<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/master-your-crypto"></a><div type="image" title="People playing video games" height="4480" width="5973" msid="94207720" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider spoke with industry experts about gaming's potential to take crypto to a broader audience. </li><li>Blockchain gaming VC investments notched $2.5 billion during Q2 2022, according to DappRadar.</li></ul>Blockchain gaming raked in $2.5 billion in funding during Q2, 2022, according to a DappRadar <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crypto-gaming-blockchain-report-growth-slows-still-less-volatile-market-2022-7">report</a>. The burgeoning space has attracted some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley, with Andreessen Horowitz <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/andreessen-horowitz-debuts-600-million-gaming-fund-to-add-to-web3-bets-11652878800">debuting</a> a $600 million fund for gaming startups in May. Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based game developer and crypto investor, also <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zinnialee/2022/07/12/animoca-brands-hits-59-billion-valuation-as-crypto-winter-deepens/?sh=7d12d3f8469d">secured</a> a $75 million raise at a $5.9 billion valuation in July. Total investments in the sector this year, by some <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crypto-gaming-blockchain-report-growth-slows-still-less-volatile-market-2022-7">measures</a>, are outpacing last year's by around 33%.Franklin Bi, the director of portfolio development at crypto hedge fund Pantera Capital, previously told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crypto-gaming-blockchain-report-growth-slows-still-less-volatile-market-2022-7">Insider</a> that it is blockchain gaming's "perfect moment" to "take off.""The gaming industry travels in cycles. New cycles are historically marked by new tech or new business models or novel user experiences. Crypto and NFTs have opened up all of the above," Bi said in a statement.There have been a slew of household names jumping on the blockchain gaming bandwagon. Microsoft Corp. <a href="https://decrypt.co/90634/microsoft-69b-activision-blizzard-deal-metaverse-move">announced</a> plans in January to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc. – commonly known as the publisher of franchises like Minecraft and Call of Duty – for $68.7 billion. Microsoft says the deal will help develop "building blocks for the metaverse," according to a statement from CEO and Chairman Satya Nadella. With the gaming market <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2022-free-version">valued</a> at almost $200 billion this year, there is potential in onboarding a critical mass of users through blockchain games. Insider spoke with industry experts about the nascent space and its potential to take crypto to a broader audience. <h2>NFTs as a way to own in-game assets</h2>Gaming may be one of the main driving forces for mainstream adoption in crypto, Pavel Bains, the CEO of blockchain startup Bluzelle, says."I have three kids who grew up on Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox," Bains told Insider in a statement. "Virtual currencies and acquiring in-game digital assets is what they already know." He added: "The power of crypto can help turn those virtual goods into tangible assets for committed gamers. It's a natural progression for the upcoming generation and they will use it as a vehicle to learn valuable finance lessons at the same time."In traditional games, players commonly buy skins or virtual cosmetics for their characters. This is a market, per trading platform <a href="https://venturebeat.com/2020/12/18/newzoo-u-s-gamers-are-in-love-with-skins-and-in-game-cosmetics/">DMarket,</a> that generates roughly $40 billion in annual revenue. These assets belong to the studio, instead of the buyer, which could make NFTs an attractive alternative to the traditional gaming model. "So what's happened with the advent of blockchain games is that now those virtual goods and items can be put on-chain and you can have actual ownership of that," Justin Kan, cofounder of NFT marketplace Fractal, previously told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nfts-in-gaming-twitch-justin-kan-investing-outlook-advice-2022-4">Insider.</a> "The only difference is that these companies themselves are giving up control and what they get in exchange is a more robust economy."NFTs verify ownership of a player's asset because it's recorded on a public ledger via the blockchain. Instead of holding these assets with a Web2 gaming studio, participants can hold tokens in their crypto wallets or some other more decentralized custodian."We believe ownership of digital assets will open up another layer of excitement and experience for gamers as they will now have additional motivation playing the games they enjoy," Kyu Lee, a partner at venture capital firm CRIT Ventures, told Insider in a statement.<h2>Games are entertaining and people want to play them</h2>Gaming is an effective onboarding tool, STEPN's Shiti Rastogi Manghani says, because it's entertaining and accessible to a broader audience. STEPN, dubbed a "move-to-earn app," allows users to earn game tokens through exercising. "Anything that is fun, social, engaging will get the users in the door," Manghani, the startup's CMO, told Insider in a statement. "We've seen this time and again in multiple industries like retail, e-commerce, and social media. It serves basic human needs. Gaming or any utility app that checks those boxes will go mainstream. If it benefits the users in the process, that's icing on the cake." Younger generations, in particular, are long accustomed to playing video games. Games have always been at the "forefront of emerging technologies" because humans love to be entertained, Shahaf Bar Geffen, the chairman of Web3 startup UnCaged Games, says. "The game of Tetris was built by Alexey Pajitnov to make computers less intimidating and more accessible to people," Geffen told Insider in a statement. <h2>Roadblocks to blockchain gaming</h2>With any new technology – and especially one in a volatile market – comes plenty of obstacles.Amid a crypto bear market, blockchain gaming has shown signs of slowing down as well. Axie Infinity, the game which once had the largest user base in the industry, had 83% fewer participants in Q2 than in Q1, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crypto-gaming-blockchain-report-growth-slows-still-less-volatile-market-2022-7">DappRadar.</a> The downtrend in players steepened following a $650 million hack on its Ethereum-linked sidechain, Ronin."While gaming activity still dominates the overall landscape, we have also begun to see the first cracks appearing in the industry, and many top blockchain games started to show weakness," the DappRadar report says. Potential hurdles for mainstream adoption are a game's usability, Steven Goldfeder, the CEO and cofounder of Ethereum scaling solution provider Offchain Labs, says. Is it fun or are people just playing for the returns and financial rewards? "A good blockchain game needs to be a game first, and a blockchain application second," Goldfeder said in a statement to Insider. "The incorporation of blockchain technology should be purely additive, enhancing the gaming experience for users that wish to engage with the blockchain, but not by limiting accessibility to those who just want to play the game."He added: "Ironically, in order for blockchain to go mainstream, it needs to be able to operate in the background, and core to that are ease of onboarding, fast confirmation times, and low transaction costs that are abstracted away from users." This article is intended to provide generalized information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always consult with your own financial, legal, tax, investment, or other professional for advice on matters that affect you and/or your business.

Web3 founders and top VCs break down how blockchain gaming can take crypto mainstream &ndash; and explain potential hurdles for widespread adoption

Bond markets have rallied in recent weeks off the back of improving inflation data and low unemployment. Investors are prioritizing large, liquid deals from known companies, which partly enabled tech giants Apple and Meta to raise more than $15 billion in debt this month.This post first appeared in 10 Things on Wall Street, a newsletter by Insider that brings you all the biggest stories dominating the finance industry — delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-on-wall-street?r=US&amp;IR=T">here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://link.insider.com/click/27645591.160803/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vYXBwP25yX2VtYWlsX3JlZmVyZXI9MSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9T3BlbmluZ19iZWxs/62667762063d6b9bef0cffb3Bf9c9aa56">here.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/automation-syndicate-banks-bonds-digital-software-issuenet-deals-jobs-bankers-2021-5"></a>1. The US corporate bond market is basking in the August sunshine with big transactions. It's a rare sight because Wall Streeters are more likely to be found on a beach in the Hamptons or floating in the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean at this time of year."The last couple of weeks have been the best window I've seen in months for companies looking to do a deal," one capital-markets banker told me. "There's less volatility and the inflation levels were lower than the consensus."This month, Facebook parent Meta completed a whopping <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-raises-10-billion-first-ever-bond-offering-2022-08-09/">$10 billion bond sale</a>, and Apple raised <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-news-today-08-01-2022/card/apple-bond-deal-highlights-better-environment-for-corporate-borrowers-QGTEkXw5PtM3T28t2yHe">$5.5 billion in bonds</a>.The draw with both these deals were its big, billion-dollar sizes, something investors are currently craving so they can trade in or out of debt in secondary markets. There's also an appetite for recognizable companies as bond buyers chase the old saying of a "flight to quality.""Apple and Meta are important trades because they're huge, liquid deals and known names," the capital-markets banker said.Leveraged finance, one of the riskier corners of the capital markets, has also shown signs of life. The price of high-yield bonds — also known as "junk bonds'' — have improved as investors bet the US Federal Reserve's focus on reducing inflation will bear fruit. The percentage of high-yield bonds trading at distressed levels dipped to 6.2% last week, from 11.6% in early July, the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/f3cd7b98-eec0-44b1-8060-af543ae59361">Financial Times</a> reported.One investor said things in the leveraged-finance market were almost "back to normalcy," and played down talks of a heavy recession so long as unemployment levels stay low."The underlying consumer is still very healthy and I'm not really worried about the economy," Michael Marzouk, a managing director and portfolio manager at Pacific Asset Management, told me. "There may be concern about a bunch of new supply bringing markets down again, but overall, prices have rallied back quite hard."One of the most talked-about transactions in leveraged finance is the roughly $15 billion in debt financing that is supporting the buyout of Citrix Systems by private-equity firms Vista Equity Partners and Elliott Investment Management.Last week, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-16/citrix-bankers-pitch-fresh-structure-for-15-billion-buyout-debt?sref=ipW5reFz#xj4y7vzkg">Bloomberg reported</a> that the banks marketing this debt revamped the structure to include roughly $500 million-equivalent in loans denominated in euros. Market volatility earlier in the year had prevented the banks — Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America — from syndicating the Citrix debt to investors, but they're marketing the revised structure in a bid to get the debt off their own books."The Citrix deal won't be for everyone, but I'm confident they're going to figure out how to get it done," Marzouk said of banks' efforts to sell the bonds and loans to investors after the Labor Day Holiday.To help with this, the underwriters are expected to offer the Citrix debt at a steep discount in the low 90-cent range, Marzouk added.In other news:<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biggest-banks-nearing-1-billion-settlement-over-traders-use-of-whatsapp-other-banned-messaging-apps-11660947521"></a><div type="image" title="whatsapp 4x3" height="1800" width="2401" msid="93712145" hostid="261"></div>2. Wall Street banks are nearing agreements to pay as much as $200 million each and admit that their employees' use of personal-messaging apps violated regulatory requirements, the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biggest-banks-nearing-1-billion-settlement-over-traders-use-of-whatsapp-other-banned-messaging-apps-11660947521">reported</a>. The development comes as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/credit-suisse-anthony-kontoleon-removal-messaging-app-06-2022">many on Wall Street grow concerned</a> by regulators' efforts to monitor their messages via Whatsapp.3. US mortgage lenders are starting to go broke, according to Bloomberg. The industry is seeing its first lenders go out of business after a spike in rates, and the upcoming failures could be the worst since the housing bubble burst about 15 years ago. To be sure, there's no systemic meltdown coming as big banks account for less of <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-19/mortgage-lenders-are-starting-to-go-broke-as-loan-volumes-plunge?sref=ipW5reFz">the overall business</a>.4. Credit Suisse's largest shareholder has urged the firm to fix its investment bank or seek other options to sort out its losses. David Herro, the chief investment officer of Harris Associates, told Bloomberg that if the unit can find a way to earn sustainable returns, that would keep <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-19/credit-suisse-top-owner-says-fix-investment-bank-or-find-options?sref=ipW5reFz">shareholders on board</a>. Bloomberg also reported that Credit Suisse investment bankers are anticipating <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-21/credit-suisse-investment-bankers-brace-for-job-cuts-possible-division-shutdown?srnd=premium-uk#xj4y7vzkg">brutal cutbacks from the latest emergency restructuring</a>.5. Madison Square Garden Entertainment is exploring a spinoff of its live entertainment business. A new company would control the iconic New York arena and would also control the Garden's licensing agreements with the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/18/msg-entertainment-explores-possible-spinoff-that-would-include-ny-arena.html">New York Knicks and New York Rangers</a>.6. A 20-year-old college student raked in a profit of about $110 million by selling Bed Bath &amp; Beyond shares last week. Jake Freeman, the head of Freeman Capital Management, capitalized on the retailer becoming the latest meme stock to multiply value in a <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/bed-bath-beyond-meme-stock-jake-freeman-stake-ryan-cohen-2022-8">matter of days</a>.7. The founder of crypto firm Animoca Brands described big tech companies like Meta and Microsoft as "digital dictatorships." Yat Siu said his goal — alongside the broader Web3 universe — was to strip power from big tech and return power of ownership <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crypto-meta-microsoft-digital-dictatorships-animoca-yat-siu-2022-8">to the user</a>.8. Elon Musk's tweet about buying Manchester United was not so funny for the English football club's fed-up fans, according to this account <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/elon-musk-says-he-will-buy-manchester-united-2022-08-17/">from Reuters</a>. On Musk-Twitter news, meanwhile, the billionaire has said Twitter is hounding him over every chat he has had about the potential $44 billion buyout of the social-media platform, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-18/musk-says-twitter-is-hounding-him-over-every-chat-about-buyout?cmpid=BBBXT081922_DEALS&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_term=220819&amp;utm_campaign=deals&amp;sref=ipW5reFz">reported</a>. Twitter also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-requests-elon-musk-text-messages-court-doc-2022-8">wants to see Musk's text messages</a> as both sides prepare for a trial on October 17.9. Wire, an encrypted-messaging startup, just raised $24 million. Take a look at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wire-raised-24-million-with-this-pitch-deck-2022-8">the pitch deck</a> the Berlin-based firm used to raise capital from the likes of Cipio Partners and Iconical. Wire deploys end-to-end encryption so users can host video conferences, share files, and send messages safely. The fundraise comes at a time when <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/credit-suisse-anthony-kontoleon-removal-messaging-app-06-2022">many on Wall Street grow concerned</a> by regulators' efforts to monitor their messages via unauthorized apps.10. Reilly Meehan is a 31-year-old private chef in the Hamptons. He is on call constantly, but the pay and lifestyle is beyond worth it. Meehan said he was glad he left the traditional culinary path — here is what his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-chef-hamptons-what-my-job-is-like-reilly-meehan-2022-7">job is like</a>.Done deals:<ul><li>GI Alliance, a gastroenterology practice, has been bought out by its physician owners. The physicians, who own about 70% of the company, have purchased the minority stake from Waud Capital Partners. The transaction values GI Alliance at $2.2 billion and is being led by Apollo's Hybrid Value fund.</li><li>KKR-backed software company Level Access has merged with eSSENTIAL Accessibility, a Accessibility-as-a-Service platform that provides digital access and compliance for companies. JMI Equity is another third-party investor in the merger.</li></ul>Curated by Aaron Weinman in New York. Tips? Email <a href="mailto:aweinman@insider.com">aweinman@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/aaronw11">@aaronw11</a>. Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

How a buoyant bond market has injected life into what is usually a sleepy month for vacationing bankers. Apple and Meta raised north of $15 billion, and riskier corners of the capital markets are seeing signs of life.

<ul><li>While El Salvador still evaluates paying salaries via Bitcoin, <keyword id="95021" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="NASCAR">NASCAR</keyword> racing driver Landon Cassill has taken the plunge.</li><li>It isn't surprising to see Cassill make the first move, as he's always been a crypto enthusiast.</li><li>Even <keyword id="42857" type="SPORT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Formula-One">Formula One</keyword> is taking a step forward with McLaren Racing unveiling its plans to build a non-fungible token (NFT) platform on the Tezos blockchain.</li></ul>Cryptocurrencies are undergoing a process called normalisation — it means that methods that were once rare are now becoming the norm. After <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/manchester-city-psg-barcelona-ac-milan-and-other-football-clubs-are-launching-crypto-tokens-to-rein-in-more-revenue/articleshow/83574813.cms">football</a> and wrestling jumping onto the bandwagon, racing bigwigs NASCAR and <a href="https://www.mclaren.com/racing/partners/tezos/mclaren-racing-announces-new-multi-year-technical-partnership-with-tezos/">Formula One</a> are taking the plunge as well. While El Salvador — the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender — is still evaluating whether or not it should dole out salaries in the form of <keyword id="6357017" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cryptocurrency">cryptocurrency</keyword>, NASCAR racing driver Landon Cassill has signed an agreement with <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=microsite">cryptocurrency</a> exchange Voyager to receive a complete cryptocurrency-backed compensation package. This means that he will be paid through digital assets like Bitcoin and Litecoin only. While the racer didn't reveal the amount, he did disclose that Voyager was paying the ‘market rate’ despite an unorthodox payment method. Cassilll’s sponsorship deal includes 19 races, with the first one beginning at Nashville Superspeedway. Meanwhile, Formula One is taking a step forward with McLaren Racing <a href="https://www.mclaren.com/racing/partners/tezos/mclaren-racing-announces-new-multi-year-technical-partnership-with-tezos/">unveiling</a> its plans to build a non-fungible token (NFT) platform on the Tezos blockchain. The platform will list NFTs illustrating McLaren Racing's history, heritage, and famous drivers. It includes a wide variety of digital assets or media files like art, music, digital trading cards, memes, tweets, and much more. An <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-nfts-the-collectible-digital-tokens-that-are-selling-for-up-to-millions-online/articleshow/81199814.cms">NFT</a> provides provable ownership and scarcity of an asset, indirectly adding value to it. Landon Cassill has been a long time supporter of cryptocurrencies It isn't surprising to see Cassill make the first move, as he's always been a crypto enthusiast. His Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/lefty_designs/status/1405626794699628557">feed</a> is filled with crypto news, and he has previously spoken about mining Bitcoins in his basement. In addition, Cassill has long been an <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2021-06-17/voyager-digital-sponsors-first-nascar-driver-and-race-car-paid-fully-in-crypto">evangelist</a> of the Litecoin Foundation and is a close friend of the cryptocurrency's creator, Charlie Lee. "Landon has been a strong supporter of Litecoin and <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=microsite">cryptocurrencies</a> for a number of years, and this landmark deal shows the growing reach of the Litecoin community into the professional sports world and, eventually, beyond," Lee said in a statement. Cassill said that he might use the crypto in various ways and is unsure if he will hold, use or sell. Tezos pulls in its second Formula One team Tezos is an open-source <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=microsite">blockchain</a> for assets and applications that are continuously evolving with new upgrades. It's based on the proof of space concept, unlike Bitcoin's proof of work model, which requires a tremendous amount of energy. Before McLaren came into the picture, Redbull's Formula One team also teamed up with the blockchain to leverage NFTs around three weeks ago. Moreover, Formula One and Animoca have a blockchain game called F1 Delta Time. Last year, the game developer started auctioning NFTs for official team cars as collectables. Racing is only the most recent sport to dive into world of cryptocurrency While Bitcoin has been around for almost a decade, it just recently gained <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/bitcoin-rises-back-above-35000-as-el-salvador-declares-it-legal-tender-and-inflation-concerns-persist/articleshow/83373995.cms">acceptance</a> as legal tender in El Salvador. Not long ago, the fever reached Wall Street, and we're now seeing cryptos being bundled with Exchange Traded Fund <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/the-first-bitcoin-etf-crosses-1-billion-in-assets-under-management-just-one-month-after-launch/articleshow/81592933.cms">(ETFs</a>). Similarly, the sensation can now be felt in sports, with more and more individuals and brands getting on board. Football <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/manchester-city-psg-barcelona-ac-milan-and-other-football-clubs-are-launching-crypto-tokens-to-rein-in-more-revenue/articleshow/83574813.cms">teams like</a> Manchester City, PSG, Barcelona, and AC Milan have launched their own tokens, and they have a unique use case. Fans can leverage these tokens to participate in a club's decision-making process, promotional campaigns, games, votes, and more. Likewise, AEW star MJF became the first pro wrestler to release his own cryptocurrency. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/el-salvadors-bitcoin-experiment-is-gaining-momentum-even-if-the-world-bank-doesnt-want-to-lend-its-support/slidelist/83634654.cms">Here’s how El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment is playing out so far — the good, the bad and the ugly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/low-skilled-it-jobs-in-india-are-definitely-at-risk-as-per-different-reports/articleshow/83633565.cms">Whether it's half a million or three million — 'low skilled' IT jobs in India are definitely at risk</a>

After football and wrestling, the cryptocurrency storm has reached NASCAR and Formula One

Meta’s (formerly <keyword id="6354576" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook" source="Orion">Facebook</keyword>) <keyword id="6354630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mark-zuckerberg" source="Orion">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword> says he wants to build the <keyword id="11121339" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="metaverse" source="Orion">metaverse</keyword>, as does <keyword id="10387" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microsoft" source="Orion">Microsoft</keyword>’s Satya Nadella. While Big Tech may have popularized the term recently, the web3 community has actually been working towards this for a long time now. The relationship between cryptocurrency and the metaverse is undeniable. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the future of ownership deeds, while cryptocurrencies will help build the networks of the future. For instance, while announcing Meta’s plans for the future metaverse last month, Zuckerberg said that the digital avatars people will use in this virtual space will be NFTs. You might be using Cryptopunks and Bored Apes on video calls today, but these will someday be replaced by realistic virtual avatars of our own selves. Microsoft, on the other hand, wants to power the metaverse for enterprises, through platforms like Dynamics 365 and more. But while Big Tech companies might be gung-ho about the metaverse, smaller yet interesting projects have already begun. And these are available on popular crypto exchanges like <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=article-advertorial">WazirX</a>, Binance, Coinbase and more. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="wazirx" comment="wazirx" text="wazirx">wazirx</cmsannotation> Here are some of the top coins and metaverse projects you should be following. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The Sandbox" comment="subhead" text="The Sandbox">The Sandbox</cmsannotation> Token: SAND Hong Kong-based gaming firm Animoca Brands has been at work for over four years building The Sandbox. Now, the company’s metaverse game The Sandbox is finally set to go live on November 29 this year. It allows users to explore a virtual game world and monetize their activities in that world through a play-to-earn model. The Sandbox is powered by the SAND token, which is what players earn for playing the game. You have to complete quests in order to earn more of these tokens, and you can also spend them to acquire land and other in-game items. At the time of writing, the SAND token was priced at $5.59. The SAND token’s price briefly jumped by a whopping 260% on November 23, ahead of the game’s metaverse expansion. According to Coinmarketcap, the SAND token was the 41st largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, hitting almost $5 billion in terms of overall market capitalization. Its price has appreciated by 75% over the past seven day period and by over 23% in 24 hours. The November 23 jump came shortly after footwear giant Adidas <a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1462873002350202882?s=20">mentioned</a> building an “adiVerse” using The Sandbox project. The SAND token may not have the same level of liquidity as some other projects yet, but it is available on popular crypto exchanges like <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=article-advertorial">WazirX</a>. The company’s play-to-earn event, Sandbox Alpha is set to begin on November 29 and will allow a select group of players to earn 1000 SAND tokens. Sandbox Alpha will also include 18 new experiences and three NFTs to grab. The NFTs include a longsword, a dragon and a medieval gate. Pros: SAND token can have many uses in the game, SAND could become a governance token in the long run Cons: Other projects like The Sandbox exist so competition is tough <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Decentraland" comment="subhead" text="Decentraland">Decentraland</cmsannotation> Token: MANA Like The Sandbox, Decentraland is also a virtual world that is powered by cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Here, you earn the MANA token for spending time in Decentraland’s virtual world, while LAND again is the NFT. Users buy and sell digital real estate in the game and there are already <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3147981/why-members-south-koreas-gen-mz-are-buying-digital-land">users in South Korea</a> who are making long term plans for the real estate they own in the game. The MANA token was priced at around $4 at the time of writing. While the SAND token is 41st on the list of most valuable crypto’s, Decentraland’s MANA stands at number 29 with a market capitalization of over $7 billion. Its value has risen by almost 20% over the last seven day period and just about 3% over the past 24 hours. The MANA token can be bought on exchanges like <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=article-advertorial">WazirX</a>. In October, Decentraland added native support for Polygon’s Matic network, which allows users to make transactions using the META token at much lower fees. The platform also supports Wallet Connect, which is an open protocol that allows Dapps to connect to mobile wallets through QR codes. It also announced a Metaverse Festival featuring EDM artist Deadmau5 last month. Pros: MANA token can be used for other purposes, LAND can be auctioned as NFTs Cons: Users cannot interact with each other yet, the game’s terrain remains more or less the same <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Gala Games" comment="subhead" text="Gala Games">Gala Games</cmsannotation> Token: GALA Unlike MANA, BLOK, SAND and others, the GALA token doesn’t power one game. Instead, it is the cryptocurrency introduced by Gala Games, a company that aims to make many blockchain-based games. Gala Games was founded in 2016 by Eric Schiermeyer, who was the co-founder Zynga, one of the most successful gaming companies ever. It has five games at the moment, which run either on the Mac and Windows platforms, or through web browsers. The company also allows users to buy a license and operate their own node on the Gala network. The GALA token was listed on Binance on September 13 and has been growing in value steadily since then. Its price stood at around $0.68 at the time of writing, but given that the company will be making more games, it could increase substantially in future. The GALA token can be bought on exchanges like <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=article-advertorial">WazirX</a>. The company claims to be the only project in the blockchain gaming space that hasn’t taken money from venture capitalists yet. Instead, it tried to fund the development of its games by selling licenses for its nodes. The sixth game, called Betwixt, was announced on November 24 and the company says its development is funded by the money that it acquired from selling nodes. Pros: Multiple games means more chances of success, Eric Schiermeyer has a rich history in gaming Cons: One of its games might become more popular than all others, making the time spent on others less fruitful later <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Star Atlas" comment="subhead" text="Star Atlas">Star Atlas</cmsannotation> Token: ATLAS Like many other metaverse projects, Star Atlas is also a blockchain-based game that is building its own metaverse. It’s built on the Solana blockchain, and hence benefits from the network’s high throughput in terms of transactions. Star Atlas is a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG), meaning its world is as expansive as popular games MMORPGs like World of Warcraft etc. It’s built on the Unreal Engine 5’s Nanite platform, which gives it pretty good graphics too, something that games like Decentraland, The Sandbox and others have been lacking. The Atlas token was priced at $0.15 at the time of writing, making this a good time to jump in. The ATLAS token is also listed on Coinbase at the moment, though it will surely be more widely available once the project picks up. While the ATLAS token is Star Atlas’ utility token and what players will be rewarded with, the game will also have a governance token called POLIS. This means that POLIS holders will actually have a say in the game’s future developments. The POLIS token is set to come at a later date and could be a big difference maker for Star Atlas in future. Pros: Great graphics could attract more gamers easily, Solana can support high transaction throughput, only AAA-class metaverse game on the horizon right now Cons: Great graphics also means it will have higher hardware requirements than simpler games, and hence create barriers to entry <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Bloktopia" comment="subhead" text="Bloktopia">Bloktopia</cmsannotation> Token: BLOK All metaverse projects are expected to adopt virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) sometime in future, but Bloktopia is already on it. It’s the only VR metaverse being built right now, and includes a virtual skyscraper which has 21 levels. Why 21? To honour the 21 million Bitcoins that will ever be in circulation, as detailed in the Bitcoin whitepaper. Those who own the Bloktopia token, predictably called the BLOK, will be called Bloktopians. “For the first time ever, users will have access to crypto information and immersive content all in one place. Bloktopians will be able to earn revenue through real estate ownership, advertising revenue, play games, build networks and much more,” the company says on its website. On November 22, founder Paddy Carroll told Cointelegraph that the company is building floors one and six right now, along with the auditorium, and wants to have a working beta up by March 2022. It’s built on the Polygon platform and is available on crypto exchanges like OKex and KuCoin. Pros: Already being built for virtual reality, one of the founders worked on PlayStation VR, great graphics Cons: Yet to launch, VR would also mean entry barriers are high and hence usage might be low SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/what-is-bitcoin-golden-cross-and-death-cross/articleshow/87796591.cms">Bitcoin investors love the golden cross and death cross — here’s why they matter but there are other factors to keep in mind</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/bitcoin-digital-gold-may-give-higher-returns-than-actual-gold/articleshow/87152395.cms">Bitcoin may be more festive with 'digital' gold giving higher returns than the actual yellow metal this festive season</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/elon-musks-puppy-burning-tokens-and-altcoin-rally-made-shiba-inu-price-rise/articleshow/86966623.cms">Elon Musk’s puppy, a new strategy to burn tokens, and altcoins playing catch up — the perfect storm for cryptocurrency Shiba Inu to skyrocket</a>

You Searched For "animoca brands" and got 5 results

Web3 founders and top VCs break down how blockchain gaming can take crypto mainstream – and explain potential hurdles for widespread adoption

Morgan Chittum

How a buoyant bond market has injected life into what is usually a sleepy month for vacationing bankers. Apple and Meta raised north of $15 billion, and riskier corners of the capital markets are seeing signs of life.

Aaron Weinman

After football and wrestling, the cryptocurrency storm has reached NASCAR and Formula One

Shivam Vahia

Facebook and Microsoft aren’t the only ones creating a metaverse — here are five popular coins looking to create digital worlds

Insider Studios

MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes on his plans to relaunch the service (for real) and bring back an unlimited option

Jason Guerrasio

You Searched For "animoca brands" and got 5 results

Web3 founders and top VCs break down how blockchain gaming can take crypto mainstream &ndash; and explain potential hurdles for widespread adoption

Morgan Chittum

How a buoyant bond market has injected life into what is usually a sleepy month for vacationing bankers. Apple and Meta raised north of $15 billion, and riskier corners of the capital markets are seeing signs of life.

Aaron Weinman

After football and wrestling, the cryptocurrency storm has reached NASCAR and Formula One

Shivam Vahia

​Facebook and Microsoft aren’t the only ones creating a metaverse — here are five popular coins looking to create digital worlds​

Insider Studios

MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes on his plans to relaunch the service (for real) and bring back an unlimited option

Jason Guerrasio

Web3 founders and top VCs break down how blockchain gaming can take crypto mainstream – and explain potential hurdles for widespread adoption

Facebook and Microsoft aren’t the only ones creating a metaverse — here are five popular coins looking to create digital worlds