The Hamster Kombat mini-app was launched on Telegram on March 26 and is characterized as a game for mining virtual coins by tapping on the screen and completing other tasks (tap-to-earn). According to project data, it boasts over 100 million participants.

However, NAPM does not categorize Hamster Kombat as a play-to-earn application – apps that offer the potential to earn real money through gameplay. The decision was explained by the fact that the game's internal accounting units "do not have a backing or real utility, unlike utility crypto-assets."

According to legislation, a crypto-asset is considered a set of digital records in a blockchain registry that has value and an owner. However, Hamster Kombat coins lack blockchain technology, thus not qualifying for this status.

The Agency did not rule out the possibility of the game's accounting units transitioning to blockchain in the future, which would mean recognizing them as crypto-assets. Until then, "the regulation of their circulation does not fall within the competence of NAPP," the message emphasized.

If Hamster Kombat coins are recognized as crypto-assets, buying or selling the coins will only be possible through national service providers, upon inclusion in the quote list of a crypto-exchange, or a crypto-store's trading basket.

The agency also warned users about the potential sharp decline in crypto-asset prices following listing on crypto platforms. This could be due to "the lack of useful functionality."

Previously, a student from Surkhandarya, I. N., was convicted for the illegal trading of Notcoin tokens – part of a similarly named gaming project on Telegram. According to reports, at least 12 individuals have been held accountable for violations related to the turnover of crypto-assets within a month.