The new location-based “Bitcoinverse” game offered through the sMiles app gives users a another opportunity to earn Bitcoin rewards aside from logging steps and making purchases.
With the aim of enabling users to “earn Bitcoin for things you already do,” such as walking and shopping, the mobile app sMiles was introduced in 2020. With a map that resembles Pokémon Go and directs you to real-world areas where you can find little Bitcoin stashes, the program has since evolved to encourage users to venture outside of the norm.
The most recent addition to the sMiles app for iPhone and Android is Bitcoinverse, which takes the real-world map of your surroundings and sprinkles it with hidden satoshi (there are 100 million satoshi in one BTC), the smallest unit of measurement for a Bitcoin. Simply follow the large, orange Bitcoin logo to the location where you can claim your reward.
When there is actual Bitcoin waiting for you at the end of your quest, the Pokémon game’s catch-all motto changes. Even though the rewards—which are distributed using Bitcoin’s Lightning Network—will probably be tiny, the feature might encourage sMiles users to venture out and discover new places.
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If you have shopped on sMiles before, you can now try out Bitcoinverse!
Enjoy more #Bitcoin rewards⚡️ pic.twitter.com/1EFYQAmeXS
— sMiles: Bitcoin Rewards ⚡️ (@smilesbitcoin) May 25, 2023
Advertisers, who can sponsor spots on the map to promote their businesses, provide the funding for Bitcoinverse. Any sponsor is always explicitly identified within the app, which also includes a link to the sponsor’s website, according to Ig Berezovsky, a co-founder of sMiles.
According to Berezovsky, the feature has only lately begun to be made available to all 140,000 sMiles customers. The reward locations currently appear to be focused in and around major cities in Europe and North America. A check of the American Midwest, for instance, reveals three spots in Chicago’s downtown and one location in Kansas City’s. Just that.
However, sMiles has plans to add more services down the road, including in-store discounts and surveys, to give advertisers a better customer experience. The ultimate objective is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that compensates gamers for playing and discovering while also promoting brands and businesses to users.
“The black box of traditional advertising, where nobody knows what the margins are [and] what works and what doesn’t, will be changed,” Berezovsky stated. The Bitcoinverse ecosystem “strengthens the loyalty bond between brands and customers because people have a natural sense of gratitude.”
Since its release, the sMiles program has grown gradually. Now, users may earn Bitcoin incentives for reaching step objectives while walking, making purchases from a variety of associated stores, and playing straightforward games like chess on their smartphones.
The rewards app fold unveiled its own augmented reality (AR) component in late 2021, utilizing Pokémon Go developer Niantic’s own tech platform to make the experience come to life. sMiles isn’t the first app to attempt to combine location-based gaming with Bitcoin.
But generally speaking, sMiles fits into a growing ecosystem of shopping apps, mobile games, and even specialized Bitcoin-infused servers for well-known games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Minecraft, all of which aim to increase engagement by allowing users to collect bits of Bitcoin while doing… well, “things you already do,” to borrow a slogan.
Berezovsky continued, “We at sMiles firmly believe that Bitcoin is the best loyalty tool possible. “It will never expire, has a deflationary appeal to young, tech-savvy users, and in our case, a powerful Lightning Network backend for instant micropayments.”
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