Espresso Network launched its native token ESP, with a total supply of 3.59 billion tokens and allocating 10% in an initial airdrop to specific addresses.
Espresso unveiled its token distribution structure alongside the ESP launch, outlining ample allocations and vesting periods for most participants. The total supply amounts to 3.59 billion tokens, with a significant portion earmarked to sustain the ecosystem’s long-term growth. Approximately one-quarter of the total is reserved for future incentive programs and additional distributions.
The initial community airdrop represents 10% of the supply and was fully unlocked from the start, introducing immediate liquidity to the market. Meanwhile, 24.81% is reserved for future incentive plans, while 27.36% is allocated to contributors, mostly subject to staggered vesting schedules.
Regarding airdrop eligibility, the project employed a multi-factor approach, including a “Holder Score,” designed to favor those who have historically held tokens received in previous distributions. With this, Espresso sought to prioritize participants with a long-term profile.
However, although the initial 10% was fully unlocked, most of the remaining allocations will follow progressive schedules, which could moderate future supply pressure.
Technical role, and how ESP’s market debut went
From a technical standpoint, Espresso positions itself as a shared consensus and completion layer that can be used by rollups without needing to modify their execution layers. According to initial reports, the network achieves “1000x faster completion” thanks to its architecture, claiming an average completion time of close to six seconds, compared to the approximately 12 minutes (720 seconds) that the project attributes as the average for Ethereum.
The ESP token plays a central role within the HotShot consensus, being used for staking and governance. Thus, it not only acts as an economic asset but also as a security mechanism and a means of participating in protocol decisions. The combination of technical and governance functions strengthens its integration into the network’s core infrastructure.
The launch was accompanied by activity in pre-listing markets. Pre-market trading was reported on platforms such as Binance and MEXC, while the official listings were scheduled for February 12, 2026. Initial market references pointed to a valuation close to $250 million, with preliminary trading ranges between $0.078 and $0.086 per token.
For investors and product teams, key factors include the immediate unlocking of the initial airdrop, the substantial incentive fund, and the phased vesting of contributors and investors. For rollup operators, Espresso offers lower latency completion and optional sequencing as a way to improve cross-chain interoperability.
