COVID-19 brought many things to a halt, motorsports included. Although disruptive, the resulting digital reality boosted the sims racing experience, a reality driven by popular drivers now making an experience in virtual events. This list includes Formula 1’s Virtual Grand Prix, The Race: All-Star Series and eNASCAR featured on ESPN, FOX and other major TV broadcasters. Although this initial frenzy has since subsided with the reintroduction of live races, sim-racing has proven beneficial in scouting new talent and inspiring entirely new communities by blurring the line between the real and virtual world. With the world transitioning from pandemic to endemic, …

HSBC, one of the largest European banks with total assets of $2.4 trillion, announced its intention to buy a virtual plot of LAND within The Sandbox for an undisclosed amount. The new partners will develop opportunities for users to engage with sports, esports and gaming enthusiasts, according to the statement by The Sandbox. Delighted to announce we’ve partnered with @HSBC, one of the world’s largest international banking & financial services providers! Bringing a host of opportunities to engage with global financial services & sports communities in The Sandbox Metaverse.https://t.co/GmQ3lrVmnB — The Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) March 16, 2022 The banking giant will …

The world loves a good underdog story. At its core, many associate themselves with the underdog, recognizing the uphill battle they have overcome in their own lives. The capability to relate has since made the story universal, with similar narratives of constant difficulty being met with miraculous achievements occurring across sports, business and now cryptocurrencies aimed at evening the financial playing field. Not only do these stories give the world the inspiration needed to inspire their own forms of change, but with decentralized technologies, they also give participants a chance to be a part of the success. Floki is a …

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that its video and photo sharing app, Instagram, is preparing to add non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to the platform. “We’re working on bringing NFTs to Instagram in the near term,” Zuckerberg reportedly stated in an appearance at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas. The Facebook founder did not provide specifics on when the implementation would happen. Casey Newton, writer for the Platformer newsletter, tweeted from the conference that Zuckerberg also said that he hopes in the coming months, Instagram users would be able to mint their own NFTs on the platform. At #SXSW, …

Major credit card company American Express has filed trademark applications for some of its logos and designs, hinting at expanding into the metaverse. According to applications submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 9, American Express may be readying to provide “virtual concierge services” related to credit card transactions “in the metaverse and other virtual worlds.” The applications included trademarks on the use of some of its logos and branding with virtual payment cards, conducting banking services in the metaverse, and using its cards at a non-fungible token, or NFT, marketplace. AMERICAN EXPRESS has filed 7 trademark …

With blockchain slowly finding its way into the video gaming industry, sector veterans and executives of nonfungible token (NFT) blockchain WAX believe that there will be more connections between games and blockchain networks in the future. In a Cointelegraph interview, WAX head of publishing David Kim and WAX Studios head of game studios Michael Rubinelli shared their insights on NFTs, the metaverse and blockchain gaming. According to Kim, despite having less search interest on Google, engagement with games, the metaverse and NFTs is not dead. “On the WAX blockchain, we saw a doubling of the number of sales transactions at …

Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) are individuals that collectively organize in social applications and blockchains to pursue common goals and interests. As the direction of the Metaverse keeps maturing, DAOs are rallying around the prospect of utilizing and investing in the Metaverse. Seeing that Goldman Sachs placed an $8 trillion valuation on the sector, eyes and ears have peeled into the possibility of accessibility, usability and monetization of these virtual worlds. Owners of digital land in the Metaverse tout some of the most recognizable names like Adidas, Nike, Snoop Dogg and JPMorgan. These entities are investing in the digital land and …

Blockchain, cryptocurrencies and the metaverse are shaping how the world views money, finance and transactions of value in general. Although demonstrating a significant revolution in the fundamental way the world operates, understanding the technology's applicability on a personal basis is an entirely separate conversation. Since the industry is subject to constant developments, learning the technology's basics has resulted in a steep learning curve. In addition to constant changes, blockchain represents more than one concept, considering several pieces of knowledge across different disciplines instead, making the experience feel like learning an entirely new language altogether. And while no country speaks "blockchain," …

While the interest in metaverse seems to slow down, a pioneer in the space is still hard at work, advocating the open metaverse, a decentralized and interoperable multiverse. In an interview with Cointelegraph Brazil, Sebastien Borget, the founder of the open-world blockchain game The Sandbox, shared some of his thoughts and expertise when it comes to Web3 and the state of the metaverse. According to Borget, the metaverse is a gateway to new experiences limited only by what users can think of. He explained that: “Web 3.0 and the metaverse are enabling each of us to become an explorer of …

There’s been a sharp decline in interest for the “metaverse” keyword in Google search. However, while the hype may be waning, it seems that companies are still very keen on dipping their toes into the virtual world. In March alone, companies have either launched or revealed plans to build metaverse offices that would be used for online meetings with international clients, internal innovation hubs and enhancing social communication with users. While we may be witnessing its earlier versions, metaverse offices seem like a sneak peek into the future of work. With this, let’s take a look at some companies that …

Life gave crypto businessman Ilman Shazhaev lemons when he got stuck in Dubai in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, like the old adage, he “made lemonades” by recognizing the opportunities in the country. In a Cointelegraph interview, Shazhaev shared that he got stranded in the Middle-Eastern country during the pandemic lockdowns. However, he soon realized that it was a blessing in disguise. “At first, it was a coincidence — I got stuck in Dubai during the lockdown. Soon enough, I realized that this is the best place to conduct international business: very lucid business regulations plus an excellent …

The Sandbox metaverse announced its partnership with NFT community World of Women, or WoW, to launch the WoW Foundation. A $25 million grant from The Sandbox will help fund the foundation over the next five years. The mission of the WoW foundation is to amplify female representation in the NFT and metaverse spaces. As a collection of “diverse and powerful" women sold on the Ethereum blockchain, World of Women shared with Cointelegraph that they aim to lower the barrier to entry for women in Web3. "Our mission is to highlight and lift up as many female and underserved creators as …