Original article by Ryan Ozawa
Original title: Telegram Hits 950 Million Users Amid Crypto Gaming Boom
Original source: decrypt
Compiled by: Mars Finance, koala
Multi-purpose messaging app Telegram is gaining unprecedented popularity as the platform of choice for crypto gamers.
The number of Telegram users around the world is surging as interest in games on the platform surges. Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov announced on Monday that the messaging platform has reached 950 million monthly active users.
He wrote: "This spring, the number was 900 million. Now on track to hit 1 billion!"
This milestone was undoubtedly achieved more quickly thanks to the huge interest in crypto games on Telegram and the rise of The Open Network (TON), which was originally created by Telegram itself but abandoned the project in 2020 due to regulatory issues. Instead, a community of external developers has brought the chain to life.
The recent new game craze was sparked by Notcoin, a simple click-to-earn game that offers players a large amount of in-game currency with the promise of upcoming on-chain rewards. Millions of players have joined in, collecting virtual currency in the hope of one day exchanging them for real crypto tokens.
In May, Notcoin players were able to exchange their earnings for NOT tokens on TON. With support from major exchanges Binance and OKX, the NOT token airdrop immediately became the largest gaming token launch of the year. TON currently has a market cap of $17 billion, making it the tenth largest cryptocurrency by this metric.
However, while Notcoin opened the door for gaming, it was Hamster Kombat that blazed the trail. The game used a similar click-to-earn mechanic, coupled with cute hamsters and a variety of ways to make more money faster, and became a global phenomenon. In June, the game reached 100 million users, even attracting the attention of the Iranian government, which was concerned that the game's popularity among the population would distract them from the presidential election.
Earlier this month, Durov said that Hamster Fighter had attracted 239 million users and described the game as "the fastest growing digital service in the world." Since then, Hamster Fighter claims to have surpassed the 250 million player mark.
