Boring A.P.E. (Attention Points Economy): Observations on a New Trend
In the digital age, capturing and maintaining attention has become the ultimate currency. But what if we could quantify attention in a new way? Enter what I see as the 'Attention Points Economy'—a concept where simple interactions turn into some points, reshaping how we engage and learn something new online. This isn't just about aimless clicking, it's about turning every tap, click, swipe or any other interaction into points, transforming our online time and learning path into something measurable, with economic value attached. The Attention Points Economy is an interesting experiment on how we work with attention on a large scale.
The Telegram Mini Apps PhenomenonConsider some of Telegram’s Mini apps, like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat, both smashing it with user interaction. Notcoin, with its simple yet addictive mechanics, has grown to about 35 million users and even launched its own token. Hamster Kombat, attracting over 100 million users, thrives on the basic concept of a counter going up with each interaction.
These games aren’t just about mindless fun — they’re all about engaging users with every click, with obvious gamification turning interactions into points. Simple? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.
Points Over ClicksApps like
Blum,
HotWallet, and
PocketFi demonstrate this shift to an Attention Points Economy clearly. Blum is rocking 22 million active users and HotWallet's crushing it with 8 to 10 million on-chain active users.
The magic ingredient? Points. Users aren’t just aimlessly clicking — they’re chasing those sweet, sweet points. It’s simple: a rising counter equals value and a sense of achievement, paired with expectations of possible economic rewards. It’s not just a trend; it’s a subtle, yet powerful, game-changing shift.
Why Points MatterPoints aren’t just numbers — they’re digital gold. Every point quantifies attention, turning casual clicks into valuable data. For users, watching those points rack up is a dopamine hit that’s hard to resist, creating a rewarding feedback loop. Economically, it’s genius. Points are evolving into a new sort-of-currency, redefining how we value and monetize attention in our digital world.
But it’s not just users who benefit. For app developers, these points translate into deeper engagement and higher retention rates. Points make it easier to commercialize apps by offering in-app purchases, premium features, and targeted advertising. Developers can leverage this attention economy to build profitable, sustainable businesses. So, points are not just a win for users—they’re a game-changer for developers, too.
From points to economyHere’s where it gets even more interesting. This is no research paper, but from what I see, it looks like those points lead to the emergence of trading. I suspect that there must be a good psychological or sociological explanation to it, but now everyone can see that users naturally start exchanging those points in different forms (for example through selling Telegram Accounts with or without the SIM card) effectively creating micro-markets inside those apps. Imagine what happens once the app starts supporting TON Connect and those points come on chain.
The Role of TOP.coAt
TOP.co, we’re not just spectators— we're excited to be architects of this new world. We’ve backed Open Builders, the brains behind
Notcoin, and we’re watching closely as builders dive deeper into creating market-fitting use cases.
Our vision is to see these micro-economies blend into a massive, decentralized ecosystem, opening up endless possibilities for digital engagement and, possibly, identity.
