How is the Catizen related?

Telegram’s mini-game Catizen earned $16 million from in-app purchases, donating 1% of it to saving stray cats.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov said Catizen has made $16 million from in-game purchases, and they also donated 1% of that amount to saving homeless cats.

According to Durov, Catizen has attracted over 26 million users in a few months. His team has also developed tools that allow other developers to easily launch their The Open Network (TON)-based projects on Telegram.

“Catizen introduced millions of people to blockchain because it uses TON-based smart contracts for its in-game rewards.”

Pavel Durov, Telegram founder

Durov also stated that he is a dog lover, so he is eagerly waiting for the Catizen developers to make a game about his favorite pet, Dogizen.

Source: X Catizen is gaining popularity in the blockchain space

Catizen took first place in The Open League’s season three App Battle competition after winning The Open League’s season two App Battle in early June.

“Congratulations to Catizen, Yescoin, SquidTG, Getgems, Fanton, TON Punks, and Tonano for winning a total of $500,000 in prizes in Season 3.”

Open League team

The project’s success attracted the attention of the team at Binance Labs, the venture capital division of the largest crypto exchange. They invested in Pluto Studio, the studio behind Catizen. The investment amount was not disclosed.

“Pluto Studio will use this new funding to support the development of the Catizen mini-app and game engine builds to accelerate the growth of the platform and make it easier for more developers to join the Catizen ecosystem.”

What is known about Binance Labs team Catizen?

Catizen, a game bot on Telegram, immediately attracted the attention of users, including those who actively use the TON blockchain. The Catizen community has reached 25 million players, and about 1.5 million users are constantly online.

The game takes place in a digital universe called Meowverse, dedicated entirely to cat themes. In this world, users can complete various tasks and receive valuable rewards.

In Catizen, players run a cat cafe where customers pay to spend time with cats. When customers get a level 1 cat to play with, players receive the in-game currency vKITTY.

Source: Catizen

Players also receive unique IDs that grant access to Launchpool and open up new opportunities within the game. Additionally, users actively participate in various events and competitions to earn airdrops through in-game airdrop mechanics.

According to the project team, clicker’s native token CATI is planned to be released and will also be available for staking. Players will receive 41% of the total CATI supply as an airdrop.

A new trend in the blockchain community

Tap-to-win games have driven significant growth in the TON ecosystem by offering simple game mechanics and tangible rewards. The mini-game boom on Telegram has accelerated cryptocurrency adoption and set a new standard for integrating digital assets into social and gaming platforms.

With the increasing popularity of mini-games on Telegram, Durov announced that the messaging app will have a Mini-Apps store and a built-in browser with web3 support by the end of the month.

According to the Telegram team, more than 500 million users interact with mini-applications, purchase goods, and access services and games on a monthly basis. The platform’s integration with the TON blockchain has led to a surge in the popularity of crypto-based games, especially after the success of Notcoin.

Telegram’s popularity has attracted scammers

Amid Telegram’s growing popularity, experts have warned of an increase in the number of attacks. For this reason, the Slow Mist platform reported an increase in the number of phishing attacks targeting TON users.

Analysts say attackers are distributing malicious links or bots in various Telegram channels, often under the pretext of announcing an airdrop.

TONE式传播，空投等诱骗方式来批量钓走用户 TON 钱包里的有关资产（包括 NFT, 特别Anonymous Telegram Numbers，类似手机号，许多人用于创建 Telegram 账号，这个被钓走，意味着对应的 Telegram…

— Cos(余弦)😶‍🌫️ (@evilcos) June 24, 2024

In addition to cryptocurrency, attackers steal anonymous numbers from the messenger, which are used to create additional accounts on Telegram. If the number is stolen, the user completely loses control over the profile.

Should you pay attention to Catizen and other minigames?

Games with tap-to-win mechanics offer insight into the potential of cryptocurrency games. Their affordability and ease of use make them attractive to those interested in exploring the world of cryptocurrencies.

The rapid growth in popularity of mini-games like Catizen demonstrates the community’s interest in cryptocurrencies and provides an accessible entry point into the blockchain space for everyone.