Infrared Finance (IR) has emerged as a cornerstone protocol in the Berachain ecosystem, simplifying participation in the blockchain's innovative Proof-of-Liquidity (PoL) consensus mechanism. Launched alongside Berachain's mainnet in early 2025, Infrared has quickly established itself as the leading liquid staking and vault infrastructure provider on the network. Infrared Finance (IR) has $246.36 million Total Value Locked (TVL) and growing in 2025. The protocol has raised $16.5 million in funding, including a $14 million Series A round in March 2025, backed by prominent investors such as Framework Ventures and Binance Labs.
Source: Infrared Finance
On December 17, 2025, Infrared will conduct its Token Generation Event (TGE) for the native IR token, accompanied by an airdrop rewarding early users and community participants. This article explores Infrared's core functionality, features, tokenomics, team, airdrop details, and practical steps for claiming airdrop rewards and acquiring IR tokens.
Read more: What is Berachain: A Blockchain Revolutionizing Liquidity and Security with Proof-of-Liquidity
What Is Infrared Finance (IR) Protocol?
Infrared Finance is a decentralized infrastructure protocol built on Berachain, a high-performance EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain. It addresses key frictions in Berachain's PoL model, where liquidity providers and validators are rewarded with BGT (Berachain Governance Token), a non-transferable asset that traditionally requires manual delegation and redemption. Infrared automates these processes through liquid staking tokens and specialized vaults, making PoL participation seamless and composable across DeFi applications.
Users deposit assets, and Infrared handles staking, delegation, and reward capture, issuing liquid tokens like iBGT (for BGT rewards) and iBERA (for staked BERA). This transforms illiquid rewards into yield-bearing, tradable assets, enhancing efficiency and accessibility. As the first and largest DeFi protocol on Berachain by historical TVL, Infrared has processed significant cumulative fees and revenue in its role as a core ecosystem player.
What are the Key Features of Infrared Finance (IR)?
Infrared Finance offers a comprehensive suite of products designed to optimize yields and provide a user-friendly experience for engaging with Berachain's Proof-of-Liquidity (PoL) mechanism. The core offering includes automated PoL vaults that stake assets, delegate them to validators, and compound rewards automatically, with certain vaults providing multipliers, such as 1.375x for WBERA-iBGT on Kodiak LP, to further enhance yields.
A standout feature of IF is iBGT which is a liquid version of the non-transferable BGT token, enabling users to continue earning PoL rewards while keeping their assets liquid for trading or additional DeFi activities. Similarly, iBERA serves as a liquid staked derivative of the native BERA token, offering flexible access to staked positions along with compounded yields. Infrared also operates its own node infrastructure, running validators to bolster network security and facilitate efficient reward distribution.
Additionally, the now-concluded Infrared Points Program rewarded user engagement by tracking staking and liquidity provision activities, offering backdated points and multipliers to early adopters. These innovative features have played a key role in driving significant user traction and contributing to Berachain's rapid early growth.
Who Created Infrared Finance?
Infrared Finance was founded in 2023 by a pseudonymous team embracing Berachain's bear-themed culture. The CEO and co-founder, known as Raito (Bear), serves as the public face on social media and interviews. Key members include Cocaine Bera (Marketing Lead) and Viperr (Business Development). Despite the anonymity, the team's execution is evidenced by rapid development, launching Berachain's testnet and scaling to billions in TVL shortly after mainnet. Infrared was part of the Berachain Foundation's "Build-a-Bera" incubator, benefiting from close ties to core developers. Backing from top-tier investors underscores confidence in their technical and strategic capabilities.
What Is Infrared Finance (IR) Tokenomics?
The IR token, set to launch on December 17, 2025, is designed with three primary utilities at its core. First, it enables governance, where users can stake IR to receive sIR and gain voting power over protocol decisions. Second, it facilitates revenue sharing, as a portion of the protocol's fees, approximately 10% on PoL yields, flow into the "Red Fund," which uses these funds to buy back IR tokens and support community initiatives and incentives.
Furthermore, IR supports emissions that direct incentives toward optimizing liquidity provision and validator behavior across the Berachain ecosystem. Complete details on token distribution, total supply, and the conversion ratios from the points program will be revealed on the Token Generation Event (TGE) day. Overall, the token is expected to introduce additional utilities such as yield boosting and access to exclusive features, aligning with established DeFi practices to ensure long-term value accrual for holders.
What Is the Infrared Finance Airdrop?
The IR airdrop rewards loyal users from the concluded Infrared Points program and community contributors (ex.Discord activity, surveys, events, testnet participation). Eligibility includes early mainnet users with backdated points from staking iBGT/iBERA or providing liquidity in designated pools/vaults. Points were boosted by multipliers on select vaults. Direct claims open on TGE day, December 17, 2025, at approximately 8:00 UTC, with a deadline of January 12, 2026. Unclaimed tokens may be redistributed or burned.
— Infrared (@InfraredFinance) December 13, 2025
How to Claim the Infrared Finance Airdrop: Step-by-Step Guide
The IR airdrop claims begin on December 17, 2025. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Ensure you have a compatible wallet (ex. MetaMask or Rabby) set up for Berachain (Chain ID: 80085, RPC: https://rpc.berachain.com).
In order to connect to the IR claim portal, you'll need a MetaMask wallet. Here's our full guide on What Is MetaMask and How to Set Up a MetaMask Wallet?
Step 2: Hold sufficient BERA for gas fees (acquire via exchanges like BingX or bridge assets).
How to Buy Berachain (BERA) Directly on BingX Spot Market
Infrared Finance (IR/USDT) will be listed on BingX post-TGE. Trading for IR/USDT opens on December 17, 2025 (times vary: ~12:00–14:00 UTC). In the meantime, you'll need BERA for gas fees to claim this airdrop and participate with IR to maximize airdrop rewards.
Source: BERAUSDT on BingX Spot Market
Step 1: Buy BERA on BingX: Log in to your BingX account and go to Buy Crypto. Choose how you want to pay: stablecoins like USDT or USDC, card/bank transfer, or P2P. You can use BingX AI tools to get market insights, risk analysis, and trading suggestions. Search for BERA/USDT on the BingX Spot Market and complete the purchase; your BTC will appear in your Funding/Spot wallet on BingX.
Step 2: Store your BERA on BingX: You can store your BERA in your BingX wallet. Beyond storage, BingX gives you quick access to trading features, so you can buy, sell, or convert Bitcoin instantly on the spot market. On top of that, BingX Earn allows you to generate passive income, and Copy Trading lets you follow top traders without handling strategies yourself. This mix of storage, trading, and automation makes the BingX wallet a practical choice for both beginners and experienced traders.
Step 3: Send your BERA to your MetaMask wallet: If you want to manage your crypto in your MetaMask instead, find your BERA receiving address under the Bitcoin tab in your MetaMask wallet. Copy the address and withdraw from your BingX wallet. Read more: How to Use BingX AI? A Beginner's Guide to Trading Crypto with AI Assistant
Step 4: Visit the official airdrop page: https://infrared.finance/airdrop.
Step 5: Connect your wallet used for eligible activities. To maximize airdrop allocation (based on the concluded Points program), users historically earned points by:
• Staking BGT to receive iBGT
• Staking BERA to receive iBERA
• Provide liquidity to Infrared's PoL vaults
• Claim iBGT rewards
Step 6: Check eligibility and view allocation.
Step 8: Claim your IR tokens directly to your wallet (non-exchange claims).
Step 9: If you participate in pre-deposits, tokens will appear on the chosen exchange post-TGE.
Step 10: Select one of the vaults you are interested in and click Stake. For higher point accumulation, focus on vaults with multipliers:
Source: CryptoRank
• WBERA-iBGT Kodiak LP vault (1.375x multiplier)
• WBERA-iBERA Kodiak LP vault (1.375x multiplier)
• WBERA-iBERA BEX LP vault (1.375x multiplier)
• WBERA-iBGT Bulla LP vault (1.25x multiplier)
Add liquidity to the vault:
Track your progress in the Points tab:
Always use the official site to avoid scams. Monitor Infrared's official X (@InfraredFinance) for updates.
How to Buy and Sell IR Tokens on BingX After Claiming the Airdrop
You can buy and sell Infrared Finance (IR) easily on the BingX Spot Market once the IR/USDT trading pair is live. To get started, create or log in to your BingX account, complete identity verification, and deposit USDT into your Spot Wallet. Then, search for “IR/USDT” on the Spot trading page, choose your preferred order type, Market for instant execution or Limit for setting your own price, and confirm the trade. Your purchased IR tokens will appear instantly in your BingX Spot Wallet.
Selling IR on BingX follows the same steps: open the IR/USDT pair, enter the amount you want to sell, select your order type, and execute the trade. BingX offers fast settlement, deep liquidity, and an intuitive interface, making it simple to manage your IR portfolio or transition between IR and other crypto assets.
Conclusion
Infrared Finance represents critical infrastructure for Berachain's PoL-driven DeFi ecosystem, offering streamlined liquid staking and vaults that have attracted substantial TVL and user engagement despite ecosystem-wide fluctuations. With the IR token TGE and airdrop tomorrow on December 17, 2025, early participants stand to benefit from governance rights, revenue sharing, and ecosystem incentives. To maximize rewards, claim promptly if eligible and consider long-term staking of IR for sIR. As Berachain matures, Infrared's role as a yield optimizer positions it for sustained relevance. Participate responsibly, stay updated via official channels, and explore the protocol to capture ongoing opportunities in this evolving blockchain.