Top 5 Upcoming Metaverse Projects

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Top 5 Upcoming Metaverse Projects

The digital frontier is expanding at a rapid pace with the development of numerous metaverse projects, each promising unique experiences that leverage blockchain technology and the concept of Web3. Among these emerging landscapes, projects like Eldora, The Otherside, Star Atlas, Outer Ring MMO, and Bloktopia are pushing the boundaries of virtual interaction, ownership, and gaming.

These platforms not only offer unprecedented opportunities for privacy, networking, and community building but also blend elements of economics, strategy, and role-playing into their fabric. From empowering users with user-friendly interfaces for community creation to providing a haven for crypto enthusiasts, these initiatives aim to reshape the way we interact with the digital and economic realms.

Eldora

The upcoming metaverse project Eldora aims to address major pain points that people face: lack of privacy in their online interaction, siloed network and rapidly evolving technologies. Eldora proposes two answers to these problems: a quick and easy on-ramp to the blockchain and a Web3 powered environment.

Eldora will provide an user-friendly interface for people who want to create their own community by using Web3 tools. With a key aspect of privacy, Eldora gives the opportunity for family offices, HNWI, to develop their network inside the metaverse and connect them with a money pool smart contract. Businesses will be able to directly connect with these actors for providing their services while individuals will be able to connect and learn about emerging blockchain. One of the main features of Eldora will be clubs which will facilitate the sharing of information and allow both businesses and consumers to network and share opportunities. To gain access to these clubs, users will need to have an Eldoran pass, which takes the form of a NFT on the Ethereum Blockchain.

Eldora will integrate many blockchain services to benefit Eldorans, such as an NFT marketplace, DEX, Defi protocol, trading room, on-chain data visualizations and on-chain messaging integration. The Eldora Pass NFT, which gives holders access to online and offline special events, clubs and businesses, will be available at a 50% discount for the first hundred whitelisted addresses. Register for the Eldoran Pass whitelist here.

Otherside

The Otherside is one of the most highly anticipated metaverse projects due to its ambitious plans and affiliation with Animoca brands and Yuga Labs, two prominent names in the Web3 space. The game will be an integral part of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) ecosystem, enabling NFTs to be transformed into playable characters within the metaverse.

Owners of Bored Ape Yacht Club or Mutant Ape Yacht Club NFTs will be allocated plots of land, and additional plots will be available for purchase using the APE token. These plots of land are represented by nonfungible deed tokens called Otherdeeds. The APE token is the platform’s native token and will be used for utility and governance actions within The Otherside metaverse. The Otherside is being developed using the M2 network, which can facilitate over 10,000 players simultaneously interacting with the platform, and features voice chat capable of supporting thousands of players speaking concurrently.

Star Atlas

Star Atlas is an innovative space exploration game that is being developed on the Solana blockchain. It offers players the chance to own and trade virtual assets, engage in epic battles, and immerse themselves in a vast and captivating sci-fi universe. Set in the year 2620, the game combines elements of strategy, role-playing and economics as players build and manage their own space empires, complete with customizable fleets of ships and advanced technologies. Three factions are available for players to join: the ONI, a consortium of alien species; the Uster, sentient androids; and the MUD, a faction of humans.

Thanks to its use of Unreal Engine 5, Star Atlas boasts stunning, next-generation graphics that rival or surpass the latest AAA games. The game operates on a dual-token model, utilizing the ATLAS token for utility and the POLIS token for governance. ATLAS tokenholders can purchase digital assets, including ships, land and equipment, and pay for operating expenses for their mining equipment and ships. Meanwhile, POLIS tokenholders wield power over different regions in the game, enabling them to levy taxes, charge tolls, and create laws for players in their jurisdiction.

Outer Ring

Outer Ring MMO is an RPG game that combines science fiction, fantasy, and a tokenized economy in an open-world universe. The open-ended storyline allows players to freely explore the vast galaxy and create their own stories, adding to the game’s replayability. The game’s fusion of genres, including third-person shooter, MMORPG, and open- persistent world, allows for various game modes and events, including PVP combat and eSports competitions. The different tiers of planets and environments add to the game’s playability, allowing players to choose their level of difficulty and risk.

The vision of Outer Ring as a metaverse is ambitious, as it aims to create a virtual world without physical and social boundaries, where players can interact, develop their own stories, and even engage in real-world transactions through the Player Driven Economy. The Galactic Quadrant token is the game’s governance token, allowing holders to have direct influence over the game and adding another layer of engagement for players.

Bloktopia

Bloktopia is an upcoming virtual reality blockchain game that aims to bring the crypto community together in an immersive and engaging environment. The game is represented as a skyscraper with 21 levels, paying homage to Bitcoin’s total supply of 21 million. The game will provide a central hub for crypto enthusiasts, where users can access crypto information and immersive content all in one place. Bloktopians will be able to earn revenue through real estate ownership, advertising revenue, games, building networks and more.

The game will use advanced 3D creation engine technology to create stunning visualizations and experiences. Players can use Bloktopia’s native token, BLOK, to purchase in-game items and upgrade their real estate, known as Reblok. Reblok will be a valuable commodity within Bloktopia, allowing users to speculate on the property and either resell for profit or lease for passive income opportunities. Bloktopians can also earn through advertising, with a proportion of advertising fees generated returned to tokenholders. Learn more about Bloktopia in our article here.

In conclusion, the metaverse is not just a singular concept but an ecosystem of diverse projects each carving out their niche within the digital universe. Eldora focuses on privacy-centric community building with blockchain convenience, while The Otherside expands the Bored Ape Yacht Club’s reach into virtual reality. Star Atlas invites players into an intricate space odyssey with strategic gameplay, and Outer Ring MMO merges genres for a multifaceted gaming experience. Finally, Bloktopia creates a VR-based central hub for the crypto community.

These platforms are not merely games or social networks; they represent the next step in online evolution—a convergence of technology, entertainment, and digital economics that promises to define the future of our online lives. Each project, with its specialized offerings, contributes to a broader vision of the metaverse—one that is rich with potential and waiting for explorers to stake their claim in its ever-expanding territories.

Top 5 Metaverse Projects

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Top 5 Metaverse Projects

In the dynamic world of digital innovation, developers are continually pushing boundaries to create immersive experiences that transform reality as we know it. This exploration is centered on Top 5 Metaverse Projects, which are setting new standards in virtual interaction: The Sandbox, Illuvium, DeFi Land, Decentraland, and Upland. Each of these platforms, integral components of the Top 5 Metaverse Projects, offers unique experiences, transforming how users interact with digital spaces and enabling a deeper level of engagement and ownership.

The Sandbox

The Sandbox is a virtual world building game where players can create, build and share their own voxel-based worlds and games with others. The Sandbox and its successor, The Sandbox Evolution, first hit the market as mobile-only Web2 games and became wildly popular, generating over 40 million downloads combined. Seeing the potential of blockchain technology, the games publisher, Pixowl, ventured into the Web3 space in 2018 to give players true ownership of their in-game items. The Sandbox metaverse platform comprises three main components: their voxel editor, marketplace and game maker. The Sandbox’s voxel editor, VoxEdit, and The Sandbox Game Maker allow anyone to build 3D models, games and nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

No coding is required for either editor, and they are completely free to use, facilitating a hassle-free experience for users aiming to make their first creation on the blockchain. Each model from VoxEdit is represented as an NFT called ASSETS. Users can earn from their NFT creations by uploading, publishing and selling their ASSETS on The Sandbox’s NFT Marketplace. The game uses three tokens to support its economy, SAND, LAND and ASSETS.

SAND is the games central token and is used for all of the ecosystem’s transactions. Holders of the SAND token can use it to acquire in-game items and NFTs, participate in governance, and earn rewards through staking. The nonfungible LAND tokens represent a digital piece of real estate in The Sandbox metaverse. Players can populate these LAND tokens with games and ASSETS. Each LAND token is large enough to support a robust gaming experience and can be managed by a single player, but those looking for a larger and more immersive online experience can combine multiple LAND tokens into an ESTATE.

Illuvium

Illuvium is a metaverse game that offers a unique combination of open-world fantasy gameplay and PvP autobattler mechanics. Players take on the role of a transport-ship survivor and explore a dangerous planet filled with mythical creatures known as Illuvials. The game features over 100 different Illuvials to collect and allows players to train and fuse their creatures to increase their power. The game’s economy is powered by its native token, ILV, which is used for purchasing Illuvials, staking and earning rewards. ILV holders will have a say in the project’s future, as stakers receive regular distributions and can vote on tokenomics-related issues and features in the game itself. The game’s integration with immutableX allows for instant peer-to-peer trading of in-game items with zero gas fees. Illuvium represents a new era in blockchain gaming, offering a fully decentralized protocol with AAA-rated blockchain gaming experiences that appeal to both casual and competitive players.

DeFi Land

DeFi Land is a decentralized finance game that incorporates well-known AMMs, DEXs and lending protocols to create a gamified environment where users can seamlessly perform DeFi actions. Each in-game asset corresponds to a real cryptocurrency, such as Solana (SOL) representing sunflowers, USD Coin (USDC) representing corn and Cope (COPE) representing pumpkins. In addition to DeFi features, DeFi Land offers mini-games and NFTs to enhance the user experience. Players can start for free and work their way up to the play-and-earn tier, where they can earn income for completing tasks or reaching milestones. The game features a dual-token model, with the native utility token, DFL, used for trading in-game assets and NFTs, staking and LP incentives, game mechanics, and governance votes. The game’s second token, GOLDY, is used to upgrade and craft NFTs and for in-game micro-transactions. DeFi Land is currently available on desktop, and a mobile version is in development, set to release later this year.

Decentraland

Decentraland is a decentralized virtual reality platform built on the Ethereum blockchain that allows users to buy, sell and create interactive 3D scenes and games. With the platform’s set of developer tools, including a visual scripting tool, users can easily create unique experiences, even if they have no programming skills. The world of Decentraland is represented as LAND, which is divided into parcels and sold to players for the platform’s native token, MANA. The value of each LAND token is determined by its location, with those located near attention hubs and capable of hosting applications being more valuable. Additionally, users have full control over the content published on their portion of virtual land. MANA is also used for purchasing in-game goods and services, making it an integral part of the platform’s ecosystem.

Upland

Upland offers players an exciting virtual property trading game where they can participate in buying, selling and trading virtual real estate based on real-world locations. The game’s interconnected world allows players to explore virtual cities, interact with one another, and take part in events. Moreover, the play-to-earn model of the game rewards players for their efforts by allowing them to earn real-world money using UPX, Upland’s native game currency.

Players can use UPX to mint property NFTs, which can be traded on an open marketplace for both USD and UPX. Unlike many in-game tokens, UPX has a fixed price and is not tradable outside the Upland ecosystem. This encourages players to reinvest their tokens into the game, as there is no token outflow. The game has already paid out over $1.5M to players. Furthermore, Upland takes pride in its thriving and active player base, which contributes to the game’s interconnected community. The developers plan to continue to expand the game by creating a fully realized digital metaverse that includes arcades, marketplaces, businesses and more.

With the continuous advancement of the digital age, the aforementioned metaverse projects – The Sandbox, Illuvium, DeFi Land, Decentraland, and Upland – serve as pioneers in the space. Each offers distinctive experiences that cater to diverse user preferences. From world-building and fantasy gameplay to gamified finance and virtual real estate, these platforms encapsulate the vast possibilities of the metaverse. As they continue to evolve and innovate, they pave the way for a future where virtual and real-world interactions seamlessly intertwine, redefining our perception of reality. Our exploration of the Top 5 Metaverse Projects provides a glimpse into the exciting future of the metaverse.

Top Metaverse Hacks

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Top Metaverse Hacks

The metaverse has largely avoided major platform exploits. However, bridges to these virtual worlds, like Axie Infinity’s Ronin Bridge, have been hacked, with $600 million stolen in the largest incident. As the metaverse grows and integrates more Web3 sectors, it becomes a more attractive target for hackers. Prioritizing security is crucial for the future of metaverse platforms.

No metaverse has suffered a major exploit in its platform layer so far, but bridges to metaverses have been hacked. This could mostly be attributed to the fact that other sectors of Web3, like DeFi, are far more vulnerable and lucrative to hackers. The single biggest exploit related to the metaverse has been related to the infrastructure layer.

Axie Infinity Ronin Bridge exploit: The Ronin Bridge hack is not only the biggest hack in the metaverse but the biggest by value in the entirety of Web3, with assets worth a whopping $600 million50 siphoned by hackers.

Acknowledging the raging popularity of its play-to-earn game, Axie Infinity, the parent company, Sky Mavis, moved the game onto its own network from Ethereum to make transactions cheaper for players; it was a sidechain of Ethereum called the Ronin network. Players could move their assets in or out from the sidechain to the Ethereum mainnet through the Ronin Bridge.

Axie Infinity soon became the highest revenue-generating DApp, with over $1.5 billion in value locked on the Ronin network at its peak.

On March 23, 2022, an attacker managed to obtain four of the Ronin validator keys, which were held by Sky Mavis centralized servers. The attacker then identified a backdoor in the gasless remote procedure call node and successfully obtained access to five private keys, including four validators of Sky Mavis and one validator operated by Axie DAO. According to the Ronin Bridge design, only five out of nine validator keys are required to recognize a withdrawal or deposit event, which allowed the attacker to validate and drain funds from the bridge.

Following the incident, Binance and a16z led a fresh round of $150 million in funding and insured Axie users of reimbursement, preventing a snowball effect from the crisis.

Since then, various attempts have been made to recover the stolen funds, with a government bureau of Norway, Chaina lysis and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation managing to recover $36 million cumulatively.

Although this exploit was not directly related to metaverse technology itself, it serves as a reminder that as the metaverse evolves and incorporates other Web3 primitives lack of major exploits, the metaverse remains a major target like DeFi, it will also inherit their vulnerabilities. Despite the for social engineering hacks, with Arkose abs, a fraud prevention entity, reporting that metaverse businesses face more bot attacks compared to other sectors.

As adoption increases and more valuable data and assets are stored in the metaverse, it will soon be under threat from major exploits. This is reflected in Metas strategy to attract white hat hackers to hack its R AR headsets and reward them up to $300,000 for finding critical vulnerabilities.

Metaverse platforms must ensure that security is their top priority in the coming years if they want to thrive.

In conclusion, the metaverse, despite its relative insulation from major exploits thus far, is not immune to the vulnerabilities that plague other Web3 sectors. The Axie Infinity Ronin Bridge exploit serves as a stark reminder of this fact. As the metaverse continues to grow in popularity, attracting more users and storing more valuable data and assets, it becomes an increasingly attractive target for hackers. Therefore, it is incumbent upon metaverse platforms to prioritize security in their development strategies. The future success and sustainability of the metaverse hinge on the ability to provide a secure environment for its users.

The Case for Bitcoin in an Institutional Portfolio Research Report

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The Case for Bitcoin in an Institutional Portfolio Research Report

The fusion of traditional investment strategies with the innovative world of Bitcoin has created a new horizon for institutional investors. This groundbreaking report delves into Bitcoin’s potential to revolutionize asset portfolios, offering a meticulous analysis of its historical performance and strategic importance. It uncovers the compelling reasons driving institutional interest towards Bitcoin and addresses the challenges and opportunities this digital asset presents. With over 120 pages, six chapters, and 94 charts, this report provides a step-by-step guide for institutional investors who want to learn more about Bitcoin.

Download ‘The Case for Bitcoin in an Institutional Portfolio’ Research Report. 

Bitcoin’s Strategic Impact on Institutional Portfolios

In exploring the optimal allocation strategies and time horizons for Bitcoin investments, the report highlights Bitcoin’s unique market behavior. It discusses the balancing act of volatility and returns, providing a nuanced view of how Bitcoin can enhance portfolio diversification. The report also examines the global regulatory landscape, crucial for institutions navigating this new terrain.

Between 2014 and 2023, a portfolio with a traditional 60-40 allocation in stocks and bonds, rebalanced quarterly, achieved a 71% cumulative return. However, this return was significantly enhanced to 157% by incorporating just a 5% investment in Bitcoin. This stark contrast underscores Bitcoin’s powerful influence in portfolio performance, demonstrating its effectiveness as a diversifier and a potential source of higher returns in mixed-asset portfolios.

The report further addresses the infrastructural aspects of institutional Bitcoin investment. It sheds light on the technological and operational considerations essential for incorporating Bitcoin into traditional investment portfolios, emphasizing the importance of security and regulatory compliance.

Expert Insights and Forward-Looking Analysis

The report is a culmination of expert research, drawing on diverse perspectives from finance and technology. It’s an invaluable resource for institutional investors, providing a comprehensive understanding of Bitcoin’s role in the future of finance and offering forward-looking insights into the evolving landscape of digital assets.

The Technological Limitations
of a Blockchain-Based Metaverse

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The Technological Limitations
of a Blockchain-Based Metaverse

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, blockchain technology has emerged as a key component in the development of the metaverse. The promise of decentralization, composability, and self-custody has made it an attractive choice. Yet, despite its potential, there are significant technological challenges that need to be addressed for widespread adoption. Among these are issues related to storage, scalability, and the high costs associated with maintaining a seamless user experience.

Blockchain is one of the main pillars of the current iteration of the metaverse. It enables users to have full control over their assets, and with the soaring popularity of NFTs and various GameFi projects, blockchain technology has become the de facto choice for new metaverse projects.

However, despite the obvious benefits of decentralization, composability and self-custody, most blockchain-based metaverse projects have a couple of major technological limitations that serve as major roadblocks to mass adoption.

Storage and scalability: Blockchains, by design, are made tohave a limited block size to make the network fast and accessible to its validators and miners. For example, Ethereum’s average block size ranges only between 70 and 100kB49. Storing all the data associated with virtual objects, avatars and other elements of the virtual world would considerably slow down any blockchain currently and would also cost a large amount of gas fees for the metaverse protocol and users alike.

For example, if a metaverse game decides to store all its objects and actions on-chain, a user would have to pay a gas fee for every trivial action they take in the metaverse, even if the metaverse is built on a cost-efficient platform like Solana or Near. The issue of having to sign a transaction for every action would degrade the quality of the experience.

In addition to the storage issue, most blockchains are not scalable and can’t match the transaction throughput of Web2 transaction channels like Mastercard, while the ones that claim to be highly scalable compromise on decentralization. Thus, as more users join the metaverse, the demand for processing power and network bandwidth increases, making it challenging for current blockchain technology to handle the volume of transactions and data associated with the metaverse.

The best of both worlds: Way forward for metaverse?

It is clear that a metaverse solely built on a blockchain cannot have both AAA graphics and decentralization. That’s why it is important for metaverse projects to use blockchain only for the transaction layer while using a Web2 framework for the experience layer. Many upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game titles, such as Delysium, are using this approach.

The platforms could utilize traditional graphics engines like Unreal Engine and develop a desktop or mobile application that could then be linked to a blockchain through an API or other integration method. Players could then use cryptocurrency or other blockchain-based tokens to make purchases or engage in other in-game activities through their crypto wallet.

This approach, though simple on paper, is still not mainstream, as it requires a great deal of expertise and financial resources. To develop a fully fledged AAA graphics platform alone, the average costs could be in the tens of millions. On top of that, the project would require blockchain developers and experts, which could again cost the project millions.

The future of the metaverse hinges on finding a balance between the advantages of blockchain and the practical necessities of creating a user-friendly platform. A potential solution lies in leveraging both blockchain and Web2 frameworks, with blockchain serving the transaction layer and Web2 catering to the experience layer. This approach, while promising, is still in its nascent stages and requires considerable resources. Despite these hurdles, it presents a viable path forward for well-funded metaverse projects.

In conclusion, the metaverse’s journey is just beginning, and blockchain technology, despite its limitations, plays an integral role. The successful integration of blockchain with traditional Web2 frameworks could unlock new possibilities, enhancing the user experience while preserving the benefits of decentralization. However, the financial and technical challenges involved in this endeavor underscore the need for continued innovation and investment in the metaverse space.

Visual Metaverses and their Popularity

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Visual Metaverses and their Popularity

The advent of metaverse technologies, particularly Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), has brought about a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and interact with our environment. These disruptive technologies are continuously evolving, pushing boundaries and redefining possibilities. From educational applications to urban planning, these immersive technologies are significantly impacting various facets of our lives.

Undoubtedly visual metaverses are the most popular format for metaverse, but there are two main areas of the visual metaverse that are witnessing the bulk of technology innovation in the AR/VR experience. 

In terms of AR/VR, the focus is still very much on pushing the limits in creating an AR/VR set that could provide an immersive experience along with comfort to the user. Meta just launched its flagship AR/VR Meta Quest Pro, which has significant improvements in performance, display, features and comfort over its predecessor and features both eye and face tracking to accurately replicate it in the user avatar.

The headsets become sleeker every year with most original equipment manufacturers striving to eliminate their clunkiness and make them as natural as standard eyewear like sunglasses or contact lenses. In June 2022, Mojo Labs Vision announced the world’s first AR contact lens. With more technology giants like Apple planning to enter the realm of AR/VR headsets, the innovation is expected to be on the cutting edge. 

The AR APIs also kept getting better. In 2022, Google introduced a new API called the Google Maps Platform for AR, which allows developers to create geospatial AR experiences that are tied to specific locations in space. This means that users can now experience AR content in a much more contextual manner, as the content is directly linked to the physical location of the user.

The innovation in graphics is less dramatic than the innovation in AR/VR, as the graphics industry is more mature. Popular gaming engines like Unreal Engine 5, Unity and Amazon Lumbaryard have already demonstrated that we have reached a point where real-world graphics are possible.

The pace of innovation in AR/VR technologies is staggering. Whether it’s the development of more comfortable and immersive headsets, or the introduction of new APIs allowing for more contextual and location-specific AR experiences, the advancements in this field continue to astound. The graphics industry, though more mature, is not far behind in the race, with gaming engines demonstrating the possibility of real-world graphics.

In conclusion, the world is at the cusp of a technological revolution fueled by AR/VR and metaverse technologies. As we move forward, these innovations promise to further blur the lines between physical reality and digital worlds, transforming how we interact with each other and our surroundings. The future of AR/VR in the metaverse is bright and holds immense potential for humanity.

What are Non-Visual and Text-Based Metaverses?

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What are Non-Visual and Text-Based Metaverses?

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the concept of the metaverse has taken center stage. This article explores two unique types of metaverses: non-visual and text-based. Non-visual metaverses rely on senses other than sight, such as sound, smell, and touch, to create immersive experiences for users.

Sound-based metaverses, in particular, are gaining traction, with technologies like spatial audio and ambisonics creating 3D audio experiences. Meanwhile, text-based metaverses, which date back to the 1980s, use primarily text-based communication in virtual worlds. The incorporation of AI and ML models is set to revolutionize these text-based metaverses further.

Non-visual metaverse: In a non-visual metaverse, a user relies on non-visual aspects such as sound, smell and touch to interact with the content. Currently, most of the non-visual metaverse projects are geared toward sound, as that’s the easiest to incorporate. Spatial audio technology is the key component of sound-based metaverses. Technologies like Dolby Atmos and Waves NX are being utilized by metaverse platforms to give users a 3D audio experience. 

Some other audio techniques that are being utilized by metaverse platforms are:

  • Ambisonics: Use of four or more microphones to capture audio from all directions, which can then be decoded and rendered to create a 360-degree soundscape.
  • Object-based audio: A technology that allows audio to be placed in a virtual 3D space, with the listener’s position determining the audio mix and placement.
  • Head-related transfer function (HRTF): A technique that uses filters to simulate the way sound travels through the human head and ears, creating a more realistic spatial audio experience.
  • Binaural audio: A method of recording audio using two microphones that are placed inside a dummy head, creating a more immersive and accurate spatial audio experience.

There is still a lot to be desired from other forms of non-visual metaverse such as smell- and touch-based; however, some small strides have been made, with OVR technologies planning to release a headset later in 2023 that uses scents scents to create different aromas. Similarly, Emerge is creating a sensor that would allow people to feel the texture of an object in the metaverse.

Text-based metaverse: Text-based metaverse has been one of the earliest kinds of metaverse formats, with programs such as multi-user shared hallucinations (MUSHes) and multi-user dungeons (MUDs) having been around since the 1980s. These are virtual worlds that rely primarily on text-based communication, rather than visual or audio interfaces. MUD and MUSHes were followed by MUD object-oriented (MOOs), which allowed users to use programming scripts to control the behavior of objects and the environment. 

Incorporating AI and ML models is the next big step for the text-based metaverse, particularly after the arrival of chatGPT. Many users have tried combining chatGPT with the multi-user dungeons to achieve intriguing results. AIDungeon is one of the text-based metaverses that is actively using AI to provide users with a unique experience. 

In conclusion, the metaverse is a diverse and dynamic digital frontier. Non-visual metaverses are pushing the boundaries of sensory engagement, with sound currently leading the way and promising developments in smell and touch-based experiences. On the other hand, the resurgence of text-based metaverses, bolstered by AI and ML advancements, is redefining interactive storytelling and user experience. As we continue to explore and innovate within these spaces, the possibilities for the metaverse seem boundless.

The Metaverse Technology

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The Metaverse Technology

The metaverse technology, a blend of various hardware and software components, is a complex system enabling the creation, management, and experience of virtual spaces. It contains five key layers: platform, networking, middleware, content, and hardware.

The metaverse technology stack is an intricate system that encompasses a diverse array of hardware and software components. From virtual and augmented reality devices to cloud computing platforms, blockchain-based digital identities and AI-powered virtual environments, the metaverse stack is multifaceted and complex.

At a high level, the metaverse stack can be divided into several distinct layers: 

Platform layer: At the platform layer, we have software that enables the creation, management and hosting of virtual environments and assets. These platforms could be centralized like Second Life or decentralized like The Sandbox.

Networking layer: This layer encompasses the infrastructure that facilitates communication and data transfer between devices and servers in the metaverse. This includes well-known protocols, such as TCP/IP and HTTP, and specialized protocols, such as WebRTC, for real-time communication.

Middleware layer: The middleware layer comprises software components that provide essential services, such as identity management, payments, APIs and social networking within the metaverse. Examples of metaverse middleware include identity systems like High Fidelity and wallets like MetaMask.

The content layer: This is where the magic happens. This layer consists of the virtual assets, environments and experiences that are created by users and developers within the metaverse. From virtual clothing and accessories to fully interactive games and simulations, the content layer is where users can truly unleash their creativity. 

Hardware layer: This layer consists of physical devices that enable users to interact with the metaverse, including virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses and other sensory devices. These devices allow users to fully immerse themselves in the metaverse and experience its wonders firsthand. Devices like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive would fall under this category.

In essence, the metaverse technology stack is an intricate combination of layers that facilitate creation, interaction, and immersion in virtual environments. Each layer, from platform to hardware, plays an indispensable role in shaping the metaverse and the way we engage with it.

New Metaverse Project Stocks

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New Metaverse Project Stocks

Navigating the digital waters of the metaverse, investors are on the lookout for potential goldmines. Big players like Meta are already investing heavily, but finding a company solely focused on the metaverse is still elusive. This piece aims to guide you on spotting both publicly listed companies and greenhorns in this exciting new realm.

Publicly traded companies are usually maturer than their tokenized counterparts. As of now, we don’t know of any company that focuses exclusively on the metaverse.

Meta (formerly known as Facebook) is definitely pouring tons of money into the development of the technology and user experience around that subject but, so far, has seen little success, much to the chagrin of shareholders.

Please check out section 4.2 of this report for the top publicly listed companies in this space. This section will focus on finding the newcomers. DefiLlama(1) has a section that features recent raises and gives you some details about the companies.

You can use the search function of your web browser to find metaverse-related raises and follow companies to see when they’re doing an initial public offering (IPO).

A good old internet search for “new metaverse stocks” will also surface numerous websites that give you the low down on incumbents and newcomers alike.(2)

If you’re already an active investor, you’ll likely have a go-to list of stock-picking websites like the Motley Fool or Liberated Trader that you frequent. Searching for metaverse stocks there might surprise you.

Watching sites that cover new IPOs and researching companies is also a good way to get in as early as possible, but of course, this requires a certain amount of time dedicated to the process.(3)

You can also leave the research to dedicated professionals and buy one of the ETFs or other funds in our section 4.3 to get exposure to the metaverse with minimal upfront work.

Of course, Cointelegraph will report on metaverse IPOs on its news site — definitely worth watching.

Investing in the metaverse is no child’s play; it requires vigilance and knowledge. From using websites like DefiLlama to tracking IPOs, there are several ways to stay informed. Alternatively, ETFs and other funds offer a less labor-intensive option. With news sites like Cointelegraph, keeping up with metaverse IPOs becomes a breeze. As we plunge deeper into the metaverse, the key to success lies in staying ahead of the curve.

(1) DefiLlama’s raises database can be found here: Raises – DefiLlama
(2) Bing search for “new metaverse stocks” here: new metaverse stocks – Search (bing.com)
(3) Here is a website that covers recent and upcoming IPOs: 2023 IPO Calendar

How to Find Out About New Metaverse Tokens

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How to Find Out About New Metaverse Tokens

The metaverse, a burgeoning frontier of digital interaction, offers exciting opportunities through project tokens and stocks. This article guides you to resources like Cointelegraph, CoinGecko, and CoinMarketCap for the latest metaverse news and trends. DappRadar provides key metrics for DApps, while Twitter influencers offer additional insights. However, due to the risks associated with smaller projects, thorough research is paramount.

So, you want your slice of the metaverse? Eager to stake your claim in these new lands? We got you covered. This section will equip you with the tools you need to find out about new metaverse project tokens and stocks.

Let’s start with tokens. As we discussed earlier in this report, tokens are usually the hallmark of Web3 metaverse projects, such as Illuvium or Decentraland, whereas some Web2 projects come from publicly traded companies, like Meta.

First, Cointelegraph’s excellent coverage of current affairs lets you search for the term “metaverse” so you’re the first to know if a new project launches.Price aggregator CoinGecko has a distinct metaverse section that you can sort by performance to see trends.

Watch out, because there are some microcaps in there that are likely very risky to hold because liquidity will be very constrained. This is not financial advice, please do your own research.

CoinMarketCap(1) also has a metaverse section and has slightly higher market cap requirements. CMC charges coins for listings, which also means you might miss some grass-roots developments that do not want to pay to play.

Last but definitely not least is DappRadar(2), which focuses on important metrics for DApps, like unique active wallets (UAWs) and balance (TVL for games). DappRadar is a great place to check if projects are getting traction.

Following Twitter influencers isn’t a bad idea, either. Zeneca.eth(3) and his Zen Academy are a good place to start. Punk6529(4) and 1990s rapper MC Hammer have surprisingly deep NFT and metaverse know-how.

In conclusion, the metaverse presents a thrilling new chapter in digital interaction. With the right tools and resources, you can navigate this evolving space and potentially become a pioneer in this digital landscape.

1. CoinMarketCap’s metaverse section can be found here: Top Metaverse Tokens
2. DappRadar doesn’t have a metaverse section, but its “Games” section is close: Top Blockchain Games
3. Join its Discord server here: Discord – Zen Academy
4. Twitter profile here: 6529 (@punk6529) / Twitter

The Top Funds That Invest in the Metaverse

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The Top Funds That Invest in the Metaverse

The metaverse, a digital universe that mirrors our own, is attracting significant interest from investors. This article explores the two main types of funds investing in this emerging space: exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and venture capital (VC) funds. ETFs primarily invest in established, publicly-traded companies, while VC funds support businesses at various stages of development, often with a focus on early-stage financing. While VC funds are typically closed to the public, they can provide valuable networking opportunities and significantly increase a project’s chances of success.

Funds that invest into metaverses come in two major categories: exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and VC funds. ETFs deal with already public companies that have matured for longer, while VCs fund anything from angel rounds to later stage financing rounds. Most VC funds are not open to the public, though. Nevertheless, the involvement of a top-tier VC usually boosts a project’s popularity and chances of success. Good VCs also bring a considerable network to the table that portfolio companies can tap to get ahead.

We found the following ETFs investing decidedly into metaverse stocks:

  • Fidelity Metaverse ETF (FMET) 
  • Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF (METV) 
  • Global X Metaverse ETF (VR) 
  • Ishares Future Metaverse Tech And Communications ETF (IVRS) 
  • Evolve Metaverse ETF (MESH)
  • Subversive Metaverse ETF (PUNK)
  • ProShares Metaverse ETF (VERS)
  • Horizons Global Metaverse Index ETF (MTAV)

Most of these ETFs contain Nvidia, Microsoft and Meta, but some have interesting additions, such as TMSC or Block Inc as well as Cloudflare. It would be easy to portray these efforts as bandwagonning, but they do offer decent exposure to a relevant portfolio in one easy swoop. What’s not to like?

Regarding VCs that invest into metaverse projects, we can finally bridge over to the Web3 and token world. Many VCs had invested into token based projects even before Facebook rebranded to Meta and a flurry of others followed shortly thereafter.

The top funds are:

  • a16z
  • Polychain Capital
  • Sequoia Capital
  • Archetype
  • Dragonfly Labs
  • And many exchange investment arms like Binance Labs, KuCoin capital and others.

These funds invest into token-based projects like The Sandbox but also into GameFi and other VR projects. The beauty of the VC model is that only one in a couple of checks has to make it big to validate a fund, which allows this kind of capital to finance multiple pathways to metaverse adoption at the same time.

Recently, investors have not looked upon Facebook’s rebranding as Meta with favor, but we the jury are still out if the claim staking by CEO Mark Zuckerberg was not a great move in the end.

In conclusion, the metaverse represents an exciting new frontier for investment, with both ETFs and VC funds playing crucial roles in its development. Despite some skepticism regarding Facebook’s recent rebranding to Meta, it’s clear that many investors see potential in the metaverse space. With diverse portfolios that include both established tech giants and innovative start-ups, these funds offer multiple pathways for metaverse adoption. The future of the metaverse is still being written, but one thing is certain: investors who understand this space will be well-positioned to benefit from its growth.

What are the Top Metaverse Publicly Listed Stocks?

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What are the Top Metaverse Publicly Listed Stocks?

Metaverses are fluid entities, constantly reshaped and redefined by multiple players. The technologies propelling these virtual universes today might be starkly different from those in use a decade or so down the line. This article discusses five public companies – Nvidia, Unity Software, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Roblox – that are making significant strides in shaping the metaverse.

Passive observers of the metaverse may ostensibly be prone to perceiving this buzzword as a destination, or an end-game, with a “winner-takes-all” ethos serving as the overriding motivation of competing entities in this space. The reality, though, is that metaverses are still very fluid, with multiple entities altering and shaping their contours by the day. Besides, the optimal mix of underlying technologies that buttresses a paradigm of the metaverse in 2037 could be very different from what’s deemed as credible in 2023. Thus, in the context of what we’ve just laid out, we think the following publicly listed entities may be worth considering for the medium term.

Nvidia

Nvidia specializes in the design and development of high-performance 3D graphic processing units (GPUs) that will be instrumental in proving the necessary processing power to ensure seamless interactions with the virtual environments of the metaverse. Crucially, Nvidia’s Omniverse platform gives users a gateway to metaverse applications and is already being used by auto and defence stalwarts in areas such as virtual factory planning, simulation, etc. 

Having great plans for the metaverse is one thing, but Nvidia also has the necessary financial chops to fund its transformative metaverse ambitions; for context, this is a business that has generated positive free cash flow (FCF) every year since 2010.

Unity Software

One of the biggest hindrances to further metaverse adoption lies in the interoperability deficit of this universe. Put another way, we have a lot of metaverse platforms that offer immersive experiences in isolation, but the interconnectedness of these experiences across platforms is still a challenge. 

Unity Software could play a key role in bridging that deficit as it already provides a developer platform called UDP, which enables gaming developers to construct one version of a game that can then be distributed and managed across multiple platforms. Unity’s IP, which has a high flexibility quotient, isn’t limited to gaming alone and can be used in a range of industries encompassing the film industry, manufacturing, construction to name a few. 

It’s also worth noting that Unity is one of the founding members in the establishment of the Metaverse Standards Forum and will likely play a key role in establishing consistent standards that could facilitate interoperability in the open metaverse.

Meta Platforms, Inc. 

Meta Platforms is currently in the process of building VR- and AR-related hardware that could be integral to accessing and interacting with the metaverse. Separately, this hardware could also be used to conduct immersive work experiences or conduct court hearings virtually.

While a number of mega-caps are making a splash in the metaverse, it is arguable whether there are too many of them that share the heightened level of fidelity that Meta Platforms has to the metaverse. From rebranding itself to Meta in 2021, to burning over $10 billion a year ($13.7 billion in 2022) in Reality Labs (the metaverse division) alone, there is an inherent seriousness with which the company is tackling its ambitions in this space.

Microsoft

Microsoft will have its foot in the door across multiple facets of the metaverse. Key applications include gaming, networking and enhancing 3D virtual environments with low-latency cloud support.

Microsoft’s inherent financial muscle shouldn’t be played down and will enable the company to engage in big transformation projects in the metaverse, either organically or inorganically (something akin to Activision Blizzard). For some context, Microsoft’s cash on its balance sheet has consistently exceeded its level of debt, whilst its operating profits have comfortably covered its interest bill by 30x over the last decade.

Roblox

The metaverse needs non-physical, immersive platforms where humans can create, socialise, transact and engage in various virtual experiences at ease. This, in a nutshell, is what Roblox offers, and what’s key is that it has already amassed around 58.8 million daily active users on its platform.

This isn’t just a platform where one gets to engage in traditional gaming applications; rather, users also have the option of programming games, creating content and monetizing their efforts via a virtual currency called “Robux.”

In conclusion, the metaverse is not a distant reality but a rapidly evolving space. Companies like Nvidia, Unity Software, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Roblox are not only contributing to its development but also actively shaping its future. Each company brings unique capabilities, from high-performance GPUs and developer platforms to immersive hardware and engaging social platforms. With their financial strength, technological prowess, and forward-thinking strategies, these companies are poised to play pivotal roles in the evolution of the metaverse. As we move ahead, watching how these entities further their metaverse ambitions will provide a fascinating insight into the future of this exciting digital realm.

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