The partnership between Inco and Privy aims to make it easy for crypto app developers to onboard users and securely build on-chain products as Telegram Mini Apps (TMAs). TMAs are web apps that run within Telegram Messenger and can be accessed through individual or group chats. Users can launch a web interface similar to popular in-app browsers by starting a chat conversation with the app’s Telegram handle. Remi Gai, CEO of Inco, believes that building decentralized apps within Telegram will become a trend and boost the development of the Web3 industry.
One advantage of building a Web3 product as a TMA is the automation with bots. Most Telegram apps use bots to facilitate in-app actions and receive notifications. Inco, despite having only 10 employees, aims to provide infrastructure for games in the crypto industry rather than creating its own ambitious games. However, by demonstrating how it’s done, the company hopes to generate interest among game developers.
Telegram Mini Apps offer opportunities for monetization through in-app purchases, subscriptions, and more. Developers can easily synchronize session history across web and mobile app deployments, allowing users to seamlessly continue activities on different devices. Inco, powered by Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE), enables developers to build decentralized apps and mini-games that work with wallet providers and leverage FHE technology.
The partnership between Inco and Privy has resulted in the creation of toy applications like Slot Machine and Hangman. These games leverage FHE technology to provide on-chain confidentiality and randomness. Developers are invited to access Inco’s open-source repository to start building similar experiences within Telegram.
Although the platform is still young and experiences latency issues, Gai expects it to improve over time. Max Segall, COO at Privy, believes that the partnership helps developers meet their users where they are and provides them with the opportunity to build web3 products on-chain as TMAs.
Gai has been involved in blockchain technology since 2017 and is fascinated by fully homomorphic encryption (FHE). FHE allows mathematical operations to be performed on encrypted data without needing to decrypt it first, preserving confidentiality. This technology provides increased security and privacy for users, making it suitable for the blockchain, which is transparent and not suitable for private data.
Inco’s implementation of FHE on the web allows for confidential computing and enables games that couldn’t be done before. By using FHE, games can incorporate hidden elements, such as hidden letters in a game of Hangman, without revealing them during gameplay. Gai sees this as the beginning of a new era in gaming, where confidentiality is essential for gameplay.
Despite the requirement to log in for each game, Gai believes that the methodology used by Inco provides a similar gaming experience to centralized private key systems without the worry of losing money. He sees Telegram as the top social hub for crypto users and believes that many people will find these privacy-focused games interesting.
Inco’s goal is to enable new use cases and believes that gaming is an important industry. With confidentiality, games can incorporate new mechanics like concealing information, resources, and strategy. While logging in may be a point of friction, it prevents theft of private keys. Gai envisions a future where casual games thrive on the decentralized and more secure platform provided by Telegram.
In conclusion, Inco’s partnership with Privy brings privacy-focused games to Telegram through the use of Telegram Mini Apps. These apps provide a secure and confidential gaming experience while leveraging the advantages of blockchain technology. Gai and his team at Inco aim to enable new game mechanics and create a new era of gaming where privacy and security are paramount.
