Hey crypto crew—if you’re anything like me, reading exchange announcements sometimes feels like sifting through hype. But today, there’s real news. Binance Alpha is set to list Project Merlin’s token, MRLN, on September 16, 2025. Plus, an airdrop will be claimable by eligible users via Alpha Points once trading opens. The full listing pair details and timing are still forthcoming, yet the excitement is already building. Let’s break it down: what Merlin is, how this listing and airdrop work, why so many are buzzing, and what you should watch for next.
What Is Project Merlin?
Project Merlin is a Web3 ecosystem and DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) designed to support startups, builders, and communities. It offers the infrastructure for proposal grants, community task rewards, marketplace tools, and service platforms like Freelify.io, Taskium.io, Funddex.io, and Raven Message.
Token & Utility
- The native token, $MRLN, serves for governance, rewards, voting, paying for services, NFT drops, etc. (Project Merlin)
- Total supply: 800 million MRLN tokens, with no future minting beyond that. (Project Merlin)
Tokenomics & Distribution
According to Merlin’s DAO documentation:
| Category | % of Total Supply | Vesting / Cliff / TGE Info* |
|---|---|---|
| Seed Sale | 5% (40 million) | 10% at TGE; 3-month cliff; linear vesting over 9 months (Project Merlin) |
| Public Sale | 4% (32 million) | Fully released at TGE (Project Merlin) |
| Stake Pool | 1% | Linear vesting over ~8 months; none distributed at TGE (Project Merlin) |
| Operations | 7% | Cliff 1 month; vesting over 40 months (Project Merlin) |
| Marketing | 5% | Cliff 1 month; vesting over 25 months (Project Merlin) |
| Dev Team | 8% | Cliff 5 months; vesting over 50 months (Project Merlin) |
| Grants | 15% | Cliff 8 months; vesting over ~30 months (Project Merlin) |
| Treasury | 30% | Cliff 8 months; vesting over 40 months (Project Merlin) |
| Liquidity | 18% | 25% released at TGE; then linear vesting over 16 months; 1-month lock after TGE (Project Merlin) |
| D/CEX Community | 5% | 60% released at TGE; remaining vested or unlocked per community program (Project Merlin) |
*TGE = Token Generation Event. “Cliff” refers to a delay before vesting begins; “vesting” refers to gradual release.
So far, about 26 million MRLN are circulating per Token Sale or IDO figures. (CryptoRank)
Binance Alpha and the Listing
Binance Alpha is the exchange’s platform for early-stage projects: spots where promising tokens are introduced to the market before full exchange listings. It allows users to discover, trade, and engage with nascent crypto projects, often with airdrops or rewards tied to participation. (Binance)
Key Listing Details
- Listing Date: September 16, 2025 (Binance)
- Platform: Binance Alpha; trading opens there first. (Binance)
- Airdrop Eligibility: Users who have accumulated Alpha Points via Binance’s Alpha Points program will be able to claim once trading starts. (Binance)
The Airdrop: What We Know & What to Watch For
Since the airdrop ties tightly to Binance Alpha Points, here’s what’s currently confirmed and what remains uncertain.
Confirmed
- Eligible users will be able to claim the airdrop via the Alpha Events page once MRLN trading “goes live.” (Binance)
- The event is scheduled alongside the TGE and listing on September 16. (ICO Drops)
Unclear / To Be Announced
- Exact Alpha Points threshold required to be eligible. (Past airdrops sometimes required ~200 APs) (chainplay)
- Claim window timing and duration. (chainplay)
- Trading pairs, exact hours when trading opens, and whether futures or margin products will follow. (Binance)
Why the Community Is Hyped
Because so much aligns: utility, access, and growth potential. Here’s why people are talking.
- First, listing on Binance Alpha gives huge exposure. Binance has millions of users; getting visibility here often boosts liquidity from day one.
- Second, Merlin’s model is multi-component: grants, DAO governance, reward tasks, services marketplace. This tends to draw builders & contributors, not just speculators.
- Third, the fixed supply + vesting schedule helps reduce early dump risk (if executed well).
- Fourth, in a crypto market that’s been cautious, projects with clear utility and transparent tokenomics tend to get more trust.
Things to Watch Out For (Risks & Tips)
While the upside is real, these are things to keep in mind:
- Volatility: Initial trading days often see big swings. Even with exposure, liquidity might still be thin in the first hours.
- Lock-ups & vesting: Just because tokens exist doesn’t mean they’re usable or tradable immediately. Many allocations are locked or vesting.
- Points expiry / thresholds: Make sure your Alpha Points are valid and enough. Sometimes points expire, or threshold requirements are higher than expected.
- Announcement delays: Binance sometimes delays or adds fine print (trading pairs, fees, restrictions). Keep an eye on the official Binance Alpha & Project Merlin channels.
SEO Booster & Useful Links
To help you dig deeper, here are sources and related links:
- Project Merlin Tokenomics & DAO Handbook — full breakdown of token distribution, vesting schedules. (Project Merlin)
- Binance Alpha Announcement of Project Merlin Listing — official details from Binance. (Binance)
- Project Merlin on CryptoRank — fundraising, initial supply, IDO details. (CryptoRank)
Final Thoughts & Strategy Suggestions
If I were you, here’s what I’d do:
- Check your Alpha Points right now. Accumulate if needed, ensure no expirations.
- Stay plugged into announcements from Binance & Merlin (Discord / Telegram / Twitter / docs). Details like trading pair, claim window, and rules may shift.
- Plan entry rather than trying to get everything perfect. Maybe take some MRLN during the airdrop or first trade, then decide whether to hold or scale.
- Watch utility usage: how fast features like Freelancer marketplace, Taskium tasks, Raven Message grants, etc., get adopted. That will signal long-term demand beyond just initial hype.
So: is MRLN your next alpha play? Maybe. If you’re engaged, eligible, and believe in utility-first Web3 builds, this could be one of those moments. If not, use it as a learning opportunity: get ready for the next listing, but only with clear rules, clear tokenomics, and real utility
