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This summer, tap-to-earn games took the crypto space by storm, with Telegram-based mini apps engaging over 300 million players. Now, the trend is evolving as a Solana-powered project, SonicX, brings tap-to-earn gaming directly to TikTok, aiming to replicate the success of Notcoin but for the younger, TikTok-savvy audience.
Sonic SVM, a layer-2 gaming network built on Solana, has devised a strategy to integrate with TikTok by collaborating with influencers and running in-app advertisements. Users will be able to launch the SonicX game directly inside TikTok via its native browser, much like how Telegram mini apps function. Once players log in through their social accounts, they can begin collecting in-game points.
Tap-to-Earn with SonicX
SonicX follows the familiar tap-to-earn formula—players tap their screens to gather rings, upgrade their abilities to enhance passive progress, and invite friends to join the fun. All of this is fueled by the anticipation of a potential token airdrop, although no official announcement has been made yet.
The game’s design draws inspiration from the iconic Sonic the Hedgehog series, although there is no formal affiliation with Sega. What sets SonicX apart, however, is that every tap a player makes is recorded as an on-chain transaction. This concept has been seen before, such as with the “tickle-to-earn” game Tapos on Aptos, which recorded an astounding 115 million transactions in just one day from a modest player base of 63,000. To put this in perspective, Ethereum processed around 1 million transactions over a similar period.
“We often talk about bringing crypto games to billions of people, yet sometimes struggle to reach a million users. But with just 1% of TikTok’s audience, we could easily surpass 10 million players,” said Chris Zhu, CEO and co-founder of Sonic SVM. “It’s no longer a distant dream.”
TikTok boasts a staggering 1 billion monthly active users, with predictions suggesting this could swell to 2.35 billion by 2029, according to Shopify. Although Telegram has a comparably large user base of 950 million, Zhu sees TikTok as an untapped goldmine, especially given its effective advertising tools.
“Gen Z and Gen Alpha are already dabbling in meme coins and crypto content on TikTok,” Zhu noted. “Advertising on Telegram is less refined, making TikTok a superior option for reaching large audiences effectively.”
Sonic SVM, operating as a layer-2 network on Solana, acts as a publishing hub for various crypto games, similar to Ethereum’s Ronin network. While Sonic SVM already features 67 games, the team views TikTok as the perfect platform for launching SonicX, thanks to their previous experience working with Bytedance, TikTok’s parent company. This insider knowledge gives them an edge in maximizing platform engagement.
A key motivator for players in tap-to-earn games is the potential to convert in-game progress into tokens. Although SonicX has hinted at a future token release, dubbed “Sonic token,” the game has not openly advertised it, likely to avoid regulatory scrutiny and navigate TikTok’s strict advertising policies.
The Market
Tap-to-earn games, like Notcoin on Telegram, have shown the potential for massive success. Notcoin, the first game in the Telegram tap-to-earn trend, saw its NOT token skyrocket, achieving a market cap nearing $3 billion, making it one of the most significant crypto gaming token launches of 2024. Now, Notcoin is expanding its reach through collaborations, positioning itself as the “Netflix of viral games.”
SonicX aims to replicate this success on TikTok. Zhu envisions a future where other games join the tap-to-earn movement within the Sonic SVM ecosystem, benefiting from the shared user base. Players can earn rewards by completing social tasks like following a project’s TikTok account—a model Zhu describes as “decentralized advertising.”
In essence, SonicX on TikTok serves as a gateway for broader growth in the Sonic SVM gaming ecosystem. With every tap recorded on-chain, the game will showcase Sonic SVM’s scalability, provided it captures the attention of a large enough player base.
