author:Dingdang，

The ideal of Web3 is decentralized trust, but in reality, trust is often fragile. Sign, a protocol centered on on-chain authentication and token distribution, promises to bring transparency and security to the Web3 ecosystem. However, in early April, its token distribution platform TokenTable caused controversy over the Wayfinder project ($PROMPT) distribution accident - a protocol designed to build trust was exploited by external participants due to social behavior vulnerabilities. This storm will push Sign to the forefront and become a test site for its technology and responsibility.

On April 24, Sign announced that it will take a snapshot soon, and the TGE (token generation event) of the native token SIGN entered the countdown. TokenTable rebuilds community trust through transparent remedial measures and comprehensive compensation, while Sign is moving towards the forefront of Web3 infrastructure at a more robust pace. From on-chain signing tools to full-chain verification agreements, how can Sign grow in the challenge? Can the rules be reshaped on the track of trust?

From EthSign to Sign: The starting point of on-chain trust

The story of Sign begins with EthSign in 2021, a on-chain document signing platform. Through EthSign, users can verify document consistency and complete signing on the blockchain, providing trusted support for smart contracts, asset attribution and other scenarios. In 2024, the team launched Sign Protocol, expanding its vision to a broader infrastructure for on-chain authentication and token distribution.

Sign Protocol provides a transparent and traceable mechanism for token airdrop, DAO governance, identity authentication and other scenarios by aggregating on-chain credentials. For example, it can ensure the identity legitimacy of DAO voting or the fairness of airdrop allocation, and accurately solve the trust pain points of Web3. As of 2024, Sign has served more than 200 projects including Movement, Starknet, ZetaChain, etc., with annual revenue of US$15 million, demonstrating its commercial potential and wide applicability. Sign’s goal is to pave the way for Web2 users to enter Web3 and create a standardized trust infrastructure.

Capital endorsement: The cornerstone of industry confidence

Sign’s ambition has won the favor of top capital. In 2022, EthSign completed a US$12 million seed round of financing, led by Sequoia Capital India and Mirana Ventures, with participation from Amber Group, Circle Ventures, HashKey Group and other institutions. In January 2025, Sign received another $16 million in financing led by YZi Labs, followed by Altos Ventures, HackVC and other institutions.

Binance founder CZ once said in an email that verification and distribution mechanisms are the key to Web3 trust. This evaluation not only highlights the industry value of Sign, but also wins authoritative endorsement for it. The new funds will help Sign deepen cooperation with exchanges and government agencies, explore AI-driven verification applications, and promote the construction of the SIGN token ecosystem. The continued support of capital reflects the market's confidence in Sign as a Web3 infrastructure.

Products and Challenges: Technical Tempering in Accidents

Sign’s ecosystem is supported by two pillars: TokenTable, an efficient token distribution platform, and Sign Protocol, a powerful on-chain verification framework. TokenTable has distributed over US$2 billion in tokens to nearly 100 projects to cope with the complex demand for current airdrops.Airdrops are far from being a simple "click to collect". They require seamless operation across multiple chains, processing million-level addresses, verifying the composite identity of the wallet and social identity on the chain, and meeting compliance requirements such as KYC and OFAC.

To address these challenges, TokenTable integrates a range of technical solutions. It optimizes Gas costs through off-chain computing and on-chain Merkle proof, uses distributed task pipelines and multi-layer cache to achieve high concurrent processing, and customizes strategies for chains such as TON, such as the same-shard transaction optimization. The commissioned collection mechanism allows the project party to pay Gas fees on its own to improve user experience. At the same time, multi-layer protection ensures resistance to threats such as playback attacks, and compliance functions such as KYC and geographical restrictions further ensure global applicability.

Even so, the Wayfinder ($PROMPT) airdrop on April 10 still suffered twists and turns. The accident originated from the Twitter identity signature verification system in cooperation with Kaito. An external participant utilizes predictable social behavior and open rollout model, combined with the MEV (miner can extract value) strategy, and interacts with the application process in advance, resulting in a pause in the system. The accident affected 1781 users, of which 249 were damaged due to transaction failure, and 1532 were unable to apply due to contract suspension.

Fortunately, TokenTable's response was quick and decisive, and promptly initiated the claim process. While the Wayfinder incident is a challenge, TokenTable is enhancing its resilience through anti-snatch mechanisms, consulting MEV experts and promising transparent audit disclosures, turning the incident into a catalyst for improvement.

Sign Protocol represents Sign’s core innovation. It uses full-chain credential verification to ensure transparency in token distribution and governance, such as verifying DAO voting identity or airdrop rules execution. Its multi-chain compatibility and high security make it uniquely advantageous in Web3 infrastructure.

SIGN Token: The engine that ignites the ecosystem

The launch of SIGN tokens marks a new stage in the Sign ecosystem. The total supply is 10 billion pieces, and the initial circulation is 12%. The tokens will be minted on the Ethereum main network and distributed across chains through BNB Chain, Base and other chains. The allocation plan takes into account community and long-term development: 40% is used for community incentives, 20% is allocated to early supporters, 10% is owned by the team, 20% is held by the foundation, and 10% is used for ecological expansion and charity. This design injects vitality into the ecology through community-oriented incentives.

SIGN will be launched on Binance on April 28, covering USDT, USDC, BNB and other trading pairs. TokenTable will be responsible for the airdrop distribution of SIGN, rewarding early contributors in the community through a mechanism based on SBT (soul-binded token). The screening criteria include interaction quality, Orange Dynasty activity participation, content creation and technical contribution. In response to community suggestions, Sign has canceled the airdrop decreasing mechanism, increased the allocation frequency and total amount, and demonstrated the importance of users.

Binance Alpha and HODLer plan to further expand airdrop coverage, and tokens will be distributed before transactions.

The Future and Challenge: The Journey of Trust Infrastructure

Sign’s vision is to apply full-chain verification to a wider range of scenarios, such as on-chain digital identity systems or public voting mechanisms, to provide trusted certification to the government or design compliant airdrops for DeFi projects. However, the Wayfinder accident revealed the challenges of complex systems in behavioral vulnerabilities. TokenTable’s charging model (fixed fee + tiered pricing) has also sparked discussions in the community, and the team plans to increase transparency through open pricing. With the launch of SIGN tokens, Sign stands at a new starting point. On the trust track of Web3, can it become the cornerstone of connecting Web2 and Web3? The answer to this journey depends on the joint witness of technology, community and time.