Forget baseball cards and antiques — digital cats are the hottest collectibles.
While blockchain is traditionally used in the creation of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, the technology can also securely create, store, and track ownership of digital assets with real value.
CryptoKitties, the popular blockchain-based app, allows users to collect, breed, and sell their crypto-collectible cats — and apparently users can’t get enough of these digital fur balls.
Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with the popular CryptoKitties game that clogged the Ethereum network shortly after its launch last November.
While HTC revealed its plans to release the Exodus smartphone — a blockchain-focused device, CryptoKitties mobile debut will be on a mass-market device instead.
According to HTC, CryptoKitties will come pre-loaded on all mobile devices, debuting on the U12+. The mobile manufacturer plans to introduce CryptoKitties as the first of a broader app store based on games using blockchain technology.
The digital cat-breeding app allows users to create one-of-a-kind, 100% owned by you cryptocollectibles that cannot be replicated, taken away, or destroyed. Users are able to track the availability of rare digital assets through web pages that pull data from the blockchain.
Designed as an experiment in blockchain gaming, the versatility of the CryptoKitties app invites those interested in blockchain regardless of their interest in cryptocurrency.
However, like a traditional collectible, CryptoKitties can be bought, sold, or traded for actual cryptocurrency. Market price for a CryptoKitty is determined by demand, scarcity, and an owner’s asking price.
For HTC, the ultimate goal is to build up an ecosystem of blockchain-friendly apps specifically for this community.