AIP-529: Development and Enhancement of APE-BOT Discord Tipping Bot

PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION

I’d like to advance the development of APE-BOT, a tool designed to enable apes to tip any user on any Discord server leveraging the ApeChain ecosystem.

Although it is still a prototype, the bot is already up and running and uses the Curtis testnet. Once the mainnet has launched, it will be immediately available there too in it’s current state.

You can check it out and play with it on my Discord server or just invite it to yours:

The Ape Bot’s server: The Ape Bot's server APE-BOT’s invite link: https://bit.ly/477oFKg (or just directly invite it from my server)

This app is different than most other tipping bots. Instead of a centralized database, it actually uses the ApeChain for every transaction. Although, I must point out that this is still “just” a tipping bot which means that wallets are auto generated for users and are kept on the server computer. It is not a fully fledged non-custodial wallet. However, I believe it is still a better option than those fully centralized bots out there. I’m also planning on building a function where you could import wallets to your account and sign every tip with MetaMask, making it more secure without the need for me to store user keys. I’d like to work on many more features for the bot and it’s security as well as to create a sustainable model for its long-term operation.

Key developments will include improving overall security, integrating wallet functionalities with MetaMask, adding requested tokens automatically, enabling token creation, role staking, developing community games like poker, and perhaps transitioning it to a more reliable cloud hosting in the future.

I’m requesting a grant so I can fully focus on this project. As of right now I have very little time to work on it.

I would like to also request the right to use the ApeCoin logo for the bot if possible.

BENEFIT TO APECOIN ECOSYSTEM

APE-BOT directly enhances the ApeCoin ecosystem by facilitating microtransactions and increasing community interaction. By enabling tipping within Discord, the bot encourages the use of ApeCoin between users unlike other bots that are using inner databases instead of the blockchain.

Every community needs a tipping bot. It makes the entire guild more fun and engaging. It’s the tool to create actual economy in these spaces and to keep them alive.

It’s not only for tipping. You can reward the users for being in your guild and motivate them for staying active. You can reward your members for attending events or fulfilling any request you have come up with. Sub-communities will emerge on the ApeChain with their very own tokens. It will be crucial for all of them to have a functioning tipping bot. This will be a must-have tool for these groups to become successful.

I’d like to create a secure and sustainable bot, that’ll keep bringing value to the ApeCoin community.

This investment is expected to lead to:

• Increased engagement within the ApeCoin community.
• A rise in ApeCoin transactions and circulation.
• The creation of new use cases for ApeCoin within social environments.

CURRENT LIST of AVAILABLE FEATURES:

• Automatic wallet generation upon first use of the bot. (or if someone else tips you first)
• “$address” command to view your generated address to be used to hold funds.
• “$tip” command to tip one or multiple users as well as the ability to tip an entire @role by mentioning it. (example usage: $tip @Role 10 ape)
• “$balance” for balance checking.
• “$airdrop” is a popular command among similar bots that lets users join in on a fun, timed game where active participants can claim a share of the airdrop. It’s a great way to engage the community and reward activity (example usage: $airdrop 100 ape 10m)(for 10 minutes).
• “$tokens” command to check currently available tokens for tipping.
• “$withdraw” - withdrawing funds from the bot.

TO DO:

• Overall security. Although, having each account directly interact with the chain with their own wallet instead of using an inner database is better, it is still my server that’s generating your wallets and must keep them safe. This will always remain as the default functionality for the bot even if the wallet import function is finally present. Discord tipping bots must remain easy and convenient to use from the beginning. Although, options for other methods must be in place.
• Performance enhancements to seamlessly serve any amount of requests.
• Squashing bugs, general maintenance. Plenty of bugs to fix now and in the future too I’m sure.
• Auto Token Addition. At the beginning adding new tokens to the bot will be done manually by me upon request. If there are too many requests I might need to add a fee to that. The best option however, would be to automate this part so the user would be able to add any token they wish. A small fee would still likely be needed to avoid spamming the system.
• Role staking solution This is a way to incentivize people to stake certain amounts of $APE or tokens in order to receive access to various Discord roles.
• Games Integration. I’d like to integrate a poker game into the bot where stakes would be done either in $APE or any ApeChain token that is listed in the bot. I’m sure this would be an amazing addition.
• Website Development A dedicated website would also be needed of course.
• Business Model Development. Explore and implement self-sustainable revenue models for the bot. Fees will need to be introduced for some features.

At the moment, I’ve implemented a service fee of 5 cents per tx. This is just one idea of a business model to make the bot actually sustainable in the long run. However, this is subject to change and might very well be revised in the future based on community input. The 5-cent flat fee is paid whenever a transaction-related command is used. If you’re creating an airdrop or tipping hundreds of users at once, the fee remains the same and does not multiply. The user is charged only once per command.

Perhaps the poker game could have a fee for the house. The Mint and Swap future ideas could have an extra fee in place.

Future ideas:

• Mint Tokens Users could create tokens with the bot.
• Token Swap Making it easier and more convenient to swap tokens right inside the bot.
• Cloud hosting In case hosting the bot on dedicated hardware proves to be unreliable then I shall switch to cloud hosting instead.

OVERALL COST

Total amount requested from the ApeCoin Ecosystem Fund = $40,000.

A single lump sum payment of $40,000 USD has been requested.

Development: $30,000. Audit: $10,000.

As suggested, I have allocated an additional $10K to hire an auditor for two rounds of security testing. For an application of this scale, this amount should suffice. The first audit will take place after I have implemented security practices to the best of my abilities. The second audit will occur after most, if not all, of the planned features are in place. Any future audits should be covered by the bot’s revenue.

The grant would cover the entire development of the bot/app and allow for complete focus and dedication. The cost is calculated based on what I’d need to fully focus on this project for an entire year.

After that the app must sustain itself by revenue generated from fees.

This will ensure that the project receives the attention it needs to succeed, ultimately benefiting the ApeCoin community by delivering a fully developed, secure and sustainable Discord Tipping Bot.

PROPOSAL

Link to the full proposal: (https://forum.apecoin.com/t/aip-529-development-and-enhancement-of-ape-bot-discord-tipping-bot/25915)

The AIP implementation is administered by the Ape Foundation. Implementation may be immaterially or materially altered to optimise for security, usability, to protect APE holders, and otherwise to effect the intent of the AIP. Any material deviations from an AIP, as initially approved, will be disclosed to the APE holder community.