What Is Catizen And When Is The CATI Airdrop?

Catizen is the latest viral Telegram mini-game to announce its token (CATI) launch date in September. The popular cat-themed ‘swipe-to-earn’ game launched on TON back in March and already has over 12 million active users.

Telegram-based mini-games have been an ongoing trend this year for GameFi projects. So far, we have seen successful projects like Hamster Kombat, TapSwap, and Rocky Rabbit gain millions of active users in just a few months, and Catizen is the latest addition to this growing portfolio of popular mini-games on the TON blockchain.

So, what is Catizen (CATI)? And how is it different from all the other tap-to-earn games we’ve been talking about throughout 2024? Let’s find out.

A cat-themed cafe on Telegram: What is Catizen?

Catizen is a Telegram-based play-to-earn game that blends city-building mechanics with the Web3 ecosystem, offering players both in-game rewards and cryptocurrency incentives. Launched in January 2024, it quickly gained a large player base, with over 12 million users and 700,000 on-chain crypto enthusiasts. The game runs on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, leveraging crypto-economics to enhance user engagement and asset ownership.

In Catizen, players act as mayors managing a virtual city of cats. The goal is to collect, breed, and level up cats to enhance their virtual cat café. Players can earn in-game currency, known as vKITTY, through daily tasks, quests, and mini-games like fishing. Higher-level cats generate more rewards, which can then be used to buy upgrades and new cats. Players can even participate in token airdrop events to convert their in-game earnings into CATI tokens, which have real-world cryptocurrency value.

Tap-to-earn games like Hamster Kombat and Rocky Rabbit, players basically tap the screen endlessly to earn in-game tokens. Citizen takes a slightly different approach, where you actually swipe to combine different cats together, increase their level, and your reward opportunities. So, arguably, it requires a bit more attention that the general tap-to-earn model.

What is the CATI Token?

CATI is the primary cryptocurrency within the Catizen ecosystem, built on TON. It plays a key role in connecting the game’s in-game economy with real-world cryptocurrency markets. Here’s how it functions:

1. Earning CATI: Players earn CATI tokens through gameplay and special events, most notably airdrops. These airdrops reward active players based on their performance in the game, such as the level of their cats and the amount of in-game currency (vKITTY) they generate.
2. Utility: CATI tokens offer real-world value because they can be traded on cryptocurrency exchanges. This provides players with a financial incentive to engage more deeply with the game, allowing them to convert their in-game achievements into tangible rewards. Unlike vKITTY, which is used only within the game, CATI has broader use cases, including the potential for staking, trading, and future expansions.
3. Future growth: CATI tokens are central to Catizen’s long-term roadmap. The developers plan to integrate CATI into more than 200 mini-games and launchpools.

A significant portion of CATI’s total supply, nearly half (43%), is dedicated to airdrops. This helps attract players and incentivizes engagement, making the game accessible while rewarding active users. Around 8% of the tokens go to early investors who supported the project during its initial development stages, providing crucial funding, while 15% of CATI is reserved for ecosystem developments, future projects, and partnerships.

When is the CATI token launch and airdrop?

OKX, the third-largest crypto exchange in terms of daily trading volume, will launch CATI on its TGE date (September 20, 2024). The token will be available for trading against USDT on OKX’s spot market. In preparation for this, deposits for CATI have already been enabled on the exchange.

Additionally, OKX is running a Trade and Earn campaign where users who trade at least 500 USDT worth of CATI in the pre-market futures can claim a share of a 50,000 CATI reward pool. This campaign was launched alongside the listing of CATI pre-market futures, allowing traders to speculate on the token’s performance even before its official public trading date.

CATI will also be listed on other exchanges like Bitget, KuCoin and Bybit on the same day. The token was previously listed on KuCoin and Bybit’s pre-market trading, with the price fluctuating between $0.43 to $0.50.

Key milestones for Catizen

• Fundraising success: Catizen’s publishing platform, Pluto Studio, has secured major investments from key players such as Hashkey Capital, TOP, Folius Ventures, and Binance Labs. This capital injection strengthens Catizen’s financial foundation and positions it for future growth.
• Achievements in The Open League: Catizen has consistently dominated the Open League, ranking 1st place for three consecutive seasons. This recognition solidifies its standing as a top application in the TON ecosystem.

• Expansion of gaming features: The launch of the Catizen Game Center, featuring multiple mini-games, provides new gaming opportunities for users. This update expands the gameplay experience beyond the core city-building mechanics.
• Compliance and security enhancements: Catizen has prioritized regulatory and security measures, partnering with Elliptic for AML (anti-money laundering) and on-chain compliance. This ensures a more secure and transparent ecosystem, essential for maintaining user trust.

Future roadmap

• Q4 2024: Catizen plans to open its Launchpool and Game Center for public participation. The Game Center will integrate five launchpool projects and feature 20 mini-games, broadening the ecosystem and creating more earning opportunities for players.
• Q1 2025: The development of a task platform will introduce a Web3 advertising system to boost user engagement. This platform aims to create more avenues for players to earn rewards while interacting with the game.
• Q1/Q2 2025: A creative new feature will be the introduction of AI Cats – virtual companions powered by AI technology. Initially, these will enhance community interactions, but by Q2 2025, the feature will be fully launched, allowing deeper engagement with intelligent avatars in both gaming and social contexts.
• Q3 2025: Catizen aims to scale into a comprehensive mini-game hub with 200+ mini-apps. This expansion will transform Catizen from a singular game into a multi-faceted gaming and social platform, positioning it as a major player in the Web3 gaming space.

Is Catizen safe to play?

Catizen is considered a legitimate and safe project, especially given its integration with well-known blockchain networks like TON and Mantle, as well as its partnerships with credible organizations.

Catizen has partnered with Elliptic, a well-regarded provider of AML and on-chain compliance solutions. This partnership ensures that the platform follows regulatory standards, reducing the risk of fraud and ensuring better user protection.

The project has received backing from prominent investors and crypto firms, such as Binance Labs, Hashkey Capital, and TOP Labs. These investors are known for funding credible and promising blockchain projects, adding to Catizen’s legitimacy.

Catizen has a detailed and public roadmap, outlining its milestones and future development plans. The project is also featured in credible industry platforms such as Pantera Capital‘s and TON Foundation’s analysis, which boosts its visibility and credibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. 01.

   What is Catizen?

   

   Catizen is a play-to-earn game on Telegram that allows players to manage a virtual cat city. The game combines city-building with cryptocurrency rewards, allowing users to earn tokens through gameplay and in-game tasks.

2. 02.

   When is the CATI token airdrop?

   

   The CATI token airdrop is scheduled to occur on 20 September 2024, during the token launch.

3. 03.

   Which exchanges will list CATI?

   

   CATI will be listed on OKX, KuCoin, Bitget, and Bybit.

4. 04.

   What will be CATI's launch price?

   

   The exact launch price of CATI has not yet been officially disclosed. Further updates will likely come closer to the launch date. Pre-market trading on exchanges like KuCoin and Bybit showed a potential launch price to be around $0.43 to $0.50.