We can't truly discuss building the metaverse without addressing the trillion-dollar opportunity that exists in doing so.
The internet as we know it consists of a limited number of centralized platforms that control the majority of traffic and user data. These platforms are designed around maximizing advertising revenue, which puts them in constant conflict with users, who are seen as commodities to be sold.
Of course, as we have already discussed, the metaverse has presented itself with the help of platforms like Meta — as a singular solution to the problem of scarce online space. However, while this is a great start, it is only a fraction of what is possible.
The metaverse has the potential to become a trillion dollar industry because it solves the scarcity problem in a way that no other technology has before. In this article, we will take a close look at the immense economic opportunity that exists in building the metaverse.
The internet today: What is the scarcity problem?
To understand the opportunity that exists in building the metaverse, it is first necessary to understand the scarcity problem. This is best explained with a simple example. Let's say you have a product that you want to sell online. To do so, you need to find a place to list your product.
The most obvious place to list your product would be on Amazon. However, to listing requires creating an account and paying a listing fee. It might not be immediately obvious what is wrong with this process. After all, if you want to list your product on Amazon, shouldn't you have to pay?
The problem with this system is that it creates a barrier to entry for new businesses and entrepreneurs. To list multiple products on Amazon, you need to have money.
This might not seem like a big deal, but it actually has a very negative impact on the economy. When there are barriers to entry for new businesses, it stifles innovation and entrepreneurship. This is because the only businesses that can list their products on Amazon are the ones that already have money.
This system also creates a lot of waste. Let's say you have a product that you want to sell, but you can't list it on Amazon because you can't afford the listing fee. So instead you list your product on eBay. However, many potential customers don't think to search for your product on eBay because they don't think to look there.
As a result, your product never sells and you end up wasting a lot of time and money. This is just one example of how the current system creates waste.
The metaverse and the scarcity problem
The metaverse has the potential to solve the scarcity problem in a very fundamental way. It is a decentralized platform that is not controlled by any one company or organization.
This means that there are no barriers to entry and anyone can build anything they want. People who would otherwise have had the opportunity can benefit. This includes artists, musicians, freelancers and other creatives who can share their work with a much wider audience. This is a very different model than what we have today, where a few centralized platforms control the majority of traffic and user data.
The metaverse is also designed to be efficient. This means that there is no wasted space and everything is designed to be used. This is in stark contrast to the current internet, which is full of unused or underutilized space. Lastly, the metaverse is designed to be accessible to everyone. Anyone in the world can build something within it.
The combination of these three factors — no barriers to entry, efficiency, and accessibility — makes the metaverse the perfect solution to the scarcity problem.
The opportunity in building the metaverse
The opportunity in building the metaverse is vast. The potential market size is in the trillions of dollars and the opportunities are endless. A few key reasons include:
The current internet is used by billions of people around the world. It accounts for 3.4% of the economies of large countries that make up 70% of the world's GDP.
The metaverse has the potential to be much bigger. It can become the platform for the next generation of the internet and it could have a global economy of $30 trillion or more. This growth will come from the new applications and experiences that are being built on top of the metaverse.
Some of the most important applications of the metaverse will be:
This is a trillion-dollar opportunity and it is still early. Now is the time to get involved and build something big.
Daniel Saito is CEO and cofounder of StrongNode.
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