> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.caldera.foundation/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Preclaims Guide

## \$ERA Pre-Claim Guide

This guide provides all necessary information for the official \$ERA token pre-claim process.

The pre-claim is a mandatory step for all eligible participants to secure their token allocation. It is designed as a protective measure to ensure a fair and secure distribution that rewards the genuine community members who have contributed to the Caldera ecosystem.

Pre-Claim Window: Open now until Thursday, July 17th, at 12:00AM (midnight) UTC. The claims page has a countdown timer to this date.
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## A Community-First Philosophy

Traditional airdrops have often fallen short of their goal to foster long-term alignment, becoming targets for mercenary capital and Sybil farmers who extract value from the ecosystem.

The `$ERA` distribution is founded on a different principle: to reward the builders, users, and supporters who share the long-term vision for a unified Ethereum. To honor this, a robust analysis was implemented to identify authentic participants. This pre-claim process is a deliberate and transparent step towards community ownership, ensuring that `$ERA` empowers those who are truly invested in the future of the Internet of Chains.
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## \$ERA Allocation Eligibility

The criteria were designed to reward a wide range of genuine participants, including active users of Caldera-powered rollups, members of key partner communities, and other valuable contributors across the broader rollup ecosystem. Eligibility for onchain activity of Caldera users was determined by a snapshot taken on March 5th, 2025 - with activity from other criteria rolling through pre-claims.

These include:

* Caldera-powered Chains Users
* Caldera Community Members
* Ape/BAYC Community
* Manta Community
* Modular Ecosystem
* Public Goods Developers
* Kaito Yappers
* Ecosystem Projects
* Top General L2 Users (Arbitrum, Optimism, ZKSync, Base)
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## How to Pre-Claim: Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully to secure the token allocation. The entire process should take only a few minutes.

### Step 1: Visit the Official Portal & Prioritize Security

The only official, secure pre-claim website is: [https://claim.caldera.foundation](https://claim.caldera.foundation).

SECURITY WARNING

Verify the URL. Bookmark [https://claim.caldera.foundation](https://claim.caldera.foundation) and always confirm you are on the correct site before connecting a wallet.

Official accounts will never contact you first. Anyone sending a direct message, asking for personal information, or requesting funds is a scammer.

This is a gas-free process. You will never be asked to send funds or pay gas fees to pre-claim tokens.
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### Step 2: Connect Wallet

Connect the wallet that was used to interact with the Caldera ecosystem.

### Step 3: Complete Proof of Humanity Verification

Immediately after connecting your wallet, a one-time Proof of Humanity verification with partner Intract (Authena) is required. This is a crucial security step to prevent bot activity and ensure tokens are distributed fairly to genuine community members.
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### Step 4: Check for Additional Rewards (Optional)

If you are an open-source developer or an active community contributor (e.g., on X), you may be eligible for additional rewards. Use the integrated tools on the page to safely connect your GitHub and/or X accounts to check for these bonuses.

### Step 5: View Allocation, Understand Bonus, and Confirm by Signing

After completing the previous steps, the portal will display your provisional total allocation. This allocation will also include a bonus.

Bonus Portion: Each recipient will receive a bonus which will be automatically staked for 90 days. This is a required component of the claim process to create long-term alignment and help secure the network from day one.

Finalize by Signing: To finalize the pre-claim, you will be prompted to sign a message with your wallet. This action reserves your full allocation and is completely gas-free.
Congratulations! The pre-claim process is now complete.