Pixelverse to Launch PIXFI Token on TON Network

Cyberpunk-themed game Pixelverse is set to launch its PIXFI token on The Open Network (TON), with listings on centralized exchanges starting at 8 a.m. EST on Thursday.

The launch comes after Pixelverse’s Telegram-based game, PixelTap, reported 50 million new players in June.

The PIXFI token will play a central role in the Pixelverse ecosystem. With a total supply of 5 billion tokens, it will be used for trading, crafting, and battling within the game. According to Pixelverse’s documentation, PIXFI will become the main token for transactions, acting as the game’s gas token.

Last week, Pixelverse raised an additional $2 million, bringing its total for the current funding round to $7.5 million. Investors include web3 venture capital firms like Galaxy Interactive, Crit Ventures, and Arc Community, as well as angel investors like Alex Kruger, Luke Belmar and Mike Dudas.

PixelTap is a blend of clicker and combat gaming. Players earn in-game coins by rapidly tapping parts of their screens to attack opponents’ robots. These coins are then used to upgrade their robots for future battles. Players can also craft special attacks and defend against incoming attacks.

Telegram has become a hotbed for crypto-enabled games. Many of these games offer in-game currencies and carry the promise of future airdrops on the TON blockchain.

Although Telegram itself is no longer officially involved with TON due to legal concerns, the blockchain has soared in popularity. The TON token ranks among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, largely fueled by the gaming community on Telegram.

According to TON Stat, the TON network handles over 6 million transactions daily and has about 5 million active on-chain wallets monthly.

The Rise of Tap-to-Earn

Notcoin started the trend of tap-to-earn games on Telegram, launching the year’s biggest gaming token in May after attracting 35 million players. Within two months of launch, Notcoin achieved a market capitalization of $1.6 billion.

Other games have since followed suit. For instance, Hamster Kombat has gained attention with its unique concept. In this game, players control a hamster who is the CEO of a fictional crypto exchange. By tapping their screens, users can earn in-game currency and develop an income strategy.

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov said on Telegram that Hamster Kombat has already amassed 236 million users. However, the number of real users versus bots remains a point of contention.

“Soon, Hamster’s team will mint its token on TON, introducing the benefits of blockchain to hundreds of millions of people,” he said. “ A new era is coming, and we are witnessing its arrival in real time.”