If the person you know isn't ready to spill the secrets cos of competition, don't you think it could be more expensive getting it from another?
Anyway seems it's worth me digging in a bit so here goes:
Based on your description, your brother is likely engaging in a combination of High-Frequency Airdrop Farming (often called Sybil Farming) and Node Running.
The use of a VPS (Virtual Private Server) to "test" 40–50 projects simultaneously is the biggest clue. This is not standard trading; it is an industrial-scale approach to earning "free" allocations of new tokens before they hit the market.
Here is a breakdown of exactly what he is doing, the terminology, and a roadmap for how to learn it.
1. What is this process called?
There isn't one single name, but it is typically known by a few specific terms depending on the exact mechanic:
* Sybil Farming / Industrial Airdrop Farming: This is the most likely scenario. "Sybil" refers to one person pretending to be many people. By using a VPS, he can run scripts that automate interactions (swapping, bridging, staking) across hundreds of different wallets on 40–50 different blockchains simultaneously. The goal is to qualify for "airdrops" (free token rewards) on all of them.
* Node Running / Node Operator: Many early-stage crypto projects (Testnets) need people to run servers to power their blockchain. In exchange, these "Node Runners" are rewarded with tokens when the project launches. This requires a VPS and technical command-line skills.
* IDO/Presale Sniping: If he is explicitly buying tokens rather than just farming them, he might be using "Sniper Bots" hosted on a VPS to buy into new token launches (IDOs) faster than any human could click.
2. Is this just advanced farming?
Yes and No. It is "farming," but it is distinct from the passive "yield farming" (staking money to earn interest) most people know.
* It is Active Technical Work: It involves managing Linux servers, handling proxy IPs (to avoid getting banned for being one person), and managing private keys for dozens of wallets.
* It is a Venture Capital Strategy: He is essentially acting like a micro-VC fund. By "spraying and praying" small amounts across 50 projects, he expects 45 to fail (rug pulls, scams, or worthless projects) and 5 to "moon" (succeed massively), covering all previous losses and generating profit.
3. Basic Roadmap to Start
If you want to do this "properly" (systematically and not just gambling), you need to move from a user mindset to a technical operator mindset.
Phase 1: The Basics (No VPS yet)
* Learn "Burner" Hygiene: Never use your main personal wallet. create new, separate Metamask/Phantom wallets for every single project.
* Understand Testnets: Start with "Testnet" campaigns. These use fake money (test tokens) so there is zero financial risk, only time risk.
* Resource: Look for "Incentivized Testnet" lists on Twitter or websites like Airdrops.io.
* Master the Tools: Get comfortable with Discord (where projects announce instructions) and Galxe/Zealy (platforms where projects track user "quests").
Phase 2: Technical Setup (The "Brother" Level)
To scale up like your brother, you need automation.
* Rent a VPS: You don't run this on your home laptop. You rent a cloud server (DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Hetzner) so it runs 24/7.
* Learn Linux Basics: You don't need to be a coder, but you must know how to use the command line (Terminal) to install scripts.
* Commands to learn: cd, ls, sudo apt update, git clone.
* Find Scripts: You generally don't write the bots yourself; you find open-source scripts on GitHub created by the community for specific projects.
Phase 3: Risk Management (The "System")
* Anti-Sybil Protection: Projects hate people who do this. They track IP addresses. You will need to learn how to use Proxies so each of your 50 "tests" looks like it's coming from a different computer.
* Cost Management: Even "free" farming costs money in "gas fees" (transaction fees). If you farm 50 projects and each costs $10 in gas to set up, you are down $500 before you make a dime.
* The 90/10 Rule: Accept that 90% of the projects you "test" will go to zero. You must have the discipline to sell the winners immediately upon launch to secure profit.
Recommended Next Step
Do not buy a VPS yet.
Start by manually farming one active Testnet project to see if you have the patience for the technical troubleshooting.
All the best...
