Telegram has long been the communication platform of choice for crypto-natives, and the encrypted messaging app is lately seeing an influx of crypto-enabled games running within the interface. 

Many of the apps offer some kind of in-game currency and promise a forthcoming airdrop, typically on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, which was initially developed by Telegram. Many of these apps are perhaps inspired by Notcoin, which pulled off an airdrop for users of its tap-to-earn game. Newly launched NOT has a market capitalization of nearly $2 billion, per CoinGecko.

Hamster Kombat has been another Telegram game seeing buzz lately. The app lets users play as a hamster who happens to be the CEO of a crypto exchange. This highly evolved hamster can use in-game currency — earned by tapping one’s screen over and over — to do things like launch margin trading and obtain regulatory licenses. 

(Unfortunately, there’s no option to funnel customer deposits into risky bets taken by an associated trading firm, but maybe that will come with the next update.)

The NEAR blockchain’s HERE Wallet and associated currency mining game saw a notable amount of activity on Base this week.

These apps could all still firmly be in the flash-in-the-pan territory, and whether they can survive past promised airdrops is an open question.

“The next mission for large mini-app games is transforming the initial success into a sustainable business,” Steve Yun, president of the TON Foundation, said on X.

But that isn’t stopping some investors from piling in. This week, Pixelverse, the developer behind Telegram tap-to-earn game PixelTap, announced a $5.5 million raise with investors including Delphi Ventures and Foresight Ventures.

Source: Jack Kubinec – blockworks.co