount
- Review the displayed information:
- Your leveraged position size
- Net APY after borrowing costs
- Liquidation price
- Health ratio
- Confirm you understand the liquidation risk
- Click "Open Loop" and sign two transactions:
- Approval transaction for BulkSOL spending
- Position opening transaction
- Monitor your position daily using the "My Position" tab
What you should see: Open position showing your deposited amount, borrowed amount, current health ratio (should be above 1.5), and accumulating yield.
Common error: "Position would be liquidated"—This means your leverage is too high or deposit too small.
Fix: Reduce leverage slider to 1.5x or increase your deposit amount.
WARNING: If BulkSOL price drops relative to SOL, your position can be liquidated, meaning you lose your collateral. Only use funds you can afford to lose, and set calendar reminders to check health ratios every 48 hours.
Step 5: Prepare for Testnet Trading
Bulk's testnet is expected to launch around November 19, 2025, and testnet participation has historically been one of the highest-weighted activities for trading protocol airdrops.
- Bookmark bulktrade.com and check announcements daily
- When testnet launches, visit the official testnet URL (will be announced)
- Connect your wallet
- Request testnet tokens from the faucet (typical process for testnets)
- Place 3-5 test trades using different order types:
- Market orders (buy/sell at current price)
- Limit orders (set your desired price)
- Stop-loss orders if available
- Try multiple markets (different perpetual pairs)
- Report any bugs or UX issues in the Discord feedback channel
- Take screenshots of your trades for your records
- Repeat 2-3 times per week throughout testnet period
What you should see: Test tokens in your testnet wallet, successful trade confirmations, positions appearing in your portfolio view.
Common error: Using mainnet wallet instead of testnet—always verify you're on the correct network.
Fix: Check the URL and network indicator in your wallet. Testnet URLs typically include "testnet" or "test" in the domain.
TIP: Focus on trying different features rather than trade volume. Protocols typically reward diverse interactions (limit orders + market orders + different pairs) more than pure volume.
Step 6: Stake Directly with Bulk Validators (Optional)
If you prefer direct staking over LSTs, Bulk runs Solana validators where you can stake SOL directly. This may earn additional points while supporting the network.
- Visit Solana staking dashboard in your wallet (Phantom, Backpack, or Solflare)
- Select "Stake SOL" or "Validators"
- Search for "Bulk" in the validator list
- Review the validator details:
- Commission rate (typically 5-10%)
- Total stake
- Performance history
- Enter the amount of SOL to stake
- Confirm the transaction
- Note: Staked SOL has a 2-3 day unstaking period and doesn't work in DeFi protocols
What you should see: Staked balance appearing in your wallet, validator listed under "Your Stakes," and rewards accumulating every epoch (approximately 2 days).
Common error: "Minimum stake amount not met"—Most validators require at least 0.01 SOL.
Fix: Increase your stake amount or choose the LST method (BulkSOL) instead for smaller amounts.
TIP: Direct staking locks your SOL and makes it illiquid. If you want to use DeFi strategies, BulkSOL (Step 1) is better because it stays liquid while earning similar yields.
Step 7: Track Your Positions and Points
Create a simple tracking system to monitor your farming progress and avoid missing claim windows.
- Create a spreadsheet or note with:
- Transaction hashes for each deposit
- Amounts deposited per protocol
- Dates of deposits
- Current APY on each position
- Bookmark your position pages:
- Exponent: exponent.finance under "Portfolio"
- Loopscale: app.loopscale.com under "My Loops"
- Sanctum: app.sanctum.so under "Portfolio"
- Set weekly calendar reminders to check:
- Health ratios on leveraged positions
- Discord announcements
- Points dashboard (if/when Bulk launches one)
- Screenshot your positions monthly as proof of participation
- Follow @bulktrade on Twitter with notifications on for claim announcements
What you should see: Clear record of all your positions, easy way to calculate total capital deployed, and alerts set for important events.
WARNING: Airdrop claim windows can be time-limited (often 3-6 months). Missing the claim window means forfeiting your allocation. Many farmers have lost significant airdrops by not staying updated.
How It Actually Works: The Bulk Ecosystem
Bulk Exchange is building a high-performance perpetual futures DEX on Solana that aims to deliver sub-20ms latency—comparable to centralized exchanges like Binance or Bybit. The architecture integrates directly with Solana validators for faster order matching, a novel approach compared to traditional off-chain orderbooks.
Why BulkSOL Matters
BulkSOL is the liquid staking token that powers the Bulk ecosystem. When you convert SOL to BulkSOL:
- Your SOL is staked with Bulk's validators
- You receive BulkSOL tokens representing your staked SOL plus accrued rewards
- BulkSOL remains liquid—you can trade it, use it in DeFi, or convert back to SOL anytime
- Holding and using BulkSOL earns "BULK [redacted]" points toward the eventual airdrop
The value proposition: BulkSOL holders effectively own stake in the validator network that will power Bulk Exchange, creating economic alignment between stakers and the platform's success.
Why Multiple Protocols Offer BULK Points
Exponent Finance, Loopscale, and other protocols offering BULK points have integrated BulkSOL to deepen liquidity before mainnet launch. This benefits everyone:
- Bulk Exchange gets liquidity and market testing for BulkSOL before launching
- DeFi protocols attract users by offering access to a anticipated airdrop
- You earn yield while accumulating points, creating downside protection even if the airdrop disappoints
This multi-protocol approach is common in Solana DeFi—similar strategies worked for Jito (jitoSOL), Marinade (mSOL), and other major airdrops.
What Makes Bulk Different from Other Perp DEXs
Most decentralized perpetual exchanges use off-chain orderbooks (Drift, Mango) or operate as separate Layer 1s (Hyperliquid). Bulk's validator-integrated architecture aims to eliminate the latency gap between on-chain settlement and order matching.
In theory, this could enable:
- Algorithmic trading strategies on-chain
- Lower liquidation risk from execution delays
- Institutional-grade trading experience without KYC
Whether these claims hold up depends on mainnet performance, which hasn't launched yet. That's why testnet participation matters—you'll help validate (or disprove) the architecture while earning airdrop eligibility.
Exit Strategies and Unwinding Positions
Each farming method has different exit processes and timeframes. Plan your exits based on your liquidity needs and market conditions.
Exiting Exponent Fixed Yield Positions
Best method: Hold until maturity (February 26, 2026) to receive full fixed yield.
Early exit option: Sell your PT-BulkSOL tokens on secondary markets via Loopscale or Exponent's interface. However, you may receive less than your principal if:
- Interest rates have risen (making your fixed rate less attractive)
- BulkSOL has depegged from SOL
- Liquidity is low in the secondary market
Process:
- Go to Exponent portfolio
- Select "Exit" on your position
- Review the current exit price vs. your principal
- If acceptable, sign the transaction
- Receive BulkSOL back to your wallet (typically within 1 minute)
Cost comparison:
- Holding to maturity: No fees, full yield
- Early exit via secondary market: 0.3-1% slippage typically, yield forfeited
Exiting Loopscale Loops
Best method: Close when your health ratio is healthy (above 2.0) and you've earned enough yield to cover borrowing costs.
Process:
- Go to app.loopscale.com/loops
- Select "My Loops"
- Click "Close Loop" on your position
- Review the closing breakdown:
- BulkSOL being sold to repay SOL loan
- Remaining BulkSOL returned to you
- Net profit/loss
- Sign the transaction
- Receive remaining BulkSOL in your wallet
When to exit:
- Immediately if health ratio drops below 1.3 (approaching liquidation)
- When you've earned your target return
- Before extended periods away from monitoring
Liquidation scenario: If your position health ratio hits 1.0, the protocol automatically liquidates, selling your BulkSOL to repay the loan. You lose your collateral. Set price alerts on SOL to avoid this.
Converting BulkSOL Back to SOL
Best method: Swap on Sanctum or Jupiter aggregator.
Process:
- Go to app.sanctum.so or jup.ag
- Select BulkSOL as input token
- Select SOL as output token
- Enter amount to swap
- Review exchange rate (should be near 1:1 with small slippage)
- Execute swap
- Receive SOL in your wallet within 1 minute
Cost: 0.1-0.5% swap fees depending on liquidity.
Alternative: Direct unstaking takes 2-3 days and may have different rates depending on validator availability.
Withdrawal Timing Strategy
Consider market timing when exiting:
- Before major volatility: Close leveraged positions to avoid liquidation risk
- After airdrop claim: Many farmers exit immediately after claiming, creating selling pressure
- Tax considerations: In many jurisdictions, swapping BulkSOL to SOL is a taxable event
Set calendar reminders for:
- Exponent maturity dates
- Airdrop claim announcements
- Monthly position reviews
Tax Considerations
DISCLAIMER: This is not tax advice. Consult a tax professional familiar with cryptocurrency regulations in your jurisdiction.
Taxable Events in Airdrop Farming
Different actions trigger different tax treatment in most jurisdictions:
Staking rewards: Income at fair market value when received. If you hold BulkSOL for 6 months and earn 0.1 SOL in staking rewards, that 0.1 SOL is income at the SOL price when you receive it.
Swapping SOL to BulkSOL: Capital gain/loss event. If you bought SOL at $100 and swap it to BulkSOL when SOL is $200, you have a $100 taxable gain.
Claiming airdrops: Income at fair market value when tokens become accessible. If you claim 1,000 BULK tokens trading at $5 each, that's $5,000 of income.
Selling airdropped tokens: Capital gain/loss based on price difference between claiming and selling. If you claimed at $5 and sold at $8, that's a $3 per token capital gain.
Yield farming earnings: Income when earned (not when withdrawn). Your Exponent yield counts as income each epoch it accrues.
Record Keeping Requirements
Tax authorities typically require documentation of:
- Cost basis of original crypto (your SOL purchase price)
- Dates and values of all swaps and deposits
- Amount and value of rewards earned
- Amount and value of airdrops claimed
- Dates and prices of all sales
Recommended tools:
- Koinly or CoinTracker for automated tracking
- Manual spreadsheet with transaction hashes
- Screenshots of position values taken monthly
Tax Optimization Strategies
CONSULT A TAX PROFESSIONAL before implementing these:
Harvest losses: If you have losing positions elsewhere, realize those losses in the same tax year as your airdrop gains to offset tax burden.
Time realization: If possible, claim airdrops in a year when your other income is lower to stay in a lower tax bracket.
Entity structure: Some farmers use LLCs or other entities to manage taxes more efficiently, especially for large positions.
Geographic arbitrage: Some jurisdictions (Portugal, Puerto Rico under certain conditions) offer favorable crypto tax treatment. Relocating purely for taxes should involve professional guidance.
Red Flags to Avoid
- Not reporting airdrop income (IRS and other authorities can track on-chain activity)
- Claiming "like-kind exchange" for crypto swaps (not valid in most jurisdictions post-2017 in the US)
- Treating yield as capital gains instead of income
- Missing cost basis documentation for later audits
Risks You Must Understand
Smart Contract Risk
What it is: Bugs or vulnerabilities in protocol code that allow attackers to drain funds.
Likelihood: Low to moderate. BulkSOL, Exponent, and Loopscale are relatively new protocols without extensive audit history or years of live testing.
Impact: Total loss of deposited funds if exploited.
Mitigation:
- Only deposit amounts you can afford to lose
- Check if protocols are audited (look for audit reports in documentation)
- Start with small test deposits (0.1-0.5 SOL) before full allocation
- Diversify across multiple protocols rather than concentrating in one
- Monitor Discord and Twitter for security announcements
Airdrop Uncertainty Risk
What it is: No guarantee that Bulk will airdrop tokens, or that the point system converts at favorable rates.
Likelihood: Moderate. While point systems strongly suggest an airdrop, criteria and conversion rates can change. The team could pivot to a different distribution model.
Impact: You still earn base yields (6-11%+ APY), but miss the speculative airdrop upside that justifies extra effort.
Mitigation:
- Treat airdrop as a bonus, not the primary reason to participate
- Focus on strategies that earn competitive yields regardless (Exponent's 11.37% APY is reasonable even without airdrop)
- Don't deploy capital you need within 6 months
- Participate in multiple airdrop opportunities simultaneously to diversify
Liquidation Risk (Loopscale Only)
What it is: If you use leverage on Loopscale and BulkSOL price drops relative to SOL, the protocol automatically sells your collateral to repay your loan, closing your position at a loss.
Likelihood: Moderate to high depending on leverage. At 2x leverage, a 40-50% price drop triggers liquidation. At 5x leverage, a 15-20% drop liquidates you.
Impact: Loss of collateral minus liquidation fees (typically 5-10% additional penalty).
Mitigation:
- Start with 1.5-2x leverage maximum
- Monitor health ratio daily (set phone alerts)
- Close positions if health ratio drops below 1.5
- Use only 10-20% of your total capital for leveraged positions
- Understand that SOL is volatile—30% daily swings are possible
Depegging Risk
What it is: BulkSOL price diverges significantly from SOL, trading at a discount (or premium).
Likelihood: Low under normal conditions, moderate during market stress or if Bulk validators underperform.
Impact: Temporary or permanent loss when converting back to SOL. If BulkSOL depegs to 0.90 SOL, your 10 BulkSOL only converts to 9 SOL instead of the expected 10.
Mitigation:
- Check BulkSOL/SOL exchange rate regularly on Sanctum
- If depeg exceeds 5%, investigate the cause before depositing more
- Consider established LSTs (jitoSOL, mSOL) for portion of your position
- Understand that newer LSTs carry higher depeg risk than established ones
Opportunity Cost Risk
What it is: Capital locked in Bulk farming could miss better opportunities elsewhere during the 3-6 month farming period.
Likelihood: High—crypto moves fast and new opportunities emerge constantly.
Impact: Moderate returns (11-19% APY) when a different strategy could have returned 30%+ or more.
Mitigation:
- Keep 30-50% of capital liquid for new opportunities
- Use fixed-yield positions (Exponent) for only 50-70% of your Bulk allocation
- Reevaluate monthly whether Bulk remains your best option
- Be willing to exit if significantly better opportunities emerge
Testnet FOMO Risk
What it is: Stressing about missing testnet participation when it may not be highly weighted.
Likelihood: High among farmers, but actual impact is unknown.
Impact: Psychological stress and overallocation to a single strategy.
Mitigation:
- Focus on actions you can take now (BulkSOL staking, Exponent deposits)
- Don't panic if you miss testnet's first days—sustained participation over weeks matters more
- Remember that many successful airdrops (Jito, Marginfi) heavily weighted simple holding, not testnet activity
WARNING: The highest risk in airdrop farming is overallocating capital you need for living expenses or can't afford to lose. Set a firm budget (5-10% of crypto portfolio) for speculative airdrop farming and never exceed it, regardless of FOMO.
Comparing to Alternative Strategies
Bulk isn't the only airdrop opportunity in Q4 2025. Consider when to farm Bulk versus alternatives.
When to Farm Bulk
Choose Bulk if you:
- Already hold SOL and want to maintain SOL exposure
- Believe in Solana perpetual DEX potential
- Want combined yield + airdrop speculation (11-19% APY + points)
- Prefer multi-protocol strategies (Exponent, Loopscale, Sanctum all compatible)
- Have 3-6 months before needing the capital
- Are comfortable with newer protocols
When to Consider Alternatives
Established LST alternatives:
- jitoSOL or mSOL: Lower depeg risk, established track records, similar yields (6-9% APY), but no active airdrop expectations
- Better for: Risk-averse farmers, larger capital (>20 SOL), long-term SOL holders
Other airdrop opportunities:
- Hyperliquid Season 2: Active trading points system, established platform, but requires active trading (higher time commitment)
- Kamino Finance: Solana lending/leverage platform with points system, similar risk profile to Bulk
- Better for: Traders who plan to use the product actively, not just passive farmers
Fixed income alternatives:
- US Treasury bills via tokenized platforms: 4-5% APY with minimal risk
- Stablecoin yields on Aave/Compound: 8-12% APY with lower smart contract risk
- Better for: Capital preservation focus, need for USD denomination, lower risk tolerance
Bottom line: Bulk offers competitive yields even without the airdrop, making it a reasonable strategy for SOL holders. If the airdrop materializes, it's a bonus. If you need guaranteed returns or minimal risk, established LSTs or stablecoin yields are better choices.
Next Steps: Your Action Plan
Today (30-60 minutes):
- Swap 1-2 SOL to BulkSOL on Sanctum to start accumulating points immediately
- Deposit 50-80% of your BulkSOL into Exponent's fixed yield pool (11.37% APY)
- Join Bulk Discord and verify your account
- Screenshot all transaction hashes for your records
This Week (30 minutes):
- Read through Discord announcements and community guidelines
- Make your first meaningful contribution (help someone troubleshoot, share an insight, or create a meme)
- Set up position tracking in a spreadsheet or notes app
- Set calendar reminders for weekly position checks
Before Testnet Launch (~November 19, 2025):
- Check Discord daily for testnet announcement
- Ensure you have 0.1-0.2 SOL available for testnet gas fees
- Bookmark the testnet URL when announced
- Plan to spend 30-60 minutes on launch day placing test trades
During Testnet (4-6 weeks):
- Place 3-5 trades per week using different order types
- Try multiple perpetual pairs
- Report any bugs in Discord feedback channels
- Continue engaging in Discord discussions
Before Airdrop Claim (when announced):
- Have at least 0.05 SOL in your wallet for claim transaction fees
- Verify the official claim URL from bulktrade.com (not Discord links from strangers)
- Prepare your tax documentation with all transaction records
- Decide in advance whether to hold or sell based on your financial goals
After Claiming:
- Evaluate whether to continue using Bulk Exchange for actual trading
- Review your overall airdrop farming strategy—what worked, what didn't
- Consider redeploying capital to next opportunities or cashing out profits
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Bulk airdrop happen?
Bulk hasn't announced an official airdrop date or confirmed that an airdrop will happen at all. However, multiple DeFi protocols explicitly mention earning "BULK [redacted]" points when using BulkSOL products, strongly suggesting a token distribution is planned. Based on the roadmap, mainnet is expected in Q4 2025, and airdrops typically occur at or shortly after token generation events (TGE). Most likely timeline: late Q4 2025 or Q1 2026. Monitor @bulktrade on Twitter and the Discord announcements channel for official updates.
How much money do I need to start?
You can start with as little as 1 SOL (approximately $150-300 depending on market prices). This is enough to access core strategies like swapping to BulkSOL on Sanctum and depositing into Exponent Finance. Larger positions may earn proportionally more points, but historical Solana airdrops (Jito, Marginfi, Kamino) have given meaningful allocations to small farmers who participated consistently. If using leveraged strategies on Loopscale, start with at least 2-3 SOL to maintain safer health ratios.
Is BulkSOL safe to hold?
BulkSOL is a liquid staking token—your SOL is staked with Bulk validators and you receive a receipt token. Standard LST risks apply: smart contract vulnerabilities, validator slashing (rare on Solana, but possible), and depegging risk if the underlying validators underperform or too many users try to exit simultaneously. BulkSOL is newer than established LSTs like mSOL or jitoSOL, meaning less battle-testing but backed by $8 million in funding from reputable investors. Only deposit funds you can afford to lose, and consider diversifying across multiple LSTs rather than going all-in on BulkSOL.
What if I miss the testnet?
Don't panic. Testnet participation is speculative and may not carry as much weight as other activities. Many successful airdrops (Jito, Tensor) heavily weighted simple holding of LSTs or protocol usage over testnet activity. Core actions like holding BulkSOL, depositing in Exponent or Loopscale, and Discord participation are likely more important than a few testnet trades. If you miss the first days of testnet, joining later for sustained participation (2-3 trades per week over multiple weeks) likely carries more weight than being first.
Can I farm Bulk points without leverage risk?
Yes, absolutely. The safest strategy is swapping SOL to BulkSOL on Sanctum and depositing into Exponent's fixed yield pool. This gives you 11.37% APY with no liquidation risk, while earning BULK points. The fixed yield position does have a 3-month lock (matures February 26, 2026), but you can exit early via secondary markets if needed, though you might receive less than your principal. Avoid Loopscale entirely if you're uncomfortable with leverage. You'll still accumulate meaningful points from BulkSOL holding and Exponent usage.
How are BULK points calculated?
Bulk hasn't published official point calculation formulas. Based on similar protocols, likely factors include: total BulkSOL held (weighted by time), deposits in integrated DeFi protocols (Exponent, Loopscale), Discord roles earned, testnet activity (trades, volume, variety of actions), and consistency (daily/weekly active participation is likely better than one-time large deposits). Point systems typically use diminishing returns—doubling your capital doesn't double your points. Diversified participation (BulkSOL + Exponent + Discord + testnet) likely earns more per dollar than concentrating in one strategy.
What wallets work with Bulk farming?
Any Solana-compatible wallet works: Phantom, Backpack, Solflare, Torus, and others. Phantom is the most popular and has the best DeFi protocol integration. Backpack is gaining popularity and offers good UX. Avoid using exchange wallets (Binance, Coinbase) for DeFi farming—you need a self-custody wallet where you control the private keys. Make sure to backup your seed phrase securely and never share it. For larger positions (>20 SOL), consider using a hardware wallet (Ledger) for additional security.
Should I buy BULK tokens when they launch?
This guide covers airdrop farming, not token purchasing advice. Whether to buy BULK tokens depends on your evaluation of the protocol's fundamentals, tokenomics (which haven't been announced yet), and market conditions at launch. Historically, many airdropped tokens experience high selling pressure in the first days/weeks as farmers take profits, followed by price discovery. If you receive an airdrop, consider your personal financial situation, tax implications, and whether you believe in the protocol's long-term potential before deciding to hold or sell. This is not financial advice.