Base Joins Mini-App Trend, Boosting Crypto Engagement on Telegram

• Base chain tokens are now available through mini-apps, following Toncoin’s success.
• Hamster Kombat leads the mini-app market, influencing the crypto gaming ecosystem.
• Mini-apps enhance engagement, providing new value in the Web3 and DeFi space.

Base has joined the growing trend of mini-apps, following the successful model established by Toncoin (TON). 

This trend is gaining traction, with more Web3, game, and DeFi projects targeting Telegram communities. Notably, new mini-app creators are now offering Base chain tokens, expanding the mini-app ecosystem.

Hamster Kombat, a prominent player in this space, is currently in a price discovery phase following its pre-market listing on ByBit. Notcoin (NOT) is also reflecting the mini-app trend with a robust price recovery. 

Mini-apps have become a grassroots movement, driving engagement and providing value in the crypto space. Initially, Toncoin (TON) and Telegram were the primary hotspots for click-to-play mini-apps. However, new chains are adopting this trend to distribute airdrops and offer casual gaming entertainment.

While the mini-app trend is smaller compared to the previous wave of play-to-earn games, it is gaining traction. Unlike the hype-driven play-to-earn games that attracted significant venture capital investments, mini-apps are easier to create and distribute. 

Hamster Kombat is a high-profile clicker game benefiting from Toncoin’s success. Similarly, Notcoin (NOT) is leveraging a viral clicker game to defy the stagnant market trend.

This trend is spreading beyond the Toncoin chain, with older platforms trying to replicate the success of clickers as a way to reshuffle incentives. A notable addition to this trend is Base, the tokenless Coinbase blockchain, which has announced its readiness to join the mini-app movement.

Base’s Sepolia project is now available through new mini-apps, which are also spreading through Telegram. Another project, DePerp, is tapping into the mini-app trend, connecting it to the Base blockchain. 

DePerp’s mini-app provides a seamless connection to Base and is accessible among the growing list of Telegram offerings. The chat app continues to be the biggest hub for mini-tapping games, clickers, and faucets, aggregating popular games and exposing them to over 32 million users worldwide.

Other projects are using the mini-app trend to migrate their quest or task platforms for a more intuitive experience. Additionally, mini-apps have become more attractive after the launch of Adsgram, which allows idle games to display ads and earn TON. 

As of July, Hamster Kombat and a few other clickers remained dominant, with Hamster Kombat reaching 250 million players in just about two months. Despite some bot activity, the game’s idle approach surpasses previous P2E games that also experienced bot activity.

Hamster Kombat may have a wider effect on the crypto gaming ecosystem by aggregating other mini-bots and popularizing new mini-apps. This trend could also lead to the price discovery of a Hamster Kombat token, potentially mirroring the success of NOT. 

The Hamster Kombat token is now listed for pre-market trading on ByBit, with full spot trading expected in the second half of the year. The token is also spreading through airdrops, available as both Toncoin and Solana-based tokens.

While skeptics view clicker apps as at risk for hyperinflation, similar to the play-to-earn trend, projects are offering varied use cases beyond idle games. 

Most mini-apps take a game-first approach and are not in a rush to offer crypto or trading features. This trend is still new and accelerating, with the potential for advertising revenues. 

The mini-app trend may be reflected in the market prices of NOT and, eventually, the Hamster Kombat native token. NOT is currently trading near a one-week peak at $0.016, after a quick recovery from the recent market correction.