SonicX Launches TikTok’s First Tap-to-Earn Game

This summer saw tap-to-earn games take over the crypto gaming world, with Telegram-based mini apps attracting millions of users. Now, a Solana-based project is pushing the boundaries of this genre by launching SonicX. A tap-to-earn game that operates natively within TikTok, aiming to capture the attention of Gen Z.

SonicX’s Tap-to-Earn Revolution on TikTok

SonicX is the first of its kind—a tap-to-earn game that runs directly on TikTok, powered by Sonic SVM. A layer-2 gaming chain built on Solana. The project has partnered with content creators and plans to run targeted ads on TikTok. Allowing users to dive straight into the game by clicking on the ads and using a social login.

Much like Telegram mini-apps, TikTok’s native browser will host the game. Players will earn in-game points by tapping their screens to collect rings and purchase upgrades. With the chance of earning rewards through a future token airdrop. However, no official confirmation of the airdrop has been made yet.

Although the game’s aesthetic and concept bear a striking resemblance to the classic Sonic the Hedgehog series. There is no affiliation with Sega. Still, it’s easy to see how the branding could appeal to a wide audience of nostalgic gamers and crypto enthusiasts alike.

The On-Chain Game Model

One standout feature of SonicX is that every tap in the game is recorded as an on-chain transaction. This approach mirrors the “tickle-to-earn” cat game Tapos. Which, in May, recorded over 115 million transactions in a single day with only 63,000 players. For comparison, Ethereum handled just 1 million transactions over a similar period.

Chris Zhu, the CEO and co-founder of Sonic SVM, is confident about the potential user base. “With just 1% of the entire TikTok population, we’re at 10 million users,” Zhu told. “I think that’s not a dream anymore.” Given TikTok’s massive user base of 1 billion monthly active users, with projections of growing to 2.35 billion by 2029. SonicX could be set for massive adoption.

TikTok: A Key Traffic Channel for Crypto Gaming

TikTok has yet to fully embrace crypto gaming. But Zhu believes it’s a fertile ground for growth, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are already involved in meme coins and viral crypto content. He also points out the advantages TikTok holds over Telegram in terms of accessibility and reach. While Telegram has around 950 million monthly users, TikTok’s seamless browsing experience makes it easier to onboard new players.

SonicX is launching on TikTok thanks to the team’s background at ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. Their familiarity with the platform’s inner workings could give them an edge in scaling the game and attracting millions of new users.

Incentives and the Promise of Token Rewards

At its core, SonicX follows the traditional tap-to-earn model, where players tap to advance in the game and invite friends to climb the leaderboards. The prospect of earning tokens also fuels player engagement, although SonicX does not openly advertise this to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

While the game’s Sonic token is on the horizon, no official details have been shared yet, likely due to TikTok’s strict advertising policies regarding cryptocurrency. This mirrors the approach of Notcoin, which pioneered the tap-to-earn movement on Telegram. Notcoin eventually launched its token, which reached a market cap of nearly $3 billion, becoming the largest crypto gaming token launch of 2024.

Growth Strategy for the Sonic SVM Ecosystem

SonicX isn’t just a game—it’s a strategic move to grow the broader Sonic SVM ecosystem. The game is designed to showcase the scalability of Sonic SVM’s infrastructure, with every in-game transaction serving as a demonstration of the chain’s capacity to handle high volumes.

Moreover, the game’s social integration on TikTok provides a unique opportunity for decentralized advertising. Players are rewarded for engaging in tasks like following a project’s TikTok account, expanding the Sonic SVM ecosystem through organic social growth.

SonicX represents a new frontier in tap-to-earn gaming, utilizing TikTok’s vast user base to bring crypto gaming to the mainstream. With its unique combination of Solana’s scalability and TikTok’s viral potential, SonicX could be a game-changer for the tap-to-earn genre and a significant growth engine for the Sonic SVM ecosystem. Whether it succeeds in capturing the attention of Gen Z remains to be seen, but the project is positioning itself as a major player in the ever-evolving world of crypto gaming.