Snapshot
Update shuda Oct 12, 2026 What Is a Snapshot?
A snapshot traditionally refers to the record of the state of a computer system or storage device at a specific point in time.
In crypto, a snapshot records the state of a
blockchain at a particular block height. In this case, the snapshot captures the contents of the entire blockchain ledger, which includes all existing addresses and their associated data (transactions, fees, balances, metadata, and so on).
How Are Snapshots Used in Crypto?
Airdrops
Snapshots are commonly used during airdrop events before each round takes place. During an
airdrop, tokens are distributed based on the balance of each blockchain address. Snapshots are taken to record the balance of each token holder at a specific point in time (i.e., block height). In most cases, users can move their funds after the snapshot is taken without compromising their eligibility to participate in that round of distribution.
Hard forks
Snapshots are also important during
hard forks, as they mark the block height at which the main chain is recorded before the new chain is created.
For instance, when the
Bitcoin Cash hard fork took place on August 1, 2017, every blockchain address that held Bitcoins at block 478,558 had its balance copied onto the Bitcoin Cash blockchain. The reason is that both blockchains shared the same historical data prior to the fork. As soon as the split was complete, each blockchain network began to operate independently.
Initial Exchange Offerings and token sales
In
token sales or
Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs), snapshots can help crypto exchanges identify eligible participants. To ensure a fair distribution of tokens, exchanges may take periodic snapshots of users’ wallet balances over a defined period. This helps prevent any manipulation where users might artificially inflate their balances before the sale.
When Are Snapshots Taken?
Projects generally use one of a few approaches:
Announced snapshot: The project will publish the block height or time window in advance, so participants know exactly when balances are measured.
Retroactive snapshot: This is taken without a public announcement, with the project revealing eligibility only after the fact.
Multiple snapshots: Projects may take more than one snapshot or calculate time-weighted averages over a period instead of relying on a single moment. This method can promote fairness and transparency.
In each case, the snapshot serves as the eligibility cut-off rather than the distribution itself, which usually follows days or weeks later.