TL;DR
- TON has reached over 300 million users in games, surpassing other competitors, thanks to its integration with Telegram.
- Despite the growth, the number of unique users in the DeFi sector remains low, around 22 million addresses.
- Blum has achieved 57 million active users with a focus on gamification and rewards, setting a precedent for growth in the ecosystem.
In recent years, the adoption of cryptocurrencies and decentralized applications has increased exponentially. Among them, TON, the blockchain associated with Telegram, stands out particularly.
This ecosystem has garnered impressive figures, reaching over 300 million users in gaming applications, far surpassing other competitors. The integration of TON with Telegram, which has 950 million users, has facilitated a smooth influx of users into the crypto industry, allowing the network to accumulate over 9.9 million active addresses in just one year.
The Success of Blockchain Games
The momentum of blockchain games has translated into a viral phenomenon, as mini-apps and games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat have employed mechanics that encourage social participation. This dynamic has been key to reducing the usability friction that DeFi applications have traditionally faced, which often result in complex and unfriendly experiences for new users. The ability to conduct transactions within Telegram eliminates the need to switch between different platforms, greatly improving the user experience.
However, despite these advances, the DeFi ecosystem faces several challenges ahead. Although TON has shown notable growth in users, the number of unique users on DeFi platforms remains low, with figures around 22 million unique addresses. This indicates that, despite its success, the DeFi world continues to be a niche, where the lack of effective distribution channels has hindered widespread adoption.
The Obstacles Facing TON
TON’s success in the gaming industry demonstrates that it has significant potential to expand into the DeFi market, but to achieve this, the network must overcome obstacles such as attracting developers, scaling its infrastructure, and ensuring the security of smart contracts. Developer experience in creating applications on the new TON Virtual Machine is crucial for the ecosystem’s growth. Additionally, issues related to bot activity and platform risks also raise concerns that must be addressed to build a healthy environment for users.
Success Case
An interesting case is Blum, a DeFi application that boasts 57 million active users, achieved thanks to its approach that combines gamification and rewards. The Blum team is continuously working on developing new functionalities. Its success could set a precedent for other DeFi applications on TON, demonstrating that sustained growth is possible.
If TON and Telegram can successfully navigate the mentioned challenges, there is a real opportunity to bring the DeFi world into the mainstream, leveraging Telegram’s infrastructure and broad reach to offer innovative and accessible financial services to a global audience