Launch Smarter: 6 NFT Drop Strategies That Drive Real Growth

Most chains and brands struggle to make NFT drops stand out. Whether you're building an ecosystem or running a branded campaign, your drop needs to do more than mint out. It needs to create momentum, drive community action, and keep collectors coming back.

At Rarible, we’ve helped some of the biggest chains and most innovative creators launch high-performing drops using flexible mechanics that go way beyond "click to mint." Below are six formats we offer, plus when (and why) to use each one.

1.NFT Packs

Packs bundle multiple NFTs into a single tradeable item that users can open, hold, or resell—adding suspense, rarity, and viral potential to your drop. You can configure packs with fixed contents, full randomization, or rarity-based logic, tailoring the experience to fit your brand.

Best for:

Gamified reveals, seasonal campaigns, surprise + delight

Why it works:

Adds randomness and excitement, encourages repeat engagement, and increases resale activity on secondary markets.

Example:

Last summer, Rarible launched our own packs experience in-house with the Onchain Summer Vacation collection on Base. It featured unique postcards from the world of web3, with built-in rarity and a fun opening mechanic. The community loved it: over 16,000 packs sold in four days, generating over $300K in volume and $33K in revenue.

2.Burn-to-Mint

Burn-to-mint lets collectors exchange one asset for another by burning an NFT to receive something new. It turns a drop into a game mechanic, adding intrigue and stickiness.

Best for:

Driving repeat engagement, upgrade mechanics, limited editions

Why it works:

Introduces gamification and a sense of progression, encouraging collectors to stay involved.

Example:

Scope marketplace’s pre-launch NFT campaign, Anticipation (of a future event), used a burn-to-mint mechanic to great effect: over 100,000 assets were minted on Ethereum before the marketplace even launched, creating buzz and community energy and generating over $200K in volume.

3.Allowlist Drops

Allowlist drops restrict minting to specific wallets. You can build allowlists from onchain activity, community participation, or even custom quests (like joining a Discord or completing a social action).

Best for:

Rewarding early supporters, building exclusivity, controlled rollouts

Why it works:

Creates scarcity, urgency, and trust within your community.

Example:

Espresso Network's PFP collection, The Composables, used a three-phase allowlist followed by a short public sale. Spots were earned via brand interaction or quest completion. The result? A 5,000-item collection that minted out in hours. Read more here.

4.Mint Passes

Mint passes are NFTs that act like claim tickets: hold the pass, and you can mint what comes next. They can be traded, gifted, or held, and are fully onchain.

Best for:

Rewarding early users, enabling phased launches, providing VIP access

Why it works:

Builds anticipation and grants flexible, tradable access to future mints.

Example:

French football club Paris Saint-Germain launched its latest loyalty program using the Rarible launchpad. This two-part drop gave PSG fans an opportunity to gain even greater access to their beloved team. Fans who minted the initial "PSG Silver Card Pledge" NFT were added to a waitlist to access the second, limited-edition drop: the PSG Silver Card.

5.Mint-to-Reveal

With mint-to-reveal, users mint without knowing what they’ll get. The result? Community excitement, speculation, and a built-in second moment of engagement when traits are revealed.

Best for:

PFP collections, mystery drops, narrative storytelling

Why it works:

Creates hype and speculation by delaying the reveal.

Example:

The Camp team kept the full Trailheads collection under wraps until mint. That decision generated ongoing buzz and speculation, and gave collectors a second reason to stay engaged. The collection sold out in a couple of hours.

6.ERC-1155 Collections

With ERC-1155, you can launch an initial NFT and add upgrades, variations, or collaborations over time—all under one contract. That means less friction for collectors and fewer technical barriers for your team. This format is ideal for ecosystems that plan to grow, evolve, and surprise their holders.

Best for:

Long-term collection growth, modular drops, multi-asset storytelling

Why it works:

ERC-1155 contracts support multiple token types under one roof—so you can expand a collection without deploying new contracts each time.

Example:

Etherlink’s ‘Links’ series brought together 11 artists to interpret the iconic chain link emoji. Each drop built on the last, forming a multi-creator collection that evolved over two months—all under a single ERC-1155 contract. It kept collectors engaged and gave the series a strong sense of continuity.

Which Format Fits Your Goal?

Case Study Snapshots

• Onchain Summer Vacation: 16,000 packs sold in 4 days, earning $30K+ in revenue.
  
• Eclipse Network: 100K NFTs minted pre-launch for a burn-to-mint experience, reaching over $200K in volume.
  
• The Composables: 5,000 NFTs minted out in hours via allowlists, generating over $1.8M in volume.
  
• Etherlink’s Links: 11 artists, over 13K artworks minted, one evolving ERC-1155 collection.
  
• Paris Saint-Germain: VIP loyalty program delivered through a two-phase mint pass drop.

Ready to Launch Smarter?

Whether you're a chain activating your ecosystem or a brand launching an NFT for the first time, RaribleX gives you the drop mechanics, infrastructure, and strategy to ship faster, smarter, and with full creative control.

Let’s plan your drop.