Imagine earning tokens just by tapping your screen. In 2024–2025, Telegram mini-apps in the tap-to-earn (T2E) format went fully mainstream: top titles reached tens or even hundreds of millions of installs. Below, we break down what T2E is, how games differ, which projects stand out, and what to watch for to avoid scams.
What Are Tap-to-Earn Games
Tap-to-earn are mobile mini-games where users accumulate in-game points and/or crypto rewards for simple actions (taps, mini-quests, tasks). Monetization is built on ads, micro-payments, partner tasks, and then sharing part of revenue/tokens with players. Essentially, it’s a “light” version of play-to-earn that lowers the barrier for a broad audience.
Key T2E Features
- Simple gameplay: “tap/swipe/complete a task” mechanics;
- Reward systеm: points, coins, or tokens that can be converted after listing;
- Ads and micro-payments: sources of player rewards;
- Referrals and promos: bonuses for friends and daily check-ins;
- Crypto integration: some projects issue tokens and run airdrops.
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Top Tap-to-Earn Games: Quick Profiles
Notcoin (NOT, TON)
- Launch: November 2023 (Telegram bot);
- User base: >35M players, up to 6M DAU at peak;
- Mechanics: “tap the coin,” boosts, quests, and leaderboards;
- Rewards: in-game points converted to NOT (about 1,000 points → 1 NOT during distribution);
- Airdrops/Listings: large-scale token distribution; major exchange listings in May 2024; the bot is still active, but a new large airdrop hasn’t been announced.
Why it matters: set the T2E template on Telegram and became a “gateway” to Web3 for millions.
Hamster Kombat (HMSTR)
- Launch: March 2024;
- User base: explosive growth to ~300M registrations; by July 2025 ~12M monthly active users;
- Mechanics: tap the hamster, quests and boosts; in-game coins can be “invested” in a fictional in-game exchange;
- Rewards: the main channel is the $HMSTR airdrop (around 60% of supply allocated to players);
- Airdrops/Listings: first airdrop at the end of Season 1, second on March 26, 2025; listings followed—high volatility.
TapSwap (TAPS)
- Launch: February 2024;
- User base: 50–65M players by late 2024, ~18M DAU;
- Mechanics: tap a gold coin, energy bar with regen, tasks/referrals/boosters; the “Tappy Town” mode added a building element;
- Rewards: TAPS tokens for activity; 50% of supply allocated to the community;
- Airdrops/Listings: TGE in February 2025 (BNB Chain) after Season 1; token trades at market price.
TAPX ($TAPX)
- Launch: 2024 (Telegram);
- User base: total users >1.2M; active MAU ~140K;
- Mechanics: ranks from Bronze upward, Coins/Stars points, mini-games (e.g., Lucky Wheel), challenges and leaderboards;
- Rewards: Coins/Stars and future $TAPX; contests with USDT/Stars/$TAPX prizes;
- Airdrops/Listings: a major airdrop is planned; exact date and tokenomics being finalized; likely launching in the TON ecosystem.
Catizen (CATI, TON)
- Launch: March 2024;
- User base: up to ~49M registrations; by mid-2025 ~1M MAU;
- Mechanics: “cat city,” breeding NFT cats, quests and mini-games (fishing, puzzles), in-game shop;
- Rewards: CATI; in September 2024, 150M CATI (15% of 1B supply) distributed to Season 1 players;
- Airdrops/Listings: quarterly distributions (another 190M CATI reserved); in 2025 the App Center expands (Bombie, Cattea), plus investment from Animoca Brands.
Summary Table of T2E Projects (General)
| Game | Launch | User base (peak/MAU) | Token | Network | Airdrop/Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notcoin | 11.2023 | >35M / — | NOT | TON | Airdrop completed; major listings |
| Hamster Kombat | 03.2024 | ~300M / ~12M | HMSTR | — | Season 1 & 2 airdrops done; listings |
| TapSwap | 02.2024 | 50–65M / ~18M | TAPS | BNB Chain | TGE 02.2025; trading live |
| TAPX | 2024 | 1.2M total / ~140K MAU | TAPX (expected) | likely TON | airdrop announced, date TBA |
| Catizen | 03.2024 | ~49M / ~1M | CATI | TON | S1 airdrop done; S2 with BOMBIE/CATTEA tokens |
How to Choose T2E Games: Checklist
- Check tokenomics: community share, team/investor vesting, unlock schedule;
- Look at product depth: modes beyond “tapping,” retention mechanics;
- Transparency: roadmap, updates, social channels, a clear rewards/withdrawal dashboard;
- Tech risks: official bot/domain, phishing protection, permissions in the Telegram mini-app;
- Realistic earnings: don’t rely on screenshots; compare with market cap and supply.
Risks and How to Mitigate
- Scams and copycats: verify links; avoid “surprise airdrop” DMs;
- Speculative volatility: token prices at launch are often extremely unstable;
- Legal considerations: rules and taxes depend on your jurisdiction;
- Time cost: hunting quests and bounties is still a resource—estimate your “hourly yield”;
- Privacy: grant minimal permissions; check what data the mini-app collects.
Takeaways
The T2E wave onboarded millions to Web3 and produced strong hits—from Notcoin to Hamster Kombat. It also spawned many low-quality clones. Do your DYOR, evaluate tokenomics and the roadmap, and don’t commit significant funds without understanding the risks and unlock timelines.
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Disclaimer
The material is for informational purposes and is not financial advice. The crypto market is highly volatile; past results do not guarantee future returns. Review multiple sources and your local rules before making decisions.
