“Metaverse” is a term born in the cyberpunk world in 1992 and which is only now experiencing a wide diffusion because it is used by Facebook, changing its name to Meta. It is considered the evolution of the Internet, but not its replacement: it’s a digital universe in which various worlds (such as that of virtual reality) combine with each other. The metaverse is made up of many applications that allow users to interact with friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers. More and more companies are investing in the metaverse, turning back to the digital economy, which is very different from the economy we have always been used to. Among the companies that believe and invest in the metaverse is, as mentioned, Facebook, which has even changed its name to Meta. In fact, in 2014 it acquired one of the most promising companies in the field of virtual reality applications: Oculus. Microsoft too believes in this new form of the web and recently invested in the metaverse gaming sector with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Inc. for $ 69 billion.

If we look at the trend of shares on the stock exchange, we’ll see that on the whole it seems that the investment could bear excellent results in the future. On a European scale, it is possible to get an idea of ​​the countries most interested in the metaverse. On the top of the list there is France, where there is an average of about one thousand monthly searches for the word “metaverse”. The United Kingdom then follows with 942 average monthly searches. In third place we find Switzerland, with 831 searches). These are nations convinced that the future of the digital economy (and beyond) will inevitably pass through the metaverse. One of its advantages, in economic terms, is that all the transactions that will take place within it will be public and easily traceable, therefore completely safe, also thanks to blockchain technology. Another element in its favour is the possibility of accessing anywhere in the world, without limits of capacity or restrictions of individuals and companies.

Precisely for this reason, the new virtual spaces have assumed great importance in various sectors of the business, in fact companies have created digital twins of showrooms, agencies and shops, in which they can put customers at ease even remotely in their experience of purchase. This inevitably favours sales and increases company revenues. In companies, virtual offices have also been born, where people have an avatar that represents them and collaborate with each other using specific immersive tools. These new virtual spaces are already important meeting points for customers and suppliers, with a consequent advantage in economic terms.

A study by consulting firm PwC predicts that spatial computing will soon surpass the annual value of one trillion dollars, reaching one and a half trillion by 2030. This will lead to the creation of new billion-dollar startups, as well as new economies. It is likely that the advent of this new economic reality will lead to important changes in the world of economy and business, allowing old needs to be met in an innovative and more effective way but, at the same time, also creating new needs for companies and businesses.