What is the Paws Telegram Mini App?
Paws is a Telegram-based Mini App created by the same team behind other projects, such as Notcoin and Dogs.
If you’ve been cruising around Telegram lately, chances are you’ve stumbled upon Paws, the viral crypto Mini App that’s got everyone tapping, clicking and inviting their friends like it’s 2010 FarmVille all over again.
Originally launched in October 2024 on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, Paws exploded in popularity with its ultra-simple tap-to-earn concept. Think of it as a gamified rewards engine embedded directly in Telegram, where users rack up points by completing tasks, referring others and interacting with mini-game elements.
Within just eight days of going live, Paws pulled in over 20 million users, and within a few months, that figure soared past 80 million.
But the real twist? Paws, in March 2025, migrated from TON to Solana, a move that brought more scalability, lower fees and deeper integration with a broader decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Alongside this shift came the launch of the PAWS token — used for governance, staking, in-game purchases and more — positioning Paws as more than just a viral hit.
The app’s core philosophy is simple: You create value every time you engage online, so why not earn for it? With no extra downloads needed, Paws is frictionless. You just activate the bot on Telegram (@PAWSOG_bot), and you’re in. From there, it’s all about interacting: tap items, read posts, join groups, complete quizzes, and get rewarded with points that convert into real tokens.
So, is it legit? Before answering that, we’ll unpack how it actually works.
How does the Paws Telegram Mini App actually work?
PAWS tracks and monitors users’ activity in Telegram and allows them to claim rewards for their engagement.
The core mechanics involves monitoring users’ activities, such as message frequency, participation in groups and interactions with other mini apps. Within the app, users can find a number of tasks to complete or allow it to perform checks on their engagements. This varies from following social channels to reading articles.
For example, you can earn 250 $PAWS for reading Cointelegraph articles like this:
The rewards are distributed on predetermined criteria and actions users take. In the long run, your earned points and referral contributions will determine your airdrop allocation when the official $PAWS crypto token launches. There are currently no specific dates for the airdrop or token exchange listing. With the project gaining such huge momentum, it is expected to finish its launch campaign in the coming months.
Why Paws migrated to Solana and why it matters
At first, Paws ran on TON, but in a move that surprised some and excited others, Paws announced a major shift to Solana in early 2025.
In early 2025, Telegram introduced a policy mandating that all Mini Apps and third-party crypto wallets on its platform exclusively operate on TON. This move forced projects like Paws to choose between remaining confined to TON or migrating to a different blockchain.
Paws opted to migrate to Solana, a decision that has had significant implications:
- User base migration: Over 80 million Paws users transitioned to Solana, leading to more than 9 million downloads of the Phantom crypto wallet and the creation of over 1 million new Solana addresses.
- NFT integration: PAWS introduced non-fungible token (NFT) vouchers on the Solana-based marketplace Magic Eden, resulting in over 100,000 transactions within two weeks.
- Ecosystem expansion: The migration has allowed Paws to evolve from a viral Telegram application into a full-fledged Web3 brand, with plans to integrate DeFi features, gaming partnerships and social engagement tools.
This strategic move not only circumvented Telegram’s restrictive policies but also positioned Paws to leverage Solana’s scalability and active DeFi ecosystem, paving the way for broader adoption and innovation.
Did you know? The migration to Solana led to over 9 million new downloads of Phantom Wallet, with more than 1 million fresh Solana addresses created by Paws users. That’s one of the biggest onboarding waves in Solana’s history.
The PAWS airdrop: What you need to know
No viral Web3 game is complete without an airdrop, and Paws is no exception.
Users who engage with the app, tapping, referring and completing tasks earn points, which are later converted into PAWS tokens. These tokens are distributed via an airdrop, and the team has already completed early reward rounds with plans for future drops as the ecosystem expands.
The PAWS token officially launched on March 18, 2025. Here’s a…
cointelegraph.com