Torum (XTM) isn’t just another cryptocurrency. It’s a social network built for crypto users - where liking a post can earn you tokens, your NFT avatar becomes an AR filter on your profile, and your engagement directly fuels the platform’s economy. Launched in 2020, Torum was designed to fix a real problem: crypto communities are scattered. You’ve got Twitter for updates, OpenSea for NFTs, and PancakeSwap for trading - but nothing brings it all together. Torum tries to be that one place.
What Exactly Is Torum?
Torum is a SocialFi platform - a mix of social media and decentralized finance. Think of it like Instagram or Reddit, but every action you take - commenting, sharing, tipping - earns you XTM tokens. The platform runs on the BNB Smart Chain as a BEP-20 token, which means lower fees and faster transactions than its original Ethereum version. It’s not trying to compete with Facebook. It’s built for people who own NFTs, trade crypto, and want to connect with others who get it.
The core idea is simple: make social interaction profitable. If you post about a new NFT drop and it gets shared, you get rewarded. If you tip someone for a useful tip, you spend XTM. If you stake your NFT, you earn more tokens. It’s not theory - it’s built into the app.
How Does XTM Work?
XTM is the fuel of the Torum ecosystem. There are 1 billion XTM tokens total, but only about 194 million are in circulation as of late 2023. The rest are locked up for future rewards, team vesting, or ecosystem growth. Here’s how users actually use it:
- Tipping: Send XTM to others for good content - like a crypto version of a tip jar.
- NFT Marketplace: Buy, sell, or list your NFTs directly on Torum. No need to jump to OpenSea.
- AR NFT Face Filters: This is the standout feature. If you own a Bored Ape or CryptoPunk, you can turn it into a live AR filter for your videos and photos. Your NFT isn’t just a picture - it’s an interactive part of your identity.
- DeFi Tools: Earn interest by staking XTM or NFTs. Some NFTs give you up to 1.25x more rewards just for holding them.
- Boost Posts: Pay XTM to push your post to the top of the feed. Great for NFT artists promoting drops.
- Coin Voting: Vote on which new tokens should be listed on Torum’s exchange. Holders get a say.
- Ad Bidding: Businesses can buy ad space using XTM, creating a real advertising economy.
It’s not just a wallet or a social app. It’s a full ecosystem where tokens move between social actions, NFTs, and finance.
Who Created Torum and How Is It Funded?
Torum was built by a team that kept a 25% share of the total XTM supply for themselves. Unlike many projects, they didn’t dump it all at launch. The team’s tokens have a 12-month cliff, then release 8.33% every quarter - meaning they won’t sell everything until 2025. That’s better than some, but still raises eyebrows because there’s no public vesting schedule with penalties for early sales.
The project raised $2.25 million across six funding rounds. The public sale price was $0.06 per XTM in 2020. Today, it trades around $0.003 - down 95% since then. That drop isn’t because the platform failed. It’s because the whole crypto market crashed, and NFTs took a huge hit. Torum’s value is tied to NFT activity. When NFT sales slow, Torum slows.
How Is Torum Different From Twitter or OpenSea?
Twitter lets you talk about NFTs. OpenSea lets you buy them. Torum lets you do both - and get paid for it.
On Twitter, you might post a cool NFT and get 50 likes. On Torum, those likes turn into Shard points. Shards + Dust (another internal reward) = more XTM over time. It’s gamified. You’re not just scrolling - you’re farming.
Compare that to OpenSea. You list your NFT. Someone buys it. You get paid. Done. No community. No rewards for sharing. No way to build a following within the platform. Torum turns your NFT collection into a social profile. Your followers aren’t just viewers - they’re participants in your economy.
The AR face filters are the biggest differentiator. No other platform lets you wear your NFT like a mask in a video call. It’s not a gimmick - it’s a new way to express identity in Web3. Early users say it’s the reason they stick with Torum.
Is Torum Safe? Any Risks?
In 2021, security firm CertiK flagged Torum’s smart contracts for moderate reentrancy risks. The team fixed them. Since then, no major exploits have been reported. That’s good. But security isn’t the biggest worry.
The real risks are:
- Low Liquidity: The XTM/USDT pair on PancakeSwap has only $89,700 in daily volume. That means big sells can crash the price fast.
- Slow Feature Rollouts: Promised DeFi tools and cross-chain swaps are still incomplete. Users complain they’ve been waiting over 18 months for basic features.
- Market Dependency: Torum thrives when NFTs are hot. When NFT sales drop, Torum’s activity drops too. It’s not independent - it’s a satellite.
- Small User Base: Only about 12,800 people are active monthly. Compare that to Reddit’s crypto subs, which have millions. Torum is a niche.
It’s not a scam. But it’s not a guaranteed winner either. It’s a high-risk, high-potential experiment.
Who Is Torum For?
Torum isn’t for everyone. If you just want to buy Bitcoin and hold it, skip it.
It’s perfect for:
- NFT Artists: Want to show off your art, get paid for shares, and build a fanbase? Torum’s filters and marketplace are made for you.
- Crypto Enthusiasts: You’re already on Telegram and Discord. If you want to do more than chat - if you want to earn while you engage - Torum gives you a way.
- Early Adopters: You believe in SocialFi. You’re okay with slow progress if the vision is big. You’re not here for quick gains.
If you’re looking for a stable investment or a mainstream social app, Torum isn’t it. But if you want to be part of a community where your activity has real economic value, it’s one of the few places trying to make that real.
How to Get Started
Getting into Torum is easy:
- Go to torum.com or download the app on iOS or Android.
- Connect your wallet - MetaMask or Trust Wallet work best.
- Use a referral code (if you have one) to get 15 XTM free. It’s a nice boost to start.
- Post something. Comment. Tip someone. Use your NFT as a filter.
The learning curve is moderate. Most users say it takes 2-3 hours to understand how Shards, Dust, and XTM interact. The app doesn’t explain it well at first. That’s a flaw. But the community on Telegram (over 12,500 members) is active and helpful.
Don’t expect instant wealth. Expect a community. Expect slow progress. Expect innovation that’s still being built.
The Bottom Line
Torum (XTM) is a bold experiment. It’s not perfect. It’s not profitable for most holders yet. But it’s one of the few crypto projects that actually tries to solve a real human problem: how do you build identity and community in Web3?
The AR NFT filters? Brilliant. The social rewards? Innovative. The slow feature rollout? Frustrating. The low liquidity? Risky.
If you’re an NFT creator or a crypto-native social user, Torum is worth exploring. It’s not the next Bitcoin. But it might be the first real SocialFi platform that actually works - if the NFT market comes back.
Right now, it’s a quiet niche. But in Web3, quiet niches can become big movements - if they solve a problem people actually care about.