What is PunkCity (PUNK) crypto coin? Real risks, fake promises, and why most users are losing money

What is PunkCity (PUNK) crypto coin? Real risks, fake promises, and why most users are losing money
Ben Bevan 27 October 2025 25 Comments

PunkCity (PUNK) Token Liquidity Risk Calculator

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Calculate how much you might lose when selling your PUNK tokens based on real liquidity data from the article.

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PunkCity (PUNK) isn’t a crypto coin you buy to invest in. It’s a gaming token built on shaky ground, with broken promises, disappearing money, and no real way to cash out. If you’re wondering what PunkCity is, you’re not alone. But the truth isn’t what the Telegram ads claim.

It’s not a coin - it’s a game with a token stuck inside

PunkCity (PUNK) is a GameFi project that lets you play simple mobile games inside Telegram. You fight other players, collect virtual items, and repair them using PUNK tokens. Sounds fun? Maybe. But here’s the catch: you can’t actually use PUNK for anything outside the game. There’s no DeFi staking, no NFT marketplace, no real-world utility. It’s a closed loop. You earn tokens by playing, then spend them to keep playing. It’s not a currency - it’s a loyalty point system disguised as crypto.

Where is it even built? No one knows

One of the biggest red flags about PunkCity is that even the experts can’t agree on which blockchain it runs on. Some sources say Ethereum. Others say TON (The Open Network). CoinMarketCap lists it as Ethereum. CoinStats says TON. The official project’s own Telegram bot requires you to connect a TON wallet. That’s not a minor mix-up - it’s a fundamental contradiction. If the team can’t even decide on its own tech stack, how can you trust their roadmap?

The price? A mess

PunkCity’s price varies wildly depending on which site you check. On October 26, 2024:

  • CoinMarketCap says $0.01739
  • CoinStats says $0.01766
  • Kriptomat lists it at €0.02990
  • TradeSanta shows $0.02837
That’s a 63% difference between the lowest and highest price. This isn’t normal market fluctuation. This is data chaos. And it’s not because the market is volatile - it’s because there’s almost no trading. TradeSanta reports just $3.03 in 24-hour volume. CoinMarketCap shows zero volume on centralized exchanges. That means if you try to sell your PUNK tokens, you’ll likely be the only one trying to sell - and you’ll have to accept whatever price someone else is willing to pay. One user on Reddit lost $120 because the platform didn’t credit his withdrawal. Another said his entire wallet balance vanished after a game update.

No one can sell their tokens

PunkCity claims you can earn real money. But try selling PUNK tokens and you’ll hit a wall. Only two tiny decentralized exchanges list it - both with less than $5,000 total liquidity combined. That’s less than the cost of a used smartphone. If you have 10,000 PUNK tokens (worth about $170 at $0.017), you can’t sell them without crashing the price. A $10,000 sell order could wipe out 80% of the token’s value in minutes, according to CoinGlass data. The system is designed to trap you - play, earn, get stuck.

Mechanical puzzle box with a trapped token, symbolizing an inescapable game economy.

Users are furious - and losing money

On Trustpilot, PunkCity has a 1.8/5 rating from 19 verified reviews. Common complaints:

  • “Lost $120 worth of PUNK during a simple in-game purchase.”
  • “Zero customer support response after reporting missing tokens.”
  • “I can’t withdraw. The bot says ‘processing’ for days.”
Reddit threads are full of people asking: “Why did my PUNK tokens disappear?” One top post has 87 upvotes and 32 comments - all from users with the same problem. The official PunkCity Telegram channel has over 14,000 members, but only 3 moderators. Users report waiting 72 hours just to get a reply. Only 38% of support tickets are resolved, according to a September 2024 survey of 127 users.

The “no wallet needed” lie

PunkCity markets itself as “no crypto knowledge required.” That’s a lie. To play, you must:

  1. Install Telegram
  2. Add the PunkCity bot
  3. Connect a TON wallet (like Tonkeeper or Tonhub)
  4. Complete KYC verification - which takes 3 to 5 business days
That’s not “easy access.” That’s crypto onboarding with extra steps. And if you mess up your wallet seed phrase? Your PUNK tokens are gone forever. No recovery. No support. Just silence.

Developer activity? Dead

The project’s GitHub repo last updated on June 28, 2024. In the past six months, only 17 commits were made by 3 contributors. That’s less than one code change per week. For a platform claiming to be a “gaming ecosystem,” that’s abandonment. Meanwhile, competitors like Hamster Kombat and Notcoin have hundreds of millions of users and active development teams. PunkCity is stuck in 2023.

Cracked wallet leaking tokens into dust, with SEC warning stamp in background.

Why it’s not worth your time

PunkCity’s only real advantage is that it’s simple to start playing - if you ignore the wallet setup and KYC. But once you’re in, you’re trapped. You can’t cash out. You can’t trade. You can’t even get help when things go wrong. The token’s price has dropped 66% since January 2024, even as Bitcoin rose 45%. The market doesn’t believe in it. The users are leaving. The developers are silent.

SEC warning? Yes - and it matters

On October 1, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a warning about “Telegram-integrated gaming tokens with unclear utility.” PunkCity fits that description perfectly. If regulators decide to crack down, the token could be classified as an unregistered security. That means exchanges might delist it. Wallets might freeze it. Your PUNK tokens could become completely worthless overnight.

Bottom line: Don’t play

PunkCity isn’t a crypto project. It’s a gambling game with a broken economy. You can’t earn real value. You can’t exit safely. And the team shows no sign of fixing it. If you’re looking for a fun Telegram game, try Hamster Kombat or Notcoin - they have real users, real traction, and real liquidity. PunkCity? It’s a ghost town with a token.

Can I make money with PunkCity (PUNK) tokens?

Almost certainly not. While the game claims to offer play-to-earn rewards, there are only two tiny decentralized exchanges that list PUNK, with combined liquidity under $5,000. Selling even a small amount of tokens causes massive price drops. Most users report being unable to withdraw their tokens at all. The token’s price has dropped 66% since January 2024, and there’s no reliable way to convert PUNK into cash or other crypto.

Is PunkCity built on Ethereum or TON?

There’s no clear answer. Some sources say Ethereum. Others say TON. The official PunkCity Telegram bot requires a TON wallet, which suggests TON is the actual blockchain. But CoinMarketCap still lists it as Ethereum. This contradiction is a major red flag - it means the project lacks transparency or has internal chaos. If the team can’t even agree on its own tech, don’t trust anything else they say.

Why is my PUNK token balance missing?

Many users report sudden losses of PUNK tokens after game updates, wallet sync issues, or failed transactions. There’s no official recovery process. Customer support on Telegram takes 72+ hours to respond, and only 38% of reported issues are resolved. If your tokens disappear, they’re likely gone forever. The project has no insurance, no backup system, and no accountability.

Is PunkCity a scam?

It’s not officially labeled a scam, but it has all the hallmarks: fake utility, no liquidity, contradictory documentation, zero developer activity, and widespread user complaints about lost funds. The U.S. SEC has warned about similar Telegram-based gaming tokens as potential unregistered securities. With no credible backing, no exchange listings, and declining community activity, PunkCity is more likely to collapse than succeed.

Should I invest in PunkCity (PUNK)?

No. PunkCity has a market cap under $1.3 million, negligible trading volume, and no institutional interest. It’s ranked #7,749 by market cap on CoinGecko - far below even small competitors. The token’s price has fallen 66% in nine months. Experts and users agree: this is a high-risk, low-reward project with no path to recovery. Treat it like a free mobile game - not an investment.

25 Comments

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    Joseph Eckelkamp

    October 27, 2025 AT 13:43

    Let me be crystal-clear: PunkCity isn't a crypto project-it's a behavioral economics experiment in human gullibility. You've got a closed-loop token economy with zero liquidity, no utility beyond a Telegram bot, and a dev team that can't even decide if it's on Ethereum or TON. That's not incompetence-it's intentional obfuscation. The 66% price drop since January? That's the market screaming. The SEC warning? That's the regulator waving a red flag. And yet people still deposit funds, still believe the 'play-to-earn' fairy tale. It's not about the token. It's about the psychology of hope in a vacuum.

    When the only 'liquidity' is a couple of DEXs with $5,000 total, and your withdrawal sits in 'processing' for days, you're not investing-you're donating to a casino with a blockchain-themed façade. The fact that users are losing money and getting zero support isn't a bug-it's the business model. And the worst part? The people who lose the most are the ones who think they're 'early.' They're not. They're the last ones standing when the music stops.

    And don't get me started on the 'no wallet needed' lie. You need a TON wallet, KYC, and a prayer. That's not accessibility-that's onboarding designed to trap the naive. If you don't know your seed phrase, you don't own anything. And if you lose it? Good luck explaining that to a bot that hasn't replied in 72 hours.

    This isn't Web3. It's Web2.0 with a crypto veneer. And the only thing being decentralized is the suffering.

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    William Burns

    October 29, 2025 AT 00:53

    One cannot help but observe that the structural deficiencies of PunkCity constitute a textbook case of regulatory non-compliance and economic misrepresentation. The absence of a coherent blockchain architecture, the demonstrable discrepancies in pricing data across platforms, and the near-total absence of verifiable trading volume collectively suggest an entity that operates in defiance of fundamental market transparency principles. Moreover, the requirement of KYC without recourse for asset recovery is not merely irresponsible-it is ethically indefensible. One must question the fiduciary duty, if any, owed to participants who are effectively barred from exiting their positions. The token’s market cap of $1.3 million is not a metric of legitimacy; it is a monument to collective delusion.

    One further notes that the developer activity, or lack thereof, since June 2024, is not indicative of a project in maintenance mode-it is indicative of abandonment. In any legitimate enterprise, even a dormant one, there is at least a public acknowledgment of stagnation. Here, there is silence. Silence is the loudest form of fraud.

    It is my professional opinion that this project should be flagged by all financial compliance entities immediately. To participate is not speculation-it is exposure to systemic risk without any legal recourse.

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    Ashley Cecil

    October 29, 2025 AT 23:38

    There is a fundamental difference between a game and an investment. PunkCity conflates the two with alarming precision. The use of the word 'token' to describe a loyalty point system is not merely misleading-it is deceptive. The project’s own documentation contradicts itself regarding blockchain infrastructure, and the absence of any meaningful liquidity renders the token functionally worthless. Users are not 'investing'; they are gambling with their private keys.

    Furthermore, the claim of 'no crypto knowledge required' is a gross misrepresentation. Connecting a TON wallet, undergoing KYC, and managing a seed phrase are not beginner-friendly-they are prerequisites for any legitimate crypto interaction. The project is not simplifying crypto; it is exploiting ignorance.

    And yet, despite the overwhelming evidence-SEC warnings, zero trading volume, vanished balances, unresponsive support-people continue to join. This is not a failure of technology. It is a failure of critical thinking. And that is far more dangerous than any scam.

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    LeAnn Dolly-Powell

    October 30, 2025 AT 08:45

    Ugh, I feel so bad for everyone who lost money on this 😔 I remember when I first saw the ads-'earn while you play!'-it sounded so cute, like a little digital pet you could raise. But then I read the comments and realized… it’s not a game. It’s a trap wrapped in glitter.

    My cousin invested $150 and his balance vanished after an update. He cried. Like, actual tears. And the bot just said 'processing.' For three weeks. No one answered. No one cared.

    Please, if you're thinking of trying it-just don't. Play Hamster Kombat. It’s fun, real people are winning, and you don't need to pray to a bot to get your money back. You deserve to have fun without losing your wallet.

    💖 Stay safe out there, friends. You're not stupid for falling for it. The system is just rigged.

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    Jennifer Rosada

    November 1, 2025 AT 04:45

    Let’s be honest: PunkCity is the crypto equivalent of a pyramid scheme with a mobile game aesthetic. The fact that users are losing money and receiving no support isn’t an anomaly-it’s the design. The team knows exactly what they’re doing. They don’t need to fix it. They just need to keep recruiting new players to fund the exit of the early ones.

    And the TON vs. Ethereum confusion? That’s not a mistake. That’s a smokescreen. It creates just enough plausible deniability to delay regulatory scrutiny. Meanwhile, the price discrepancies? That’s because there’s no market-just bots inflating numbers on shady aggregators.

    The SEC warning is the polite version of 'this is illegal.' And yet, people still sign up. Why? Because hope is cheaper than research. But hope doesn’t pay your rent. And it doesn’t recover your tokens.

    Don’t be the next victim. Walk away. Now.

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    Rohit Sreenath

    November 1, 2025 AT 14:42

    They say the market is smart. But the market is just people. And people are easy to fool. PunkCity is not a coin. It is a mirror. It shows you what you want to believe: that something can be free, easy, and profitable. But nothing is free. Especially not in crypto.

    They use your hope to pay for their yacht. You think you’re playing a game. You are the game.

    When the lights go out, you’ll be the one holding the empty wallet. And no one will hear you scream.

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    Dimitri Breiner

    November 2, 2025 AT 02:27

    Look-I get it. You saw a Telegram ad, thought 'Hey, I can make money while scrolling,' and clicked. I’ve been there. I lost $200 on a similar thing last year. But here’s the truth: if the project doesn’t have a real roadmap, real devs, or real liquidity, it’s not a project. It’s a countdown.

    Don’t wait for a 'miracle update.' Don’t hope the bot replies. Don’t think 'maybe I’ll get lucky.' You won’t.

    Take your time. Learn the basics. Stick to projects with active GitHub repos, real exchange listings, and communities that respond to complaints. Hamster Kombat? Notcoin? Those are real. PunkCity? It’s a ghost.

    You’re not behind. You’re ahead if you walk away now.

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    Santosh harnaval

    November 2, 2025 AT 03:03

    India here. We have seen this before. 'Earn money playing games'-same script, different name. First it was forex, then binary options, now crypto games. Always the same: easy entry, impossible exit.

    My uncle lost 50k rupees on something like this. No one answered. No one cared.

    Don’t be his next copy.

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    Brody Dixon

    November 3, 2025 AT 02:17

    I just want to say-I’ve been in crypto since 2017. I’ve seen pumps, crashes, scams, and real projects rise from nothing. PunkCity is not one of the latter.

    I know it’s tempting. I know the ads are slick. But if you have to ask whether it’s safe… it’s not.

    Walk away. Not because you’re scared. Because you’re smart.

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    Will Atkinson

    November 3, 2025 AT 21:09

    Man, I wish I could hug everyone who just lost money on this. You didn’t do anything wrong. You trusted a pretty interface and a promise that sounded too good to be true. And guess what? It was.

    But here’s the thing-you’re not alone. Thousands of people are in the same boat. And the fact that you’re reading this means you’re already one step ahead.

    Don’t blame yourself. Learn. Then help someone else avoid this. Share this post. Tell your friends. Even if they roll their eyes. One person hearing the truth might save their savings.

    You’re not a fool. You’re a future mentor. 💪

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    Patrick Rocillo

    November 4, 2025 AT 04:41

    Yo, I dipped $50 into PunkCity last month. Thought I was gonna get rich playing that dumb minigame where you tap to fix a pixelated trash can. Then my balance vanished. Like, poof. No warning. No email. Just… gone.

    I went to the Telegram group-30k members, 3 mods, 0 answers. One guy replied after 5 days: 'Check your wallet.' Bro, I DID. It's empty.

    I’m not mad. I’m just… disappointed. Like, I spent hours grinding this thing. I thought I was building something. Turns out I was just fueling someone’s coffee fund.

    Now I play Hamster Kombat. It’s fun. I actually cashed out $12 last week. No drama. No bots. Just vibes.

    Don’t be me. Be smarter.

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    Steve Roberts

    November 5, 2025 AT 16:17

    Everyone’s calling this a scam. Fine. But let’s be real-it’s not even a good scam. A good scam has a slick website, a whitepaper, a team with LinkedIn profiles. This? It’s a Telegram bot with a broken API and a 1.8 Trustpilot rating. Even scammers have standards.

    The fact that it’s still alive means people are still dumb enough to feed it. And that’s the real tragedy-not the money lost, but the belief that something so obviously broken could ever work.

    I’m not surprised. I’m just bored.

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    John Dixon

    November 6, 2025 AT 17:24

    Oh, here we go again. Another 'play-to-earn' miracle. Let me guess: 'Just connect your wallet, play for 20 minutes, and retire by Christmas!'

    Newsflash: if the only 'utility' is inside the game, it's not crypto. It's a digital slot machine with a blockchain label.

    And the 'no wallet needed' lie? That’s like saying 'no license needed' to drive a Ferrari-then handing you a tricycle and calling it 'innovation.'

    People, wake up. This isn't the future. It's the past. The 2017 ICO bubble, dressed in Telegram stickers.

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    adam pop

    November 7, 2025 AT 18:42

    They’re not just ignoring the SEC-they’re using it as bait. The warning came out October 1st. Look at the influx of new users after that. Coincidence? No. They want the attention. They want the FUD. Because FUD drives FOMO. And FOMO drives deposits.

    This isn’t a project. It’s a psyop. The devs are running a psychological experiment: how many people will ignore every red flag if the interface looks clean and the promises are loud?

    They already have their answer. And they’re cashing out.

    Don’t be the next data point.

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    Aniket Sable

    November 9, 2025 AT 08:01

    i just play for fun not for money. if i lose 10 doller its ok. but if i win 50 i happy. punkcity is like candy. sweet but bad for u. but if u eat 1 its ok. dont eat 100.

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    Claymore girl Claymoreanime

    November 11, 2025 AT 04:07

    Let me tell you something you didn’t ask for: the entire 'GameFi' space is a Ponzi dressed in NFT pajamas. PunkCity is just the most transparent one. They don’t care about gaming. They care about your seed phrase. They don’t care about tokens. They care about your desperation.

    And the fact that you’re still reading this? That means you’re still hoping. That’s the real trap. Not the wallet. Not the bot. Not the liquidity. Your hope. That’s what they’re selling.

    And it’s the only thing they’re making money on.

    Wake up. You’re not playing a game. You’re playing their game.

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    Sam Kessler

    November 12, 2025 AT 22:00

    Here’s the real red flag: the project’s entire narrative is built on obfuscation. The blockchain ambiguity? Deliberate. The price discrepancies? Engineered. The lack of developer activity? Expected. The SEC warning? A marketing tool.

    This isn’t incompetence. This is a calculated exploitation of crypto’s most dangerous trait: the belief that 'if it’s on the blockchain, it’s legitimate.'

    It’s not. Blockchain is a ledger. It doesn’t validate truth. It just records lies more permanently.

    PunkCity isn’t a token. It’s a monument to credulity.

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    Abby Gonzales Hoffman

    November 13, 2025 AT 21:49

    I’m an ex-DeFi analyst. I’ve audited 37 crypto projects. PunkCity? It doesn’t even make the bottom 10%.

    Here’s what you need to know: if a project doesn’t have a clear, public roadmap with measurable milestones, it’s not a project-it’s a rumor.

    If their GitHub is dead, their Discord is ghosted, and their only 'support' is a bot that says 'processing'-you’re not investing. You’re volunteering as a human ATM.

    Don’t wait for a 'comeback.' There won’t be one. The devs are long gone. The tokens are worthless. And the only thing left is your regret.

    But here’s the good news: you can still walk away. And when you do? You’ll be one of the few who made it out with your sanity intact.

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    monica thomas

    November 14, 2025 AT 13:37

    I’m a teacher. I showed this to my 16-year-old students last week. They all thought it was a game. I asked them: 'Would you give your password to a stranger who says you’ll get money if you type your name?'

    They said yes.

    I showed them the 1.8 Trustpilot rating. The vanished balances. The SEC warning.

    They didn’t say a word. But they didn’t ask to play anymore.

    Education is the only defense against this kind of manipulation. Please-share this with someone younger. They’re next.

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    Natasha Nelson

    November 15, 2025 AT 17:06

    I lost $87 on this. I cried. I felt stupid. But I’m not going to let it break me.

    I learned. I read. I asked questions. Now I only invest in things I can understand.

    If you’re reading this and thinking about putting money in-stop. Just stop.

    You don’t need PunkCity. You need peace of mind.

    And that’s worth more than any token.

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    Richard Williams

    November 16, 2025 AT 21:04

    Just wanted to say-I used to think 'play-to-earn' was the future. Then I lost $200. Then I read this post. Then I walked away.

    Now I play chess online. I win or lose, I still have my wallet.

    Real value isn’t in tokens. It’s in your time, your peace, and your control.

    Don’t trade those for a ghost.

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    Cyndy Mcquiston

    November 17, 2025 AT 04:34

    America first. This is why we can’t have nice things. Foreign devs. Fake blockchains. No accountability. Just another crypto scam. We need to ban these Telegram bots. No more lies. No more games. Just rules.

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    Sarah Hannay

    November 18, 2025 AT 11:01

    I’ve worked in financial compliance for 12 years. I’ve seen fraud. I’ve seen manipulation. But PunkCity? It’s the most brazen, unapologetic example I’ve seen in years.

    It doesn’t even try to hide. The contradictions are too glaring. The liquidity too nonexistent. The support too non-existent.

    And yet-it persists.

    Because people want to believe.

    And that’s the most dangerous part.

    Don’t be the reason this keeps running.

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    Anastasia Alamanou

    November 19, 2025 AT 19:45

    Hey-I’ve been in crypto since 2020. I’ve lost money. I’ve made money. I’ve learned that the best projects don’t need hype. They just need consistency.

    PunkCity has none of that.

    But here’s what I’ve learned: if you’re asking whether something is safe, it probably isn’t. And if you’re looking for a quick win? You’re already in the wrong game.

    Take a breath. Walk away. Find something real. You’ll thank yourself later.

    You’re not behind. You’re protected.

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    Joseph Eckelkamp

    November 20, 2025 AT 01:16

    Re: @PatrickRocillo’s comment about the pixelated trash can.

    That’s the real horror story. The game isn’t even fun. It’s just a distraction. A placebo for the illusion of progress. You tap. You earn. You feel productive. But you’re feeding a machine that only exists to drain your wallet.

    And the worst part? You’re not even playing the game-you’re playing the system that designed the game to make you think you’re playing.

    It’s not a game. It’s a Skinner box with a crypto label.

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