The Tap-to-Earn mechanism trend continues, and besides the already listed Hamster Kombat, Notcoin, and DOGS, TapSwap’s impressive performance is also worth noting. According to data from the TGStat website, as of October 4, 2024, TapSwap’s channel subscribers have exceeded 25.69 million, ranking second only to Hamster Kombat in the cryptocurrency game category.

What is TapSwap?

TapSwap is a Telegram-based Tap-to-Earn crypto game where users earn shares simply by tapping icons on the screen. These shares can ultimately be converted into tradable TAPS tokens.

TapSwap launched on Telegram in February of this year and received public praise from Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov. Currently, TapSwap has approximately 6.4 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), 5.1 million YouTube subscribers, and over 71.42 million players, with around 5.5 million daily active users.

TapSwap Player’s Guide

First, users must download the Telegram app and access the bot via @tapswap_bot.

The core gameplay is straightforward: players earn shares by tapping the icons on the screen. The higher the shares, the higher the player’s alliance rank. The game currently offers 11 ranks, from Carpenter League to Mythic League.

Initially, the energy bar shows 500 units. Each tap depletes the energy bar, but it also replenishes automatically over time. Players aim to accumulate as many shares as possible, and the following strategies can speed up the process:

1. Daily Boosts

Players can access the Boost option via the Earn page. There are two daily boosts available:

• Tapping Guru: Increases the tap rewards by 5x for 20 seconds.
• Full Tank: Instantly restores the energy bar to full capacity.

Both boosts are available three times per day for free. Additional boosts can be unlocked by watching video ads.

1. Leveling Up

Players can spend shares to level up and enhance share accumulation:

1）Use gems to increase tap efficiency. For example, consuming 400 gems can permanently double the screen tap earnings and bot earnings.

The game has a built-in gem shop offering various material packs priced in USD. Users can connect their TON ecosystem wallet to convert and pay with TON tokens. Currently, TapSwap supports ecosystem wallets like Telegram Wallet, Tonkeeper, Tonhub, as well as wallets supporting the TON network like GateWallet.

2）Upgrade tap level. After upgrading this level, users will increase the number of shares per tap. Each level upgrade adds one share.

3）Upgrade Energy Storage. Each level increases the energy bar by 500 units.

4）Upgrade Recharge Speed. Speeds up energy replenishment with each upgrade.

5）Activate Tap Bots: These bots automatically tap when the energy bar is full, with a maximum runtime of 12 hours.

1. Complete Tasks

Users can access the Tasks page to complete various missions, such as watching videos, interacting on social media, or engaging with other projects. Completing tasks grants additional shares. Watching videos also earns video credits, which can be bought with gems.

1. Invite Friends

The more friends a user invites, the more rewards both parties receive through invitation bonuses.

How to Maximize Rewards?

In August, the TapSwap team revealed on X that achievements in Tappy Town will influence final rewards. The more prosperous a player’s city becomes, the larger the airdrop reward.

Tappy Town involves constructing and upgrading buildings using shares, video credits, and blocks. However, certain buildings require others to reach a specific level before they can be upgraded. Players are advised to prioritize upgrading the TapFlix building, as it unlocks other structures. Each upgrade grants gem rewards.

Higher-level buildings yield more block rewards per hour. Upgrading takes time, with higher-level upgrades requiring longer wait times. Of course, players can use gems to skip waiting.

The number of construction workers a player owns determines how many upgrades can be performed simultaneously. Players need to use gems to purchase workers. Therefore, users must devise a strategy to utilize gems and blocks reasonably and maximally to expand their city size.

TapSwap also includes an integrated token exchange platform, allowing users to seamlessly swap TON ecosystem tokens and enhance their experience.

Pioneering a New “Play-Generate Value-Earn” Model

For most Tap-to-Earn games, simplicity and ease of use are their greatest advantages. The low barrier to entry and the promise of airdrops can attract millions of players within a short timeframe. However, this success often proves short-lived. Once token airdrops occur, and players cash out, a mass exodus of profit-takers typically follows. Without sustained external funding, the inevitable result is a token crash, plunging the project into a death spiral.

Therefore, for such games, the tokenomics design and the game’s playability are crucial factors in determining whether the project can develop in the long term. In this regard, TapSwap is still in the exploration stage.

In early May this year, TapSwap announced that it would release the TapSwap token pool at the end of the month. However, the day before the launch, the team claimed that due to measures being taken to stop and ban rampant bots, it would be postponed to July 1st. When the agreed date arrived, the team again announced a delay in the release, stating that they needed to conduct more detailed research on the token economics and release strategy, and ensure the token would be released in the third quarter. As of now, the team has still not announced a specific date for the token launch.

However, despite TapSwap team’s multiple delays, in a September update, they mentioned that the team is creating a new model called “Play-Generate Value-Earn”, aiming to redefine the relationship between players and the platform.

“Play-Generate Value-Earn” introduces a win-win monetization model. Players earn rewards through their usual tapping operations, but some of their income feeds back into the platform. This creates a profit-sharing agreement between players and the platform, benefiting both parties from the game’s success. The model fosters high engagement and loyalty and ensures a healthy economic structure for the platform—ultimately forming a sustainable and mutually beneficial ecosystem.

The TapSwap team is currently partnering with AI and data companies to introduce new gameplay features. These additions will debut in the upcoming version update.

Conclusion

Compared to other Tap-to-Earn games, TapSwap has added unique elements like city-building to its core tap-based gameplay. The team actively works to maintain the game’s appeal through innovative solutions. However, the Play-Generate Value-Earn model is still being tested, and its effectiveness will need time to be proven. The immediate priority for TapSwap is the promised token launch, which will likely significantly impact the game. We’ll have to wait and see how this unfolds.