Telegram Games for Earning: How 7 Viral Projects Changed the Crypto Space in 2024

When the first large-scale earning Telegram games appeared on the scene in 2024, few predicted that simple clickers would attract hundreds of millions of users. Three years ago, it sounded fantastic, but the reality turned out to be even more interesting. These games transformed the concept of earning in Web3 from an elite activity into a profitable activity for mass users who previously didn’t even think about cryptocurrency. Now, as the dust settles, we can understand what really happened in this segment and which projects remain at the top.

Hamster Kombat: 300 Million Players Who Changed the Tap-to-Earn Game

When Hamster Kombat launched in early 2024, it quickly became the largest earning project on Telegram. Over a million years and billions of player clicks, it gathered over 300 million active users, setting an unprecedented record. The game was simple—manage a virtual crypto exchange run by hamsters, click nonstop, and earn HMSTR.

The launch of the HMSTR token was a turning point. When on September 26, 2024, the token officially debuted on The Open Network (TON), the game had already built a huge community. Developers distributed 60% of the total token supply directly to players via airdrop, an unprecedented act of generosity.

As of today, HMSTR shows steady market activity. At the time of writing, the token is valued at around $0.00 with a 24-hour increase of +2.51%. Although this price may seem modest compared to early forecasts, the game’s popularity for earning remains unchanged. Most players have realized that long-term success depends not on the initial price but on keeping the ecosystem alive.

Notcoin: From Simple to Web3 Revolution

Notcoin is considered one of the icons of Telegram earning games that built modern Tap-to-Earn. The project started as a demonstration of the concept—players press, collect virtual Notcoins, which are later exchanged for real $NOT tokens. Easy, transparent, effective.

In nearly two years, the project attracted over 35 million active players. When on May 16, 2024, $NOT first appeared on major exchanges (Binance, OKX, Bybit), it became a legendary event. Although the token started at a symbolic price of $0.01, it quickly became one of the top 100 crypto projects worldwide with a market cap of $1.1 billion.

By March 2026, Notcoin had evolved significantly. The ecosystem expanded through a partnership with Lost Dogs, the introduction of Notcoin Explore for interacting with decentralized apps (dApps), and ambitious plans to become “Netflix of viral social games.” The $NOT token, trading at around $0.00 with a 24-hour increase of +7.13%, indicates the project continues to hold an important place in the market. Its current capitalization of $41.57M reflects changes in the segment, but the core community remains loyal.

Catizen: Raising Cats as a Path to Crypto Income

Catizen had an interesting position in the Telegram earning game market. While other projects opted for explosive clickers, Catizen offered a calmer, more strategic approach—raise virtual cats, combine them, earn vKITTY, and exchange for $CATI tokens.

The project gained over 34 million players in a few months. The $CATI token launched on September 20, 2024, with an initial price range of $0.40–$0.60. At that time, several major exchanges (Binance, Bybit, Gate.io) were preparing to list the token, ensuring liquidity.

As of March 2026, Catizen continues to attract players with its unique mechanics. The current price of $CATI is $0.04 with a 24-hour increase of +0.39%, indicating project stability. Although initial forecasts suggested growth to $0.80–$1.50, the more conservative trajectory has allowed for more organic community development.

X Empire: From Musk Meme to Serious NFT Game

X Empire (formerly Musk Empire) started as a joke but by July 2024 had transformed into a serious earning project. The game allowed players to build virtual empires, compete with others, and earn $X tokens.

In a short time, the project attracted over 35 million players. Developers made an interesting move—selling NFT vouchers on the Getgems marketplace long before the token launch. These vouchers became the entry ticket for early token distribution. At the peak, one voucher cost up to 7 TON (about $36), indicating strong community interest.

Mining phase ended on September 30, 2024, and the distribution of $X tokens indeed took place in Q4 2024. Distribution was based on players’ personal productivity—profit per hour, total earnings, and number of invited friends. This stimulated organic growth and attracted new users to the earning game.

Rocky Rabbit: From Simple Taps to Play-to-Earn

Rocky Rabbit positioned itself somewhat differently. Instead of a pure clicker, it was a hybrid between simple Tap-to-Earn and full-fledged Play-to-Earn platform. Players trained virtual rabbits for competitions, solved puzzles, completed tasks, and earned $RBTC.

The project quickly gathered 30 million active players. The $RBTC token launched on September 22, 2024, with an initial price from $0.001 to $0.005. Choosing such low price points was strategic—it attracted many small players eager to accumulate large amounts of tokens.

By 2026, Rocky Rabbit had evolved beyond simple tap-to-earn into a more complex Play-to-Earn ecosystem. Developers introduced mini-games, expanded earning opportunities, and even covered network fees for airdrops. 50% of tokens were distributed immediately in September 2024, with the remaining 50% unlocked after a year of active gameplay. This prevented price crashes due to mass sell-offs.

Binance Moonbix: Binance’s Official Entry into Tap-to-Earn

In September 2024, Binance itself decided to join the trend. Moonbix launched as a space adventure where players travel through space on ships with manipulators and collect valuable items. Conceptually similar to other earning games but branded as the largest exchange in the world.

The project launched on September 19, 2024, allowing players to earn points through daily logins, participating in game rounds (six rounds per hour, each 10 minutes), completing tasks, and inviting friends. Each round offered up to 200 points, enabling active players to earn up to 28,800 points per day.

Moonbix’s appeal lay in its simplicity and integration with the Binance ecosystem. Players could link accounts, pass KYC, and earn an additional 10,000 points. An official announcement about the $MBIX token was expected at the end of 2024 or early 2025. As of now, the token has not yet been listed on major global markets, but history shows Binance projects usually have strong backing.

TapSwap: The Largest Player Base Among All Projects

TapSwap held a special place—it was the most popular Telegram earning project by registered users. As of 2024, it had over 60 million players, surpassing even Hamster Kombat in raw numbers.

The game was familiar—tap on screen elements, complete daily challenges, solve puzzles, earn $TAPS. But the project actively evolved. The introduction of Tappy Town mode added depth—players could now build cities, develop strategies, and create mini-economies within the game.

The $HMSTR token launch was scheduled for October 30, 2024 (despite earlier delays). Forecasts predicted $TAPS would debut in the $0.03–$0.06 range with a market cap of $600–$800 million. Ambitious developers planned to integrate additional token pairs, establish partnerships in DeFi, and continue developing gameplay mechanics.

By 2026, TapSwap aimed to position itself as a serious contender for mainstream status in the GameFi space. Its huge user base and ongoing updates made it one of the most resilient Tap-to-Earn projects of the generation.

What Changed in the World of Telegram Earning Games Over Two Years

Looking back at 2024–2026, it’s clear that earning Telegram games ceased to be a novelty and became an established part of the crypto ecosystem. These games demonstrated the powerful influence of blockchain technology on mass entertainment.

The key pattern is that projects which transferred their monetization aspects to dominate proved less sustainable. Conversely, those developing genuine gaming mechanics (like Catizen with its strategic combinations or Rocky Rabbit with additional mini-games) continued to attract new audiences.

Earning tokens showed a characteristic pattern—initial surges with quick corrections, followed by long-term stability for projects with strong communities. Tokens like NOT, HMSTR, CATI, and others, despite price fluctuations, remained valuable assets for players who understood the market mechanics.

This confirmed a simple truth: the real value of such projects lies not in promises of quick riches but in their ability to keep the community engaged long-term. Players used to just click for dividends gradually realized that earning games, like any financial instruments, require market understanding, patience, and realistic expectations. And it is these players who have remained in the ecosystem for the long haul.