Hxro, the startup behind the crypto-denominated game of skill, chance, and social engineering – MoonRekt – announced that players will be able to spend bitcoin to play the game.

From 600 early-stage users, MoonRekt has grown to more than 37,000 registered players – albeit if some were enticed with free HXRO, tokens native to the platform.

The game initially allowed users to bet HXRO, worth about 5 cents, on whether bitcoin’s price will rise or fall within a 5-minute window. Though the game is steeped in crypto’s ironic swagger, referring to price swings as MOON or REKT, the stakes are real.

Now, players will be able to bet the far more valuable cryptocurrency, bitcoin.

“As professional traders, we want to create a platform that mimicked the high-energy experience in the pits of the largest global derivatives exchanges,” said Rob Levy, Hxro’s president and co-founder.

Up the ante

“Our goal is to eventually become the preeminent alternative venue for playing cryptocurrencies, and we expect to add additional token protocols as demand for them reaches a critical mass,” said Hxro CEO Dan Gunsberg, in a statement.

The team also plans to launch a game that simulates portfolio construction, called MUHBAGS. A company representative said, players will compete against one another as “fantasy traders” to see who can build the best portfolio.

Additionally, according to a statement, the company plans on expanding the number of bonuses and rewards on offer, which will be a boon to users of HXRO tokens.

For now, however, the company will continue to take a flat 3 percent from the pot on both the HXRO and BTC versions of MoonRekt.

Screenshot from the HXRO beta game