Without noticing, we are all being primed for the metaverse. Once we get there, financial companies will need to be smart about getting our attention.
In preparation for my metaverse debut tonight, I have a snoop around Decentraland, having already opened an account and kitted out my avatar. But rather than being worried if I have chosen the right trainers for dancing, I am conscious that my avatar looks clumsy, pausing between steps while other avatars walk by elegantly.
This is because Decentraland is still blockchain-based and – unlike Roblox and Fortnite – doesn't use a gaming engine. «We are just at the beginning,» Metaverse enthusiast Martha Boeckenfeld, says.
The metaverse is no longer just for gamers. In fact, «now that we all got comfortable with video chats during COVID,» we might be prepared to go a step further and socialize with each other virtually, says Boeckenfeld, who previously headed UBS digital platforms and market places in Switzerland. Perhaps holding meetings in a metaverse restaurant or cafe could help combat our Zoom fatigue.
«Snackable» Content
Netflix is also leading us there, giving us content that has been personalized to meet our tastes. While Netflix content is still generated on a platform, content in the metaverse will be generated by communities.
The important thing is that we no longer want «content dumped on us,» Boeckenfeld says, giving the example of bank research reports. In the metaverse banks will learn how to make content «snackable» and easier to consume, she says.
Points of Entry
Blockchain-based tokenization of non-bankable assets is another point of entry. But essentially all existing real-world services need to be reflected in the digital world and, of course, «everything in the metaverse needs to be financed,» Boeckenfeld says.
And as in real life, mortgage lending is a huge opportunity in the virtual world. Decentraland, which is powered by the Ethereum blockchain, has a market capitalization of $4.4 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.
In partnership with two other companies, Zurich-based GenTwo is enticing investors into virtual spheres with an actively managed certificate (AMC), where the underlying assets are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to digital real estate in the metaverse.
The certificate is managed by Criptonite Asset Management. The NFTs, like the shiny cloak I get to wear later, are designed by Exclusible, a company that makes digital products for luxury brands.
Wearable Bling
«Clients are basically investing in real estate, like an asset manager or a pension fund,» Boeckenfeld, who sits on GenTwo's advisory board, explains. Each certificate has a Swiss International Securities Identification Number (ISIN), adding a real-world feel to the product.
As professional investors are investing on behalf of their clients, it is «much better to have something they are familiar with,» she says. These institutional clients will be celebrating GenTwo’s AMC launch at a party in Decentraland with a live DJ.
My sparkly cape, which Boeckenfeld says looks like I’m wearing a diamond, should make up for my klutzy dance moves. Other guests will be wearing one too. «Getting a wearable is the fun part, the next thing should be to create a community,» she says.
