From Dinosaurs to Shareholders: Claynosaurz Gives Holders Real Equity in the Brand

Claynosaurz, the Solana-based NFT project turned entertainment brand known for its colorful clay-style dinosaur characters, announced plans to distribute 15% of its equity to certain NFT holders.

In a post on X on July 2, the official Claynosaurz account stated it had set aside a 15% allocation of options in the equity of the Claynosaurz brand. This allocation is intended for eligible ecosystem holders to participate in the company’s future growth. The company plans to launch an allocation website the following week for holders to check their positions and obtain more details.

According to subsequent reporting, the equity comes as options representing 15% of equity in a Delaware corporation. The total allocation reportedly amounts to around 15 billion shares distributed across qualifying wallets. Eligibility is determined by a snapshot taken during a quiet period, aimed at rewarding long-term holders of the original Claynosaurz NFT collection and the Popkins expansion while excluding recent buyers.

Background on the project

Claynosaurz launched its initial NFT collection of 10,222 unique dinosaurs on Solana in November 2022. The characters, made in a distinctive 3D clay animation style, feature six main species and exist in the fictional world of Claynotopia. The project later expanded with additional drops, including the 2025 Popkins piece drop on Sui, a collection of 25,000 critters (see Claynosaurz’s collection).

The brand has grown beyond NFTs into animation, with short episodes and pilots available on YouTube, and has entered gaming through a partnership with Gameloft for a mobile title. It also offers merchandise and other consumer products.

Holders of qualifying NFTs can now use a live eligibility checker to verify allocations. Unlike usual Web3 incentives such as token airdrops or DAO governance tokens, these are stock options whose value depends on the company’s overall performance. As a private company, any liquidity for these options would likely need a future exit event, such as an acquisition or initial public offering.

A representative associated with the project noted in a response to the announcement that “Community is king.”

This development adds to a growing number of NFT projects testing traditional equity structures to align incentives between creators and collectors.

Further details on eligibility criteria, option vesting, and corporate governance are expected to be available through the company’s allocation website and official channels.