Sonic SVM: Solana L2's Response to Mass Adoption of Chain Games

In the Web3 world, traffic entry points often determine the success or failure of a project. Sonic SVM, as a Layer-2 scaling solution on Solana, has set its

Sonic SVM (SONIC), a Layer-2 (L2) scaling solution built on Solana, has made significant strides in the Web3 gaming landscape with its unique approach to user acquisition. While many L2s have struggled to gain traction or faced concerns over fraud and sustainability, Sonic SVM has managed to achieve a strong presence in the market.

After launching the SONIC token on January 7, Sonic SVM quickly ascended to the top 10 L2 tokens by fully diluted valuation (FDV), becoming the only Solana-based L2 token among the leading projects. As of January 16, the price of SONIC remained relatively stable at approximately $0.72, largely unaffected by the impending ban on TikTok in the U.S.

Created by Mirror World Labs, Sonic SVM boasts a founding team led by CEO Chris Zhu, Chief Product Officer Alan Zhu, and Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Bakebwa. The project has raised a total of $16 million in seed and Series A funding from investors including BITKRAFT, Galaxy Interactive, Big Brain Holdings, Sky9 Capital, and OKX Ventures.

Sonic SVM aims to enhance the efficiency and interoperability of blockchain gaming platforms by providing dedicated block space and improved tools for developers and players. The platform's HyperGrid technology enables the seamless deployment of optimistic rollups on Solana, while its Rush ECS framework simplifies the creation of on-chain games and autonomous worlds. Sonic also offers commercialization tools for payments, settlements, and user acquisition.

In a bid to tap into mainstream audiences, Sonic SVM launched the point-earning game SonicX on TikTok in October 2024. The game, which draws inspiration from the classic video game "Sonic the Hedgehog," is accessible via web pages that open within TikTok's native browser. Players can log in with their social accounts and begin collecting game points.

SonicX expands its player base by launching TikTok ads to potential new users, achieving millions of views within a month, some of which converted into active users. According to Sonic SVM, the game surpassed the milestone of one million players just one month after its launch, with current users exceeding two million.

While Telegram-based Tap-to-earn mini-games boasted users that "easily" surpassed one million and often reached tens of millions, SonicX's one or two million users may seem unremarkable. However, considering that TikTok users must provide phone numbers and identity verification for KYC, while Telegram imposes no such restrictions, SonicX users may be relatively of "higher quality."

Sonic SVM's vision for SonicX on TikTok extends beyond hosting the game itself, aiming to cultivate a Web3 gaming layer that can be accessed and participated in by mainstream audiences. Sonic SVM provides infrastructure for developers willing to launch games on TikTok, allowing them to utilize the Sonic Origin and Sonic Frontier networks and easily deploy games through its guidelines.

With the SONIC token generation activity landing smoothly, Sonic SVM believes that TikTok has proven to be an effective user acquisition channel, and it hopes to open its business to third-party developers and fund them through SONIC tokens.

However, TikTok's future in the U.S. is currently uncertain, as a large number of American users have recently begun a "cyber exodus," flocking to Xiaohongshu for "refuge." Last year, the U.S. Congress passed the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversaries Act." According to this law, TikTok's parent company ByteDance must divest its stake in TikTok by January 19, or face a nationwide ban. TikTok has repeatedly stated that it will not sell its U.S. operations. According to The Information, TikTok plans to shut down its app for U.S. users by the "deadline."

TikTok has appealed to the Supreme Court regarding this law, arguing that the ban infringes on the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users. On January 10, the Supreme Court heard TikTok's emergency appeal, but the judges seemed inclined to uphold the legislation and expect compliance with the deadline. Unless ByteDance complies with the aforementioned law, once the ban is implemented, Apple, Google, and web hosting service providers must block TikTok's distribution in the U.S. According to Bloomberg, citing informed sources, Elon Musk may become the owner of TikTok. Subsequently, TikTok responded, stating that reports of a potential sale to Musk are "purely fictional."

Donald Trump, who is about to officially assume the presidency, is also a supporter of TikTok. He has expressed a "fondness" for TikTok and vowed to "save" the platform that brought "billions of views" to his campaign. Last month, Trump urged the Supreme Court to delay its ruling until he returns to the White House on January 20. His lawyers submitted a legal brief to the court stating that Trump "opposes banning TikTok" and "seeks the ability to resolve the current issue through political means" after taking office. A week ago, Trump also met with TikTok CEO