Paws: A Viral Tap-to-Earn Sensation
Paws, a Telegram-based mini app, took the crypto world by storm in 2024. Its simple concept, earning points for engaging with the app, quickly attracted a massive audience. Within months, Paws boasted over 80 million users, fueled by the allure of earning real cryptocurrency rewards. This success made Paws a prime example of the ‘tap-to-earn’ model, attracting users with minimal effort and potentially lucrative rewards.
The Solana Shift: From TON to a Decentralized Future
Initially built on the TON blockchain, Paws faced a major hurdle in 2025. Telegram mandated that all mini apps on its platform operate solely on TON, forcing projects like Paws to choose between remaining confined or migrating to a different blockchain. Paws opted for Solana, a decision that had profound implications.
- Massive User Onboarding: The migration spurred over 9 million new Phantom wallet downloads and created over 1 million new Solana addresses, showcasing Paws‘s ability to drive adoption.
- NFT Integration: The move opened the door to NFT integration. Paws launched NFT vouchers on Magic Eden, generating over 100,000 transactions in just two weeks.
- Expanding Beyond Telegram: The shift to Solana propelled Paws beyond its Telegram origins, enabling the platform to evolve into a full-fledged Web3 brand with aspirations to integrate DeFi features, gaming partnerships, and social engagement tools.
The PAWS Token: From Airdrop to Exchange Listing
The success of Paws culminated in the launch of the PAWS token in March 2025. This native token serves as a governance token, for staking, in-game purchases, and more. However, the launch wasn’t without its challenges.
- Price Volatility: The token experienced a significant drop in value shortly after launch, a common phenomenon in the volatile crypto market.
- Airdrop Confusion: Many users encountered confusion regarding eligibility criteria for the airdrop, leading to some dissatisfaction.
- Communication Gaps: Delays and lack of clarity surrounding the token generation event (TGE) impacted community trust.
Is Paws Legit? A Closer Look
The success of Paws has attracted attention, but it’s essential to approach this project with critical thinking. It’s natural to be wary, especially given the history of hype trains in the crypto space.
Pros
- Experienced Development Team: The Paws team has a proven track record with other projects, like Notcoin and Dogs.
- Strategic Solana Migration: The decision to move to Solana demonstrates a long-term vision and commitment to building a robust Web3 ecosystem.
- Strong User Adoption and Community: Paws has amassed a substantial user base, highlighting its appeal and potential for further growth.
Cons
- Limited Transparency: The team behind Paws lacks a public team page or comprehensive white paper, which can raise concerns about transparency and accountability.
- Potential for Bot-Driven Airdrop Farming: Telegram mini apps are known for their susceptibility to bots, potentially impacting the fairness and legitimacy of airdrop rewards.
- Regulatory Uncertainty: The legal landscape surrounding Telegram mini apps and airdrops is still evolving, creating uncertainty and potential risks for users.
Paws‘s Future: A Web3 Super App Vision
Despite the risks, the Paws team has ambitious plans for the future. They aim to transform Paws from a viral game into a dynamic Web3 super app.
- In-App Marketplace: Paws envisions an integrated marketplace where users can spend PAWS tokens on digital goods, services, and utility items.
- NFT Rewards and Avatar Customization: The platform plans to introduce customizable avatars powered by NFTs, enabling users to personalize their experience and trade digital assets.
- Social Leaderboards and Guild Mechanics: Paws is developing social leaderboards and guild features to foster community engagement, competition, and collaborative rewards.
- DeFi Integrations: The migration to Solana opens up opportunities for integrating DeFi functionalities, including staking, lending pools, and yield-based games.
With a user base exceeding 80 million, Paws has the potential to become a significant player in the Web3 landscape. However, its rapid growth also warrants caution, as regulatory clarity, long-term sustainability, and responsible development remain crucial factors for its future success.
