Guide to building a crypto Telegram Mini App

For a crypto startup, Telegram Mini Apps bring strategic integration within a highly relevant community, enabling unique forms of engagement, better user experiences, and more direct interaction with blockchain functionalities (especially within the TON ecosystem). 

They offer a powerful way to use the existing crypto presence on Telegram to build and grow your own project in specific, targeted ways. Here’s how to build one.

What is the main purpose of Telegram Mini Apps for business?

For those who are here because they are still hesitant about whether or not to build a Web3 Telegram Mini App, think of them as powerful, embedded tools within a community hub. For a crypto startup, this has some very specific advantages. 

First of all, gamified community engagement and token distribution. Crypto communities thrive on engagement. Mini Apps allow for interactive experiences beyond simple chat. You can build micro-games or interactive quizzes that reward participants with your project's tokens or NFTs. Think of daily tasks, referral programs, or educational challenges, all directly tied to token distribution.

Also, if your crypto project is built on or interacts with the TON blockchain, a Telegram Mini App is almost a must-have. TON Payments are seamlessly integrated within Telegram. You can allow users to directly interact with your TON-based smart contracts or services without ever leaving Telegram.

Another benefit is a streamlined onboarding for both crypto natives and crypto-curious. Telegram is already a haven for crypto users, and Mini Apps can capitalize on this. You can offer a frictionless way for users to get their first taste of your crypto project. 

For example, you can offer simplified wallet creation (if integrating with TON's wallet features), easy token claiming, or access to a curated selection of your project's features without the usual complexities of interacting with blockchains.

Best crypto Telegram Mini Apps in the market

Before building your own Web3 Telegram Mini App, you have to do some competitor research. Questions to ask when analyzing crypto Telegram Mini Apps that already exist:

• Functionality. What specific problems do they solve? What are their core features? What's missing?
• User flow. How intuitive is it? Where do users drop off? What are the friction points? Use screen recording tools and actively try to break the flow.
• Community feedback: Scour Telegram groups, Reddit, and X for user opinions on existing solutions. What are their pain points? What do they love?

Let’s go over a few best crypto Telegram Mini Apps in the market right now.

Notcoin. This is a textbook example of viral growth through simplicity. Its tap-to-earn mechanic was incredibly accessible, leading to massive adoption. The successful launch of the $NOT token on TON is a major achievement and demonstrates the potential for transitioning in-app activity to real-world value.

What can you learn from this Mini App’s popularity?

Simplicity can drive massive initial adoption. A well-planned token launch and integration with a strong blockchain like TON are crucial for long-term success.

Catizen. Merging mechanics and cat collecting resonate with a broad audience. Their focus on the TON blockchain and the upcoming $CATI token launch on major exchanges shows a clear path to tokenization and value creation.

What can you learn from this Mini App’s popularity?

Combining familiar gaming mechanics with crypto rewards can be very effective. Strategic partnerships with exchanges for token listings are vital for liquidity and accessibility.

Hamster Kombat. The sheer scale of this app is mind-blowing. Its addictive clicker gameplay combined with the promise of a token airdrop created a frenzy. The upcoming $HMSTR launch on TON is highly anticipated.

What can you learn from this Mini App’s popularity?

Gamification, even with simple mechanics, can be incredibly engaging. Clearly communicating the token utility and airdrop plans is a powerful motivator.

TapSwap. The massive user base shows the power of simple tap-to-earn mechanics. Their introduction of "Tappy Town" (city-building) demonstrates an understanding of the need to evolve beyond the basic tapping.

What can you learn from this Mini App’s popularity?

While simplicity attracts initially, you need to plan for evolving gameplay to retain users. Expanding into more strategic elements (like city-building) can add depth.

Steps for building a crypto Telegram Mini App

The following steps are focused primarily on the fact that you are building a crypto Mini App. For the rest of the steps involved in the process of ideating, building, and releasing a Telegram Mini App, please refer to our earlier guide on how to build a Telegram Mini App. 

Step 1. Plan the crypto app

Instead of "interactional narratives," think about how users will actually use your app. Imagine them clicking buttons and seeing the information you want them to see.

Think like you're designing for a phone screen. Big, clear buttons and easy-to-read text are key. Look at other financial apps for inspiration on how they display information without being cluttered. Focus on making it obvious what users should do next.

Then, map out the user flow: Draw a simple chart showing what happens when a user clicks different things. For example: "Open app -> See balance -> Click 'Send' -> Enter amount -> Confirm." Consider what happens if something goes wrong, like not having enough funds. You need to have clear error messages.

It’s also important to build in pieces. Think of your app as made up of smaller parts. For example, a "wallet" part, a "buy/sell" part, and a "settings" part. This makes it easier to build and update later.

Step 2. Design for the crypto user

Your app will fit a lot of information into a small chat bubble. Because Telegram Mini Apps appear inside chats, you need to be smart about how you show things. Keep it simple and to the point. Use short words and clear pictures (icons) to explain things quickly. 

Most importantly, make it feel like it belongs in Telegram – like a natural part of chatting. Think about how you normally interact in Telegram, using quick replies or pop-up boxes for actions. For anything related to crypto, use images that people who use crypto will recognize (like wallet logos). 

Also, make sure it's obvious when something is secure and when a transaction is happening. Use colors or symbols to show if things are safe or if there's a potential problem. 

Finally, remember that not everyone sees things the same way. Make sure the text is easy to read for everyone, even if they have trouble seeing certain colors.

Step 3. Mini App development 

For the part you see (the frontend), you'll set up your computer to look like a mini Telegram so you can test things as you build. You'll create all the buttons and screens people will interact with. You'll also need to figure out how the app remembers things as people use it. 

A big part is connecting the wallets so people can actually use their crypto. At the same time, you'll be building the backend. This involves setting up the servers and the database. You'll create the pathways (APIs) that let the frontend talk to the backend. This is where you do all the crypto-specific actions, like sending money or checking balances, securely. 

If you're making your own crypto rules (smart contracts), you'll write those and test them carefully. Then, you'll connect the frontend and backend so they work together smoothly. Make sure to have safety checks at every step to prevent problems and keep things secure.

More info about the tech stack needed for Telegram Mini Apps development can be found in our previous article.

Step 4. Wallet integration

The key to your app is letting people connect their crypto wallets. Think of it like logging into another website but for crypto. WalletConnect is a universal connector that works with many different wallets. You need to make sure this connection process is smooth and that the connection stays working even if the Telegram app closes and reopens. 

Telegram also has its own built-in wallet. Using this can be super easy for Telegram users, but it might not work with all types of crypto. Some people use browser extensions like MetaMask for their crypto. Connecting to these inside a Telegram Mini App can be trickier but is possible. Focus on the wallets that work best on phones since most people use Telegram on their phones. 

Big warning: Never, ever try to hold onto people's crypto keys yourself. It's super risky and you don't want that responsibility. Your goal is to let people connect their own wallets easily and safely.

What do the best crypto Telegram Mini Apps have in common?

They were built knowing both the crypto and Telegram audiences AND the intricacies of the Telegram Mini Apps ecosystem. Speaking from experience, make sure the crypto part feels natural and useful, not just tacked on. 

For example, if it’s a crypto game, think about how the tokens they earn can be used both inside your app and maybe even outside of it. Talk to your players, see what they like, and keep making your app better.

As a wrap-up, a few pieces of advice to make your crypto Telegram Mini App compelling and successful:

1. Start building your community on Telegram before launch and reward early adopters and active community members.
2. Track key metrics to understand user behavior and identify areas for improvement.
3. Integrate game-like elements that tie into your crypto aspect.
4. Think about making Merge your partners. Our team knows what they're doing.