The publishing platform behind the Telegram game Catizen.AI, Pluto Studio, has announced a strategic investment from HashKey’s venture capital arm focused on cryptocurrency.
In an effort to strengthen its position in the gamefi industry, HashKey Capital, the venture capital division of the Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency business HashKey, has provided a “strategic investment” to Pluto Studio, the publishing platform behind the Telegram-based game Catizen.AI.
The Hong Kong-based venture capital firm stated in a press release on July 30 that in addition to the funding, HashKey Group will soon announce a “coming up partnership with Catizen to amplify the awareness of TON Mini-Game further.”
However, the press release did not provide any specifics regarding the partnership’s nature or the investment amount. Catizen has amassed a base of “over 500,000 paying users,” according to HashKey Capital, and this group of users distinguishes the project “apart from other mini-apps” in the TON ecosystem. HashKey Capital:
“With Pluto Studio planning to launch over 18 additional games, this robust user base holds significant potential for future growth.”
It is stated that the funding’s earnings will be utilized to improve upcoming initiatives, expand the ecosystem, and progress the mini-game platform.
According to the press statement, HashKey Capital will also assist Pluto Studio in investigating “the potential for a mini-game revolution within the TON ecosystem.”
The fundraising announcement is made despite the continued ambiguity surrounding the CATI native token airdrop by Catizen.AI. The airdrop was originally scheduled for July release but has been postponed.
On July 29, Catizen.AI’s official X addressed the delay, saying “there are aspects that are not entirely under our control,” without providing further details on the reasons or new timing for the airdrop.
Citizen/cat.AI is not the only company under fire for its delayed token launches. Tapswap, a different Telegram-based business, has also repeatedly postponed the release of its tokens; the most recent update moves the launch date to Q3.
Another Telegram-based mini-app with similar issues is Hamster Kombat. The Telegram-based mini-app, Hamster Kombat, has yet to reveal the date of its token launch.
Despite being added to several cryptocurrency exchanges for pre-market trading, the HMSTR token has yet to be formally listed. Lawmakers in Russia have even suggested banning the app over worries about potential scams, as the Hamster Kombat development team is thought to have contacts there.