Has Aptos Truly Surpassed Solana in Daily Transactions?

Competition among high-performance blockchains is intensifying. Aptos, a layer-1 blockchain developed by former Facebook employees, has reportedly surpassed Solana in daily transactions, recording 115.4 million transactions.

However, this milestone is under scrutiny, as a significant portion of these transactions were generated by a game called Tapos Cat, where users earn tokens by rapidly clicking on the screen.

You can buy Aptos (APT) on Bitrue

Clicker App Behind the Rise of Aptos Volume

Source: Artemis

On Saturday, May 25, Aptos set a new record with 115.4 million daily transactions, significantly outpacing Solana's 31.7 million transactions on the same day. This achievement has elicited mixed reactions from the community, with many questioning the authenticity of this traffic.

Critics quickly pointed out the source of the surge. Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Solana-based Helius Labs, revealed that a substantial portion of these transactions stemmed from a single app, Tapos Cat. This Telegram-based mini-app lets users earn crypto tokens by rapidly clicking on the screen.

Mumtaz explained that every tap on the app is recorded as a transaction on the Aptos blockchain. Due to the app’s large user base and high engagement, it quickly boosted Aptos’ transaction count. "We will do anything to game metrics in this industry rather than build anything with real users or demand," Mumtaz criticized on X.

Aptos defenders countered that the Tapos Cat app serves a legitimate purpose. By increasing engagement with the network, the

Clicker Apps Trend

Since Telegram introduced its mini-app feature, the platform has seen a sharp increase in crypto apps, with tap-to-earn apps becoming particularly popular. The TON-based Notcoin was the first of these apps to lead the trend.

Following Notcoin's success, other blockchains quickly introduced their clicker apps, including Solana’s TapSwap. TapSwap's popularity even propelled the Phantom Wallet app to third place in the App Store’s utility category.

Crypto projects have discovered that tap-to-earn apps significantly boost engagement in an industry that has long struggled to attract users. By showcasing this increased engagement, projects can appeal to investors and make a stronger case for their blockchain. However, critics argue that these clicker apps do not provide real value to users, calling into question the inflated metrics they produce.

High transaction volumes are often seen as a key indicator of user engagement on a blockchain network. However, when these numbers are artificially boosted by clicker games, they may not accurately reflect genuine user demand or practical utility.