Crypto leaders are divided over whether Mark Zuckerberg should lead Facebook into the Metaverse, with Hodl Asset’s Jenny Ta saying he needs to resign if Meta is to succeed while Animoca’s Yat Siu says Zuck is the only one who can drive the company forward. Ta is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of nonfungible token (NFT) platform developer Hodl Assets, and said that Zuckerberg needs to head off lawsuits and protect the company’s image by relinquishing his role as CEO. But the co-founder and Chairman of blockchain game and virtual property developer Animoca Brands, Yat Su said that Zuck is …

Blockchain gaming platform Enjin is establishing a new fund to support the development of the metaverse ecosystem and make it more decentralized. Enjin, a startup behind the nonfungible token (NFT)-focused blockchain Efinity, has formed a $100 million fund to support Efinity adopters as well as other related projects, the startup announced Thursday. “It is now time for us to turn this into an official, public, and conscious piece of our growth strategy, and support a free, open, and decentralized Metaverse,” Enjin said, adding that it will consider equity investments in seed funding rounds and token purchases to nurture the ecosystem. …

Crypto exchange KuCoin has announced it will be opening a virtual office inside the skyscraper from the decentralized metaverse Bloktopia. In a Nov. 2 announcement, KuCoin said it would be joining the metaverse by launching an office inside Bloktopia’s platform, designed as a skyscraper. The virtual building has 21 different levels in recognition of the total supply of 21 million Bitcoin (BTC) and is expected to house other content creators including Polygon and Avalanche. According to the exchange, the meta office will allow users to decorate cyberpunks, interact with virtual furnishings, as well as chat and speak to each other …

The concept of the metaverse introduces alternate realities, linking augmented and virtual worlds, similar to the well-known Steven Spielberg movie Ready Player One. Running parallel to the real world, this virtual world will provide users with more scenes for conversion and various economic applications open to the creativity and ability of the developer. With many possibilities, it is no wonder that so many technology giants continue to invest heavily in the possibilities the metaverse development has to offer. The potential impact is so large, many continue to believe that this could be the next large-scale platform after the internet. However, …

U.S. tech giant Microsoft is taking the plunge into the Metaverse via updates to its Teams and Xbox gaming console services, along with a new product called “Dynamics 365 Connected Spaces.” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the firm’s Metaverse plans for Teams and Spaces on Nov. 2 during the Microsoft Ignite conference. “The Metaverse enables us to embed computing into the real world and to embed the real world into computing. Bringing real presence to any digital space. What’s most important is that we are able to bring our humanity with us, and choose how we want to experience this …

Sports footwear and apparel manufacturer Nike is exploring the design of virtual materials featuring its iconic logo and slogan. According to Oct. 27 records at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Nike has filed applications for its namesake, swoosh logo, and "just do it" slogan to be used in virtual goods for its entertainment services, retail stores, and "for use online and in online virtual worlds." The filings, along with two recent job postings for virtual material designers, suggest the company is laying the groundwork for Nike-branded products in the metaverse. Nike said the prospective employees would “play a key …

Nick Clegg, Vice‑President for Global Affairs and Communications at Meta Platforms, spoke at Lisbon’s Web Summit 2021 during a panel on Facebook and innovation in Europe. The world’s biggest tech conference has returned to a physical setting following a two-year, Covid-induced virtual hiatus. The event is showcasing an illustrious list of entrepreneurs, organizations and influencers at the cutting-edge of their respective fields and has — according to recent data compiled by the Web Summit communications team — attracted 42,751 attendees from 128 countries, 50.5% of which are female, the highest ever participation in the ten-year event’s history. Interviewed by Matthew …

We might know Mars as the red planet, but many look to the planet as more, being a mystery and a world full of potential. Nearly 60 years ago, scientists believed the planet contained water and life in the form of a plantlike lichen. These initial findings were enough to push the US’ perseverance of a rover landing on Mars. The rover successfully drilled its first Martian rock core for NASA, sparking interest in this new world. Today, rovers and other astronauts continue to learn more about the planet as enthusiasts support the dream of life on Mars. With the …

The metaverse continues to be the next attraction point of crypto for investors, with The Sandbox, an Animoca Brands subsidiary and nonfungible token (NFT) metaverse platform, raising fresh capital in a funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Marking SoftBank Vision Fund 2’s first investment into the crypto assets, The Sandbox’s Series B round saw $93 million raised with the participation of Animoca Brands, True Global Ventures, Galaxy Interactive, SCB 10X, Polygon Studios and Samsung Next, among others. According to the announcement, The Sandbox aims to speed up the growth of its open metaverse with games, live performances and …

Nonfungible token, or NFT, investment firm Sfermion have announced a secondary funding raise of $100 million — appropriately titled Fund II — from a number of established cryptocurrency investors including British billionaire Alan Howard, American entrepreneur Chris Dixon, Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and venture capital firm Digital Currency Group, amongst others. Whereas predecessor Fund I focused solely on NFT investment opportunities, seven-figure Fund II will be utilized to “accelerate the emergence of an open, decentralized metaverse” through strategic investments. Founded in 2019 by Andrew Steinwold, Sfermion are intent on identifying and investing in emerging projects, technologies and individuals …

Huobi Group, a company operating one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is launching its own nonfungible token (NFT) marketplace, following in the steps of other major crypto exchanges. Huobi has rolled out a trial for Huobi NFT, an NFT marketplace allowing users to buy and trade NFT artwork and collectibles in numerous sectors like games, art, animation and music, Huobi Group announced on Monday. According to the announcement, the launch marks a milestone in the extension of Huobi’s metaverse strategy, a concept combining multiple technologies like virtual reality to bring a 3D virtual environment featuring activities like online gaming …

Halloween is traditionally known for costumes, candy and trick or treating, but this year, the holiday is transitioning to the virtual world as the metaverse unfolds. As such, nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, are being created to showcase Halloween themes in hopes of attracting collectors looking for themed drops. Although Halloween-inspired NFTs appear to be a new concept, NFT artist Etsploit told Cointelegraph that Halloween holds a certain cultural importance that can't be dismissed: “I think people will collect NFTs for Halloween similar to that of NFT limited editions or releases of anything else.” Given this sentiment, Etsploit launched the “Mango …