Road Town, BVI, June 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- nGRND.io (“nGRND Gold Protocol”), a Web3 and blockchain initiative sustained by its treasury of verified in-ground preserved gold and distributions from the monetisation of preserved gold sites, announces that its sponsored mobile gamers, Gold Fest and Dig It, have collectively attracted over 855,000 players across more than 200 countries. With its proof-of-stake utility rewards framework driving continued digital participation thus nGRND milestone marks significant steps toward the protocol’s upcoming Token Generation Event (TGE), demonstrating substantial traction prior to token issuance.
The participant base was driven by distinct titles designed to introduce mainstream audiences to asset-backed digital economies. Gold Fest, developed by GAMEE, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands and recently acquired by Alpha Compute Corporation, attracted 549,000 participants. Dig It, operated by gaming studio Funny Till U Die Ltd., drew 306,000 players via its Telegram-based interface. Across both platforms, Daily Active Users (DAUs) averaged over 220,000, indicating strong retention beyond initial sign-up spikes.
Participants in the inaugural season accrued approximately $6 million in ecosystem rewards that are designed to convert into nGRND Gold Protocol tokens, with redemption schedules governed by the protocol’s proof-of-stake utility framework. Unlike speculative play-to-earn (P2E) models, nGRND.io structures its rewards around its treasury of preserved gold, distributions from monetisation of alternative land use and other sustainability revenues.
Reward recipients will be eligible to receive one of three unique NFTs, which will unlock soul-bound NFTs featuring unique attributes, rewards and bonuses tied to their participation in the nGRND Gold Protocol proof-of-stake framework. Participants in nGRND.io sponsored games, Discord quests, and future ecosystem initiatives may also receive unique collectible NFTs, badges and boosts granting additional rewards within the protocol.
The nGRND framework sets itself apart by anchoring its ecosystem with verified, in-ground preserved gold resources in its treasury that is used to sustain the staking rewards for Token holders. To ensure transparency and address common industry concerns regarding asset validation, the protocol’s preserved gold treasury is subject to nGRND Inc.’s rigorous third-party auditing in accordance with National Instruments’s such as NI 43-101 and other industry and government approved reporting and verification processes.
“nGRND.io is introducing a new framework for a gold-based utility with participation sustained by real monetised value without extraction or environmental decimation” said Professor Lisa Wilson, CEO and Co-Founder. “As an innovative gold protocol built for Web3 and to distribute value using the blockchain layer, nGRND provides active staking rewards sustained by distributions from the realised appreciation of gold in our treasury, plus ESG and SDG measured alternative land-use monetisation of preserved sites and other sustainability-driven initiatives that strengthen the long term utility of the nGRND Gold Protocol. The Protocol connects real world business and sustainability with Web3.”
Following the success of the first season, Dig It has already launched Season 2 with upgraded gameplay mechanics designed to deepen engagement. Gold Fest is scheduled to begin its second season in early Q3 2026. Both programs are expected to conclude their initial phases by Sept. 30, 2026, at which point reward claims will begin to be processed. The project is currently supported by the TON Foundation, with further expansion planned across additional blockchain networks, including Base.
Looking beyond gaming, nGRND.io is preparing to expand its proof-of-stake network into eight operational participation streams, including Governance, Impact, Play, Learn, Advocate, Refer, Wellbeing, and a dedicated channel for AI Agents. These mechanisms will enable participants in the staking programme to increase reward multipliers and receive distributions from the rewards pool that is sustained by revenues generated from initiatives that have measured impact against ESG and the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets, plus other initiatives on the preserved gold sites.
By connecting Protocol gold treasury holdings, preserved gold sites, and network partners with a scalable utility-driven framework, nGRN.io delivers modernised digital participation in the gold sector. The protocol leverages blockchain infrastructure to provide provenance and to create accessible, transparent opportunities for participation and distribute real value without requiring traditional mining extraction.
For more information, please visit https://ngrnd.io
About nGRND Gold Protocol
The nGRND Gold Protocol is a blockchain-enabled digital participation and rewards network that distributes value on a blockchain sustained by verified preserved in-ground gold resources and alternative land use monetisation aligned to measured ESG and SDG impact. The protocol connects our gold treasury holding preserved gold, preserved gold sites, ecosystem partners, and participants through a scalable utility-driven framework that supports engagement, sustainability initiatives, digital participation streams, staking opportunities, and ecosystem-based rewards.
Built to modernise participation in the gold sector, the nGRND Gold Protocol leverages transparency, ESG and SDG measured targets and principles, and blockchain infrastructure to create new forms of interaction around preserved gold without requiring traditional mining extraction. The protocol is designed to support long-term ecosystem growth through strategic partnerships, gamification initiatives, digital commerce integrations, and community participation models.
The nGRND Gold Protocol aims to bridge the legacy gold industry with the emerging digital economy by creating accessible, transparent, and participation-driven and rewarded opportunities supported by preserved gold and network engagement.
For more information, visit https://ngrnd.io and follow us on X.
About GAMEE
GAMEE was founded in 2015 and is a subsidiary of Alpha Compute Corp and Animoca Brands. GAMEE is a high-engagement mobile gaming platform focused on onboarding a mass gaming audience to Web3. It has over 120 million registered users and has served over 10 billion gameplay sessions across multiple ecosystems. GAMEE’s WATCoin airdrop collectively onboarded 4 million user wallets into the TON ecosystem. The company has partnered with over 40 major Web3 communities including Azuki, Mocaverse, Notcoin, The Sandbox, and Cool Cats. Learn more at www.gamee.com or get updates by following on X.
About Funny Till U Die Ltd
Funny Till U Die Ltd is a gaming and technology company focused on building engaging digital entertainment products for Web3 and mobile-first audiences. Its flagship product, Dig It, is a Telegram-based mining and rewards game designed to make Web3 gaming simple, accessible, and fun for mainstream users.
In the last 9 months, Dig It has attracted over 300,000 players, combining casual gameplay, mining mechanics, referral rewards, community events, and token-based incentives. The game introduces players to digital rewards through an easy-to-use Telegram experience, helping bridge traditional mobile gaming users into the Web3 ecosystem.
Funny Till U Die Ltd continues to expand Dig It through new seasons, gameplay upgrades, strategic partnerships, reward campaigns, and integrations with blockchain-based partners.
Learn more at https://digitgoldgame.com/ or get updates by following Dig It on X.
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