Between 2024 and 2025, Tap-to-Earn (T2E) games on Telegram exploded into a crypto sensation: players earn tokens by simply tapping their screens, attracting hundreds of millions of users. Despite the simplistic gameplay, the ecosystem behind token airdrops, community building, and exchange listings has formed a mature industry chain.
Notcoin: Pioneer with 35M Players and 80B Token Airdrop
Notcoin launched on Telegram in November 2023, peaking at 6 million daily active users and exceeding 35 million total players. Players tapped a gold coin to earn in-game currency, later convertible to NOT tokens at a 1,000:1 ratio. On May 16, 2024, NOT listed on Binance, OKX, and Bybit, built on the TON blockchain. The team airdropped 80 billion NOT tokens to 35 million players via pre-market NFT vouchers. As of 2025, the bot remains active but no second main airdrop has been announced.
Hamster Kombat: 300M Users in 5 Months, Contentious Airdrop
Hamster Kombat launched in March 2024, hitting 100 million users in two months and 300 million within five. Players tap cartoon hamsters to earn in-game coins, investing them in a fictional exchange. The team earmarked 60% of HMSTR supply for the community, claiming the largest airdrop in crypto history. Season 1 airdrop occurred in late 2024; Season 2 ended on March 26, 2025. $HMSTR listed on Binance and OKX but saw volatile prices due to controversial unlock schedules. By July 2025, daily active users stabilized at around 12 million.
TapSwap: From Simple Taps to City-Building, Pivot to BNB Chain
TapSwap launched in February 2024, amassing over 55 million users globally and 18 million daily active users. Players tap a gold coin icon to earn TAPS points, with an energy bar limit. In August 2024, the team added “Tappy Town,” a city-building mini-game for added strategy. Initially planned for TON, TapSwap pivoted to BNB Chain, holding a Token Generation Event on February 14, 2025. 50% of TAPS supply was allocated for community airdrops. $TAPS now trades on exchanges, with market-driven pricing.
TAPX: Competitive Tapping and Star Economy, TGE Pending
TAPX launched in 2024, gathering over 1.2 million users in its database and ~140,000 monthly active users. Players start as Bronze-level fighters, tapping to earn Coins and Stars. The game includes mini-games like a Lucky Wheel (winning TON or Stars), daily challenges, and referral rewards. The team has run contests offering 10,000 USDT and Star tokens. $TAPX token has not yet been publicly launched; it is expected to operate on TON and will be airdropped to active players.
Catizen: Cat-Themed NFT and CATI Token
Catizen launched in March 2024, registering a peak of 49 million users, though monthly active users stabilized around 1 million by mid-2025. Players build and manage a “cat city,” breed NFT cats with different abilities, and complete tasks to earn CATI tokens. It stands out for integrating NFT breeding into the T2E model.
These five projects illustrate the trajectory of T2E gaming from explosive growth to differentiation. As Telegram’s mini-app ecosystem matures, hybrid models blending SocialFi, strategy, and NFTs are emerging, but the core logic remains “click-to-mine” flow-driven monetization.