Kaito AI has changed how its stakers get paid. Holding staked KAITO is no longer enough. Stakers must now register for each individual airdrop if they want to claim rewards.
The update was announced on October 15, 2026, through Kaito’s official X account. It turns what was a passive perk into something closer to an RSVP list.
What changed for KAITO stakers
The core rule is simple. Every ecosystem airdrop now requires a separate registration, and that registration has to happen before the campaign deadline.
Miss the window, and the allocation is not yours to claim. Registration alone does not guarantee anything, either.
According to Kaito, allocations will depend on three factors: how much a user has staked, their loyalty, and whether they meet eligibility requirements. Eligibility includes either staking or holding YT-sKAITO, a token tied to the platform’s staked positions.
The minimum stake for most drops stays at 5,000 sKAITO, the staked form of the KAITO token. Holders of Yapybara NFTs continue to get enhanced multipliers on their allocations.
Kaito says the underlying staking mechanics are not changing. The only new step is raising your hand before each drop.
Why Kaito made the switch
The reason is a participation problem. Approximately 50% of eligible stakers from the prior year did not claim their rewards.
Under the new system, previously unclaimed allocations will be reevaluated. Kaito says they will be distributed only among stakers who meet the new registration and eligibility criteria.
The stated goal is to improve engagement among long-term stakeholders. Registration acts as a filter: it separates people who staked and forgot from people who are actively watching the ecosystem.
Background: a year of tightening the rules
This is not Kaito’s first adjustment to its reward design. In August 2026, the platform introduced a rule requiring stakers to keep their position for the entire campaign period to qualify.
That upgrade was aimed at doubling allocations and increasing participation from projects running campaigns through the ecosystem.
The October registration requirement builds directly on that earlier change. First, Kaito asked stakers to stay put. Now it is also asking them to check in.
Both moves follow the discontinuation of Kaito’s earlier “Yaps” system. Yaps rewarded social media engagement, paying users for posting and discussing crypto topics online. The system was phased out in January 2026 due to policy changes on paid posting apps by X.
Kaito AI itself launched in 2022 as a platform using artificial intelligence for crypto market analysis. Its native token, $KAITO, launched in February 2025, originally featuring a community airdrop linked to the Yaps system.
What this means for stakers and the ecosystem
For active KAITO stakers, the change could be a net positive. If roughly half of eligible users previously failed to claim, redistributing those allocations may mean larger shares for people who register.
For passive holders, the message is blunt. Staking and walking away no longer works as a reward strategy. Anyone holding at least 5,000 sKAITO now has a recurring to-do item tied to every campaign.
Per-airdrop registration means tracking deadlines across multiple campaigns. Busy users, or those holding through custodial setups, may find it easier to miss a window than before.
For now, the instructions for KAITO stakers are straightforward. Keep your stake in place, meet the 5,000 sKAITO minimum where it applies, and register before each deadline.
Disclosure: This article was edited by John Chen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.