Thousands of Nigerians who had eagerly participated in the Hamster Kombat crypto-mining app are expressing frustration and anger after receiving far less than the substantial payouts they were promised.
For the past five months, users of the app have been diligently tapping away, hoping to earn significant rewards from the highly anticipated airdrop. However, when the coin launched on Thursday, the reality proved to be a bitter disappointment.
Instead of the expected windfall, most users found that their payouts ranged from just $1 to $4. Some reports suggest that the highest amount anyone has received so far is between $7 and $17. This has left many Nigerians feeling misled and betrayed, with social media platforms buzzing with complaints and outrage over the meager returns.
One user, Geoffrey Nwankpa, vented his frustration on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying, “You gave me dust after 4 months of killing hamsters, rats, rabbits, or anything that looks like a hamster. It’s hunting season.”
His tweet captures the widespread disillusionment among the app’s participants, many of whom had harbored hopes of financial transformation through the coin.
Hamster Kombat, which was launched in March 2024, had promised to create billionaires and CEOs from everyday Nigerians. The app’s promoters painted a picture of financial freedom and prosperity, luring thousands of users with the promise of life-changing rewards. Instead, many now find themselves with little to show for their time and effort.
The official X account of Hamster Kombat, #hamster_kombat, announced the coin’s long-awaited launch on Thursday afternoon, stating, “THE MOMENT IS HERE. $HMSTR trading has officially begun! Congratulations, and to the moon, CEOs. On-chain is on. On-chain direct claim and balance withdrawal options are open. You can now transfer your tokens anywhere!”
The post quickly gained traction, with nearly one million views and over thirteen thousand comments, mostly from disappointed users.
In another post, the account encouraged users to take advantage of the new trading opportunities, saying, “TAKE YOUR POSITION @binance just opened futures trading for $HMSTR! Trading with up to 75x leverage is available. Trade smart and follow your own risk policy! Where will the price go now?”
Despite this enthusiastic promotion, the sentiment among the Hamster Kombat community remains overwhelmingly negative.
The crypto asset, listed as HMSTR on CoinMarketCap, was ranked 114th at $0.008315 as of 3:36 PM on Thursday, with a market cap of $535.3 million and a 24-hour trading volume of $448.7 million. Despite these seemingly positive numbers, the small payouts have left users feeling cheated.
Comments on social media reveal the depth of disappointment among users. Ediboi, using the handle #hosky2701, sarcastically remarked, “I’m the CEO of dust. We’re all CEOs, yes or no???”
Another user, #realworldxpp, simply tweeted, “Bro this is the worst project ever.”
Lord Nate, tweeting under the handle #natedeyforyou, expressed disbelief, writing, “I keep refreshing to see $0.19.”
The frustration is palpable, as users like Obj, with the handle #iamofficialobj, voiced their dismay: “So basically, I spent 5 good solid months farming Hamster Kombat only to be rewarded with this? Really???” Meanwhile, Ayaj Sunwaves, with handle #AyajSayyad11, quipped, “One minute silence for the people… who said Hamster will be $1. Thanks, whatever I got.”