Token allocation

Token allocation, sometimes called token distribution, is the breakdown of who receives the initial and future supply. A typical chart reserves slices for core contributors, early investors, a foundation or DAO treasury, ecosystem grants, liquidity provision, community rewards and airdrops, each with its own vesting terms.

It is one of the first things analysts check because it shapes governance power and future selling. If insiders control a majority, they can steer votes and their unlocks can overwhelm demand; a larger community share spreads ownership but may also flow straight to airdrop farmers. Allocation tables are also where you see whether the public sale was a meaningful part of the supply or a token gesture.

Red flags include large unexplained 'reserve' or 'marketing' buckets, allocations without vesting, wallets that do not match the published chart and treasuries controlled by a single key. Pie charts are easy to draw; on-chain holder lists show what really happened.