Top 10 Move-to-Earn Projects to Try in 2023

Move-to-earn games are an interesting way for people to stay active and earn money. The big idea behind these projects is to reward people for actually moving, completing fitness challenges, and staying healthy.

While the amount users can ideally earn from these apps isn’t substantive enough to actually be an income, players can still use them as a reward mechanism for staying fit. Anyone can always exercise if they want to, but getting to earn while exercising is certainly an extra imperative. 

If one wants to have an active 2023, and wants to earn while keeping fit, then they should probably check out these 10 move-to-earn crypto projects.  

The first move-to-earn crypto platform on this list is Genopets. We deliberately reserved this particular project for first place, as it is the first move-to-earn platform and mobile role-playing game (RPG) to reward users for moving. In other words, players earn rewards by exercising their body, mind, and spirit, which is required to care for their digital avatar. 

As such, when a player hits the gym or road, it lets them upgrade their player’s genopet, which doubles as the digital familiar.

Players can also compete with each other by entering their genopets into a dedicated battle arena. Winners are rewarded with the platform’s native asset – $KI. These $KI tokens can either be used to craft special items that will upgrade a player’s genopet, or perhaps commercialize it by selling to other players in need of a boost. The interactiveness of this app is the reason why it is one of the top move-to-earn apps right now. 

However, people who want to try out Genopets should know that the price of its native asset, the $KI, has fallen more than 80% in the last year. 

Like Genopets, StepN (or the step app) set the standard for others, like Fitmint and Calo Run. Specifically, the step app is a lifestyle app based on the Solana ecosystem. Like the majority of move-to-earn projects, it combines elements of GameFi and SocialFi to reward users for exercising their bodies.

Just like the name implies all that is required of a player is to ‘step’ literally, and then they can earn STEPN tokens. These tokens can be used in minting NFT sneakers or exchanged for other valuable crypto assets.

Currently, there are two main tokens in circulation within the step app project. Players can earn a secondary token known as the GST token by running, exercising, or engaging in various competitive gaming activities within the app. 

The GST token, for one, is used in minting, repairing, upgrading, and customizing players’ sneakers as well as other in-game collectible items. On the other hand, there is a management token known as GMT. If earned by players, it enables them to commercialize their profits by exchanging them for stablecoins.

While the GST token can easily be exchanged for USDC, you should know that the coin’s value has fallen by around 70% in the last year alone. In fact, the coin’s value has basically flatlined since July 2022. 

DeFit is an acronym for decentralized fitness. The app helps users earn money by combining sports and blockchain to deliver a fitness marketplace based on the Ethereum and Polygon networks. Essentially, it operates like most move-to-earn projects, however it also integrates social interaction that enables participants to follow and chat with one another.

At the fundamental stage, players are required to sync both their metamask wallet and wearables, both of which enable them to retrieve awarded $DEFIT tokens and complete incentivized activities, respectively.

With DeFit, players can access different training classes, coaches, and data in real-time without the inconvenience of intermediaries, thereby providing a seamless player-coach experience with unparalleled support.

Since the middle of April 2022, the $Defit coin has seen a drastic loss in value. While it has managed to increase its price since then, the coin is yet to reach its previous all-time-high levels. It might not be able to do so if crypto continues to suffer through the bear market. 

CycGo is just like most move-to-earn projects except that instead of minting a sneaker, as in most cases, players instead get to mint and equip themselves with NFTs in the form of bicycles.

Like most of its peers, CycGo also combines elements of GameFi and SocialFi to reward players. In other words, by cycling, jogging, running, or walking, a player can earn the in-game currency, which can either be used in-game for upgrades or cashed out for profit. 

Players can also choose to sell or lease their bicycles on the dedicated in-app marketplace. They can store their rewards in their in-app wallets, which come with a built-in swap function in case they decide to cash out.

Since the general price of NFTs have fallen, people who opt to use CycGo to exercise should know that their sneaker NFTs might not be worth a lot.

Similar to Calo Run, this particular project is not only helping people to generate crypto revenue without any fundamental knowledge of the underlying technology but is doing so in the healthiest way possible. One thing that stands Fitmint out from the rest is the easy-to-use interface of the app. 

Essentially, Fitment is a Web 3.0 fitness application with built-in gaming and Social-Fi elements that rewards users with Crypto/NFT for exercising their bodies. It is basically a Web 3.0 fitness tracker. Notably, players are required to mint an NFT in the form of sneakers, which qualifies them to embark on a fitness journey on the platform.

By minting and customizing their NFT sneakers, players will have access to four major stats. These include power, durability, stamina, and comfort, all of which determine the overall lifestyle performance. 

A player can therefore walk, run, or work out to improve on power, total calories burned, and other game parameters set for each task in order to start earning FITT tokens, the platform’s native asset.

Also, FITT tokens earned can be used to upgrade sneakers, unlock new features/rewards, repair sneakers, breed new sneakers, or perhaps cash out by trading them on the platform’s dedicated marketplace.

Interestingly, the $FITT token has not seen an extreme fall in value over the past year or so. But it is still nowhere near its all-time high.

This move-to-earn game combines GameFi, move-to-earn, and health guidelines to provide an immersive ecosystem that promises to improve the health and well-being of its users (i.e. players). 

Specifically, by enabling virtual-to-physical world integration, players are rewarded for engaging in moving activities such as walking, running, and general training that naturally helps burn calories. To achieve this, the player, upon entering the Calo Metaverse, gets to equip themself with in-game items called SNEAKERS, which qualify them to participate in different challenges. 

That way, by running, walking, training in real life, or participating in weekly and monthly challenges, players are able to conquer challenges in-game. The game subsequently rewards users with its native coin, the FIT token. The ERC-20 token is also required to unlock and participate in subsequent activities on the app. 

It is also important to keep in mind that the SNEAKERS acquired in-app are represented as NFTs. They can be traded on the platform’s dedicated marketplace, alongside the FIT token and CALO, both of which are normally earned in the course of the game. 

The $CALO coins have seen an extreme loss in value over the last year or so. However, this could just be due to the general crypto winter and may have nothing to do with the integrity of the project.

This health and fitness-oriented move-to-earn gaming project is based on the Ethereum blockchain. It is acclaimed as the world’s first proof-of-workout audio game on the official website. 

Specifically, players get to participate in real-life exercises such as running, jogging, or sprinting. Each equally progresses the journey of a virtual character located in a post-apocalyptic game setting. 

While the physical performance of the players determines the progress of the virtual character, they get to earn cryptocurrency based on the distance covered and not performance. These rewards, however, include NFTs and DOSE tokens, the project’s native asset, which can be used to upgrade and progress the adventure. 

Alternatively, a player can use the special items and other resources collected in-game to upgrade their virtual characters through in game purchases. Doing so will ultimately improve their stats as well as enable them to tackle more dangerous missions with greater rewards.

Dustland is, by far, one of the most immersive move-to-earn apps. It actually immerses itself in a fictional setting and users who love to play games will certainly find joy using it. It is also a way to make people adopt a healthier lifestyle and stay healthy as a result. 

Like most move-to-earn tokens, the $DUST token has largely flatlined in value over the last six or so months. The last big pump for the coin happened way back in April 2022.

This move-to-earn project is yet another platform that immerses players in a metaverse that bridges the virtual and physical world. It is considered to be one of the fastest-growing M2E projects and a major contender in the move-to-earn space, especially after it recently raised $3.5 million in seed funding.

The project itself is a crypto game based on Polygon Layer-2 blockchain and features code-breaking gameplay, AR adventures, learn-to-earn elements, and virtual-to-physical world integration with a sustainable reward mechanism. The AR adventure gameplay, which appears to be the highlight of the project, requires players to join the revolution and fight back against the evil future system corporations.

To do so, players must steal the future system corporation’s digital currency, FCOIN, which necessitates embarking on hacking missions that demand they roam around and explore their physical surroundings with the aid of an AR set. Essentially, you will need to explore the world and look for vulnerable access points in order to inject zero-day exploits into Future System’s network.

Also, by enabling a dual currency and NFT asset model, the game is able to offer an in-game cryptocurrency, the DEFY token. This serves as the platform’s native token and utility token. The DEFY token is an ERC-20 token and can be acquired using two methods, one of which is through FCOIN swapping. Alternatively, it can be purchased on the DEX/CEX platforms where it is being traded.

Over the last six months, the Defy platform has suffered immensely from the crypto winter. In fact, things have gotten so dire that the daily trading volume of the Defy token barely cracks $500. 

This particular move-to-earn application is unique for many reasons, one of which is its compatibility with any sport of the player’s choice. Essentially, it introduces a metaverse where sports lovers can compete with one another from different parts of the world and earn rewards.

Particularly, the blockchain-based competitive sports platform employs the use of a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence system that analyzes live videos of players performing different sports activities of their choice. 

In this case, the platform’s AI system analyzes the competitors’ performance and allows users to earn MOOV tokens, which double as the network’s native asset. Unlike most move-to-earn gaming projects, this particular platform offers a more realistic experience for users who can interact with one another in real-time.

Like most move-to-earn apps, Dotmoovs has also seen the value of its native token, $MOOV, flatline since the middle of 2022.

Walken is an NFT-backed gamified move to earn app that introduces a new dynamic to the move-to-earn gaming concept. By leveraging unique NFT characters known as CAThletes, the move-to-earn game connects real-life physical activities with online gaming while rewarding users with its native asset. 

Specifically, players’ steps are converted into ‘Gems,’ which fuels up the activities of CAThlete NFTs within the gaming application. This ultimately determines their odds of winning the various competitions in which they are made to compete.

As such, the player’s physical participation and ability to complete fitness challenges determines how far these CAThletes can go within the game. More so, players who perform well in the game are rewarded with WLKN tokens, the project’s native asset.

Walken is one of the most interesting move-to-earn apps because of the ingenious way it connects real-life sports to actual gaming. The fact that it also allows users to earn tokens and gives them the opportunity to complete fitness challenges means that it is extremely interactive and could even be addictive.  

Right now, the $WLKN token is not performing quite as badly as others. However, the coin has seen almost half of its value wiped out since the beginning of the crypto winter. 

Move-to-earn games are one of easiest ways for regular people to exercise, have fun and still earn cryptocurrency. However, people who think that these apps are tickets to unending wealth should rethink that assumption. While you can earn cryptocurrency through move-to-earn apps, these earnings are usually not substantial.

This is even truer in a crypto winter where the market cap of some of these projects is reducing by the day. Therefore, people who choose to use these apps should manage their expectations when thinking about how much money they can make through them.