Author: Monicah W

Back in 2008, Facebook changed the gaming industry overnight. Games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars went from zero to millions of players thanks to frictionless distribution, viral mechanics, and built-in social hooks. 

But the window closed quickly, and only a few saw it coming. Today, we’re at a similar inflection point. The platform this time? Telegram.

With nearly 1 billion monthly active users, Telegram is one of the world’s largest messaging platforms, and one of the most underestimated in terms of what it’s becoming. 

While known for its privacy-focused features, Telegram is becoming more powerful. It is crypto-native at the infrastructure level and is integrated directly with the TON blockchain.  

This integration means Telegram comes pre-equipped with a full-featured, yield-bearing wallet. For millions of users, especially outside the United States, Telegram Wallet already functions much like a bank account. It’s used to store assets, make purchases, and earn passive rewards.

This embedded financial layer opens new possibilities for developers, especially in web3 gaming. 

Instead of relying on third-party wallets like MetaMask or explaining complex onboarding flows, developers can launch experiences directly into an ecosystem where users are already transacting with crypto.

At GOAT Gaming, we’ve seen this impact firsthand. Players who spend using TON, Telegram’s on-chain wallet, spend four to ten times more than those who transact through Stars, Telegram’s fiat-linked in-app currency. 

These users aren’t just more comfortable with crypto. They’re more committed, more active, and more valuable.

How Telegram Turned Digital Gifts Into Real NFT Volume 

Telegram’s transformation accelerated earlier this year with the launch of collectible gifts. These limited-edition digital items can be sent, upgraded, and now traded within a native marketplace. Introduced in January, many of the first collections sold out in minutes. 

In May, Telegram expanded the feature by launching a resale marketplace powered by Stars, its in-app currency. Users can now buy, sell, or gift rare collectibles directly within chats. 

Creators also gain access to new features through community boosts and audience engagement. Upgraded gifts can be minted and traded as NFTs, allowing users to hold them as assets and participate in secondary markets without leaving the app.

The traction is already visible. As of June 9, 2025, Telegram Collectibles recorded $9.7 million in weekly NFT trading volume, according to a Dune dashboard tracking TON-based assets. 

By comparison, Ethereum NFTs saw $3.6 million in volume over the same period. The pace of adoption mirrors the early days of the 2021 NFT boom, but with one key distinction. 

There are no wallets to install, no dApps to navigate, and no bridges to cross.

Why We Believe Telegram Collectibles Will Replace Traditional User Acquisition

At GOAT Gaming, we’ve seen firsthand that Telegram Collectibles are far more than aesthetic add-ons. They’re becoming a foundation for community-driven marketing, referral loops, wallet onboarding, and player reactivation. 

These collectibles create both emotional and economic hooks. When a gift carries real value, users are more likely to engage.

This shift points to something bigger: a move away from performance marketing toward gameplay that drives acquisition and retention on its own. 

Collectibles do the heavy lifting, building connections, signaling status, and encouraging spending behavior in ways ads rarely achieve. 

Together, these elements create a seamless environment for digital commerce, social interaction, and ownership. They also make Telegram an increasingly viable platform for Web3 gaming to scale.

Game studios like GOAT Gaming are already experimenting with gifting mechanics that drive referral loops, reactivations, and real-time campaigns. 

In one recent example, we launched a Telegram-native raffle that offered gift rewards tied to gameplay actions. 

Within two weeks, the campaign had onboarded hundreds of thousands of players, driven tens of thousands of completed wallet connections, and created what would have cost hundreds of thousands in user acquisition spend through traditional channels.

This shift toward community-gated gameplay is already unfolding. We’re building new experiences that treat collectibles not as cosmetic profile flexes but as core infrastructure.

What Telegram Collectibles Are Really Unlocking for Game Developers

In our upcoming game, Underground Pepe, we’re giving real utility, from unlocking progression rewards to enabling gameplay features and signaling in-game status. 

Players join Pepe as he builds a chaotic underground empire, scheming, and stacking NFTs and Telegram Collectibles. 

They earn by operating their rug factory, reinvesting into more collectibles, and unlocking new gameplay loops that mirror Telegram’s trading, gifting, and meme-driven energy.

Ultimately, we believe Telegram has already laid the groundwork for what Web3 infrastructure should look like. 

For developers paying attention, Telegram already offers the infrastructure, reach, and engagement that most platforms are still trying to build. Ignore it, and you’ll miss Web3 gaming’s biggest player acquisition funnel in years.

The post The Telegram Collectibles Boom Is Web3 Gaming’s Next Big Play appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Prenetics, a US-based healthcare firm backed by football star David Beckham, is the newest corporate Bitcoin holder with a $20 million investment. This announcement caused its stock price to soar.

With this investment, Prenetics becomes the first publicly listed healthcare firm to invest in BTC. The company is mainly headquartered in Hong Kong and has multiple subsidiaries worldwide.

Prenetics Follows MicroStrategy With Bitcoin Bet

Over the last few weeks, a large number of corporations have been buying and holding Bitcoin, and the trend is growing. Sixty firms have already joined the global phenomenon, potentially creating a huge market impact.

Prenetics is the newest company to join in, purchasing $20 million in Bitcoin at an average price of $106,712.

“What excites me most is not just Bitcoin as a treasury asset, but the convergence we’re witnessing between healthcare innovation and blockchain technology. We’re at the dawn of a new era where genomics, personalized medicine, and digital assets will intersect in ways that could revolutionize how we approach human health, longevity and wealth,” claimed CEO Danny Yeung.

This is a high price for Prenetics to first buy into Bitcoin, but it’s been quite a profitable investment recently. Additionally, several companies have exhibited major stock price gains after becoming BTC holders.

Prenetics is no exception; its formal entry into the Web3 sector has already generated a 23% rally for company shares.

Additionally, it doesn’t seem like this Bitcoin acquisition is a limited experiment. The company recently appointed Andy Cheung, former COO at OKEx, to its Board of Directors.

Cheung has been in the space for over a decade, and his appointment symbolizes a long-term commitment.

Prenetics is the first healthcare firm to acquire Bitcoin, but it doesn’t plan to rest on these laurels.

The firm also employed two other crypto advisors to build this strategy, Token2049 founder Raphael Strauch and Tracy Hoyos Lopez, Chief of Staff for Strategic Initiatives at Kraken. Together, they have ambitious plans for Web3 growth:

“We now have the financial foundation to pioneer innovative treasury management approaches, including our historic Bitcoin treasury strategy. But this is just the beginning – we have the capital partnerships and conviction to build one of the most significant Bitcoin treasuries in healthcare,” Yeung added.

Additionally, although David Beckham is largely invested in Prenetics, he doesn’t seem personally involved in this Bitcoin plan. Still, the Football industry has been involved in crypto for years, and a famous French team began its own reserve last month.

Beckham’s association with the brand could help further encourage top-level sports professionals to invest in this industry.

The post David Beckham-Backed Healthcare Company Invests in Bitcoin appeared first on BeInCrypto.

If Bitcoin reaches $119,000 by the end of August, MicroStrategy’s (now Strategy) third-quarter earnings could‬‭ set‬‭ a‬‭ new‬‭ record‬‭ for‬‭ a publicly traded company’s‬‭ highest‬‭ quarterly‬‭ profit‬‭ in‬‭ financial‬‭ history‬‭. This impressive figure would easily top Nvidia’s earnings and approach Apple’s record.

As Bitcoin gains widespread acceptance, it prompts the question of whether major players will adopt Strategy’s plan by the book. According to Brickken analyst Enmanuel Cardozo, it depends. Though Strategy’s current achievements are impressive, the quality of its long-term health comes into question.

Could MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Gains Top Tech Giants?

Michael Saylor’s aggressive Bitcoin plan for Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) continues to remain strong through sunshine or rain. For now, it shows no signs of slowing. With ‭ 592,100‬‭ Bitcoins on its balance sheet, Strategy is the biggest corporate holder worldwide.

As Bitcoin’s price continues to climb, so will Strategy’s overall earnings. This large-scale success has already led several publicly traded companies to follow suit. The question is whether other corporate giants will also take the leap and purchase Bitcoin.

If Bitcoin closes Q3 above $119,000, and Strategy has 592,100 bitcoins acquired at an average cost of $70,666 each, Strategy’s estimated quarterly net earnings would be approximately $28.59 billion. 

This figure would exceed Nvidia’s highest reported quarterly net income of $22.091 billion, making it Strategy’s largest quarterly earnings and a significant outlier among many publicly traded tech companies.

Since Strategy uses fair value accounting for its Bitcoin, it directly reflects these gains in its net income. If Bitcoin’s price continues to rise beyond this level, Strategy’s earnings could potentially challenge Apple’s current record-setting quarterly net income of $36.33 billion.

Could this unprecedented success generate a fear of missing out among other competitors?

To Buy or Not to Buy

Cardozo expressed excitement over how such a scenario could generate further Bitcoin adoption by other corporate trailblazers.

“With [Strategy’s] 592,100‬‭ BTC holdings, other companies might feel the need to finally jump in, especially as‬‭ Strategy’s performance is outpacing traditional metrics. That kind of success won’t go‬‭ unnoticed and will eventually push their boards to at least explore Bitcoin to keep up,” he told BeInCrypto.

‭Some of Bitcoin’s advantages over assets may even appeal to companies with massive earnings, like Nvidia or Apple.

“There’s a solid case for tech giants like Apple and Nvidia to diversify into Bitcoin, and I’m loving‬‭ the possibilities here. On the pro side, Bitcoin is built as a perfect hedge against fiat devaluation‬‭ because of its limited supply and decentralized nature,” Cardozo added.

However, a playbook like Strategy’s comes with many risks, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all win—even for Strategy itself.

Strategy’s Financial Health: A Deeper Dive

While Strategy has seen significant profits from holding Bitcoin, these gains primarily stem from a tax advantage, not from its core business operations.

“These gains, driven by fair value accounting, aren’t cash in hand like Apple’s billions from‬‭ iPhone sales, they are paper profits tied to Bitcoin’s price. Investors and analysts should see‬‭ this as a speculative boost, not a sign of operational strength, and focus on cash flow and debt‬‭ to gauge real business health,” Cardozo explained.

Effectively comparing Strategy’s net income to other characteristics like cash flow and debt indeed reveals more about the problems that may lie ahead for the company, especially if Bitcoin’s price were to decline steadily. 

According to the firm’s most recent SEC filings, Strategy reported its outstanding debt amounted to $8.22 billion as of March 2025. It also had a negative cash flow of -$2 million, representing a significant decline year over year. 

Though these numbers make sense considering Strategy’s aggressive Bitcoin buying, they also demonstrate that the company’s core software business is not generating enough cash to cover its expenses. Strategy said so itself in its latest filing.

“A significant decrease in the market value of our Bitcoin holdings could adversely affect our ability to satisfy our financial obligations,” read the statement.

It must issue debt and new equity to raise capital to continue its strategy. The plan is risky, to say the least. 

Is Bitcoin Right for Every Company?

Given that Strategy’s main income comes from its Bitcoin purchases, Cardozo argues that other companies should carefully consider their financial position before taking a similar approach.

“Analysts should weigh this against operational‬‭ metrics; a company living on unrealized gains is riskier by nature. I think it’s an innovative‬‭ strategy, but for long-term health, especially for traditional businesses, cash-generating‬‭ operations beat paper profits any day, investors should keep that in mind,” he said.

However, as Bitcoin increasingly symbolizes technological innovation, companies aligning with this principle might feel pressured to embrace it. They wouldn’t need to acquire nearly 600,000 Bitcoins, like Strategy, to make such a statement. 

They also have a resilient enough treasury to break a fall.

“I’m pretty confident that Apple and Nvidia will eventually invest into Bitcoin,‬‭ especially with its current track record over the last 10 years,” Cardozo said, adding, “their treasuries could handle a small 1-5% allocation, and not only be hedged against inflation‬‭ but also as a branding move since they represent the very image of innovation which will also‬‭ pressure them to do so eventually.‬”

Yet, ultimately, companies like Apple and Nvidia cater to different customers. Adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets may cause them to lose clients.

The Sustainability Question for Bitcoin Adopters

It’s no secret that Bitcoin mining is extensively damaging to the environment. Strategy, through its Bitcoin acquisitions, directly contributes to the high energy consumption levels associated with the industry.

“‬Bitcoin’s annual energy consumption is equivalent to a mid-sized country and of course it’s a‬‭ conflict right off the bat with Apple’s 2030 carbon neutrality target and Nvidia’s renewable‬‭ energy push,” Cardozo told BeInCrypto. 

These companies could risk damaging their public image by associating with an industry that conflicts with their own Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals.

“‬Customers and activists might pressure them, seeing it as greenwashing, especially with‬‭ sustainability being a big part of their public image… they could align Bitcoin with their ESG goals and keep their image intact as Bitcoin‬‭ mining becomes more sustainable than traditional banking’s legacy system,” Cardozo added.

Ultimately, while the allure of Bitcoin’s gains might pressure tech giants like Apple and Nvidia to follow Strategy’s lead, such a consideration may cause these companies more problems than profits.

The post MicroStrategy Can Post Record Earnings in Q3 Amid New Bitcoin Prediction appeared first on BeInCrypto.

The crypto community is very concerned after a research team discovered leaks adding up to 16 billion compromised passwords and login credentials. These breaches impact major Internet platforms of every type.

This team did not specifically mention crypto exchanges, but crypto-adjacent platforms like Telegram were thoroughly compromised. Users are encouraged to remain vigilant, avoid keeping passwords on the cloud, and strictly keep their seed phrases on paper.

Monumental Password Leaks Terrify Crypto

Digital security is very important for the crypto community, especially given the huge prevalence of hacks. However, this recent password leak did not come from a major hack, per se.

According to a report from Cybernews, the firm’s research teams identified 30 exposed datasets assembled by info thieves.

“This is not just a leak, it’s a blueprint for mass exploitation. With over 16 billion login records exposed, cybercriminals now have unprecedented access to personal credentials that can be used for account takeover, identity theft, and highly targeted phishing,” analysts claimed.

The reports further suggested that the 16 billion passwords covered websites of all kinds, from social media to banks and even VPNs. All this data was fresh and apparently crowd-sourced, laying the groundwork for future crimes.

Obviously, the crypto community was extremely concerned about this development. If the leaked passwords were as diverse as the report claimed, could they include seed phrases or exchange logins? Can crypto users be certain that their tokens are safe?

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, advertised his company’s new project to protect user passwords:

The cloud has failed us. Again.
16 billion passwords just leaked.
It’s time to ditch the cloud.

That’s why we’ve been building PearPass — coming soon.

A fully local, open-source password manager. No cloud. No servers. No leaks. Ever.

Just you — and your keys, stored securely… https://t.co/FkL1wrdpCo pic.twitter.com/wynlieJ2E4

— Paolo Ardoino (@paoloardoino) June 19, 2025

Still, there’s a good amount of catastrophizing over this incident. Researchers referred to this as a massive “leak,” not a hack, because it wasn’t a single breakthrough that exposed these passwords.

These credentials were assembled through a huge string of smaller breaches, many of which targeted cloud services.

In other words, users who don’t store passwords on the cloud may be more protected from these leaks. As far as the crypto community is concerned, some basic security measures, like keeping your seed phrase written on paper, would totally prevent theft.

Still, this incident is a reminder that crypto users must remain vigilant of potential hacks.

The post Apple and Google’s 16 Billion Data Leak Could Trigger Major Crypto Hacks appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Semler Scientific just announced its ambitious plans to acquire 105,000 bitcoins by the end of 2027. The firm also hired a new Director of Bitcoin Strategy to help realize its long-term growth targets in this field.

The firm is currently listed on NASDAQ in the US, with its stock prices down nearly 40% in 2025. However, the company’s share prices briefly rallied today after the Bitcoin announcement.

Semler Scientific to Follow MicroStrategy’s Playbook

Semler Scientific first began acquiring Bitcoin over a year ago, and it has continued to be a major holder. Earlier this year, it significantly ramped up purchases with a $500 million stock offering to buy BTC.

Today, it has announced even more ambitious by setting this monumental goal:

$SMLR appoints Joe Burnett @IIICapital as Director of Bitcoin Strategy. Announces three-year plan to own 105,000 #Bitcoins by Year-End 2027. So fired up to have Joe on board to help with this exciting new chapter in Semler’s $BTC mission.

— Eric Semler (@SemlerEric) June 19, 2025

At the current price, 105,000 bitcoins would translate to around $11 billion. However, the price of Bitcoin will likely change significantly by the end of 2027.

For instance, Pantera Capital estimated that BTC will reach $750,000 by April 2028. Regardless of corporate acquisition trends, Semler would almost certainly be a top-level BTC holder if it met this goal.

In other words, this kind of acquisition is a huge commitment. This helps explain why Semler Scientific is appointing Joe Burnett to be its new Director of Bitcoin Strategy.

Metaplanet, another corporate Bitcoin holder, maintains a similar position to help realize its long-term goals.

“We are excited to have Joe join our Bitcoin strategy team and help drive our three-year-plan to own 105,000 bitcoins. Joe is an analytical thought leader on Bitcoin and Bitcoin treasury companies. His expertise will be instrumental as we pursue our Bitcoin treasury strategy and aim to deliver long-term value to our stockholders,” claimed Chairman Eric Semler.

Surprisingly, Semler Scientific’s plan does not mention an initial Bitcoin purchase anywhere, nor does it say when these acquisitions will begin.

The firm currently holds 3,808 BTC and plans to reach 10,000 by the end of the year. At that rate, it would need to purchase 95,000 bitcoins in two years, which would be astonishing.

The post Semler Scientific Plans to Become the Second Largest Bitcoin Holder by 2027 appeared first on BeInCrypto.