Tech
Tapswap Adjourns Token Allocation Date Indefinitely

Tapswap, a popular tap-2-earn app powered by TON Blockchain, has announced the indefinite postponement of its token allocation to users. This decision was revealed by John Robbin, Head of Communications at Tapswap, during an X space session on Wednesday.
The app, which has captivated over 50 million users since its launch on February 15, 2024, requires users to tap an icon on the Telegram Tapswap bot screen to mine coins. The app has particularly gained traction among Nigerians eager to earn financial rewards by tapping on their phone screens.
Robbin explained that the method for token allocation is still being determined, emphasizing that the details cannot be communicated until a final decision is made. The initial token launch date was postponed to July 1, but no new date has been set yet.
“We will allocate a significant part of the tokens to the community to retain the tappers. We want you all to be part of the Tapswap community. We need a token airdrop to be a win-win for all of us. We have started communicating with many exchanges and platforms,” Robbin stated.
He also addressed concerns about users who abuse the game by farming taps, assuring that such users will be banned through community checks while urging genuine tappers to remain patient.
Regarding the mining process, Robbin explained, “Just open the app and tap on it; that will give you shares. The more you tap and the more upgrades you do, the more shares you will have when we finalize the tokens on it. The more tokens you want to have, the more tapping you have to do.”
The booster option, which has already ended, was introduced to manage the influx of new users and ensure fair token allocation. Robbin noted, “We introduced the limited x2 donation because the new influx of users kept coming in, and we needed them to make something out of it and get a fair allocation at TGE. It was a platform that allowed people who joined recently to compete with people who started earlier.”
He reassured users that the funds raised from this feature would be used to improve the game and support the 25 staff members working to sustain the app. “We want to be here for a very long time,” he added.
Robbin encouraged new users to join the tapping app, highlighting that there is still time for them to earn appreciable tokens.
The app’s popularity has led to viral moments, including a Keke driver tapping on his phone while driving and traders in Northern Nigeria enthusiastically engaging with the app. Many users are optimistic about the potential financial gains, with some hoping to use their earnings to make significant purchases like cars and houses.
Tech
Alibaba Opens AI Video Generation Model for Free Use Globally

Chinese tech giant Alibaba has made its latest AI video generation models freely available worldwide, intensifying competition with rivals such as OpenAI.
The company announced on Wednesday that it is open-sourcing four models from its Wan2.1 series, its most advanced AI model capable of generating images and videos from text and image inputs. These models will be accessible via Alibaba Cloud’s Model Scope and Hugging Face, making them available to academics, researchers, and businesses globally.
Following the announcement, Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares surged nearly 5%, continuing a strong rally that has seen the stock gain 66% in 2025. Investors have been optimistic about the company’s growing role in AI and its improving financial performance, buoyed by recent policy signals from Chinese President Xi Jinping supporting the domestic private sector.
Alibaba’s move aligns with a broader trend in China, where companies are increasingly embracing open-source AI. In January, DeepSeek, another Chinese firm, shook global markets by revealing that its AI model was trained at a fraction of the cost of competitors, using less-advanced Nvidia chips. Both Alibaba’s and DeepSeek’s models are open-source, meaning they can be downloaded and modified freely, unlike proprietary AI models such as those developed by OpenAI, which generate direct revenue.
The shift towards open-source AI has sparked debate over whether AI models will become commoditized. While companies like Meta are leading the open-source push in the U.S. with their Llama models, Chinese firms have been particularly aggressive in this space, aiming to drive innovation and build global AI communities.
Tech
VP JD Vance Pledges to Protect U.S. AI and Block Its Weaponization

Vice President JD Vance reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to safeguarding its artificial intelligence and semiconductor technologies, vowing to block efforts by authoritarian regimes to weaponize them.
Speaking at France’s AI Action Summit in Paris, Vance warned that some nations have exploited AI for military intelligence, surveillance, and foreign data manipulation. “This administration will block such efforts, full stop,” he stated. “We will safeguard American AI and chip technologies from theft and misuse, work with our allies and partners to strengthen and extend these protections, and close pathways to adversaries attaining AI capabilities that threaten all of our people.”
While he did not directly name China’s AI model DeepSeek, which has drawn global attention for its competitive performance at a lower cost, Vance criticized heavily subsidized technologies exported by authoritarian states. “We’re all familiar with cheap tech in the marketplace that’s been heavily subsidized and exported by authoritarian regimes,” he said.
In a pointed message to allies, Vance cautioned against collaborating with companies linked to such regimes, arguing it would compromise national security. “Chaining your nation to an authoritarian master that seeks to infiltrate, dig in, and seize your information infrastructure never pays off,” he added.
The U.S. has ramped up efforts to control AI development and chip manufacturing, tightening restrictions on exports to China and strengthening alliances in the tech sector.
Tech
Bitcoin and Ether Plunge as Trump’s Tariffs Spark Global Market Jitters

Cryptocurrencies took a sharp hit after President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, triggering a global risk-off sentiment among investors.
Bitcoin dropped 2% on Monday to $95,722.77, after trading above $102,000 over the weekend, according to Coin Metrics. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index, which typically moves inversely to Bitcoin, climbed by nearly 1%.
The impact was even more severe on other digital assets. Ether (ETH) plunged 12% to around $2,600, down from $3,300 on Friday. The CoinDesk 20 index, a broader measure of the crypto market, sank 16% since Saturday, compared to Bitcoin’s 6% decline.
Shares of crypto-related companies were also affected, with Coinbase and MicroStrategy each losing about 5% in premarket trading.
Market Braces for More Volatility
The sell-off began Saturday evening, just hours after Trump signed an executive order slapping a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on China. The U.S. conducts about $1.6 trillion in trade with these three countries, raising fears of a potential trade war.
According to James Davies, CEO of Crypto Valley Exchange, traders are unwinding leveraged positions as uncertainty looms. “Bulls are de-leveraging massively right now, watching closely to see if this escalates into a full-blown trade war.”
Bitcoin’s immediate support level is at $90,000, with analysts warning that a break below this level could trigger a steeper pullback to $80,000.
Could Tariffs Boost Bitcoin in the Long Run?
Despite the current market turmoil, some investors believe a prolonged tariff war could benefit Bitcoin in the long run. Jeff Park, Bitwise Asset Management’s head of alpha strategies, argues that an extended trade war could weaken the U.S. dollar and lead to lower interest rates, which might push Bitcoin higher over time.
“While Bitcoin is seen as a hedge against inflation and uncertainty in the long run, it still trades like a risk asset in the short term,” said Geoff Kendrick, an analyst at Standard Chartered. He warned that Bitcoin may experience further volatility this month, especially if economic concerns push investors away from risky assets.
With Bitcoin now about 12% off its all-time high of $109,350 set on Jan. 20, seasoned investors remain watchful. Crypto markets have historically endured corrections of 30% or more during bull markets, meaning that traders are bracing for further turbulence in the days ahead.
Ayomide Adam
June 20, 2024 at 12:51 pm
Tapswap is here.