The dream of the metaverse has faced its fair share of challenges, but digital ownership, DAOs, and crypto adoption continue to gain traction. In 2023, the Web3 space was in turmoil, with major failures like TerraUSD, Luna, and FTX shaking confidence in the industry. However, 2025 tells a different story.
The Metaverse, More Than Just VR
At Animoca Brands, we believe the metaverse is not just virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) but a decentralized digital ecosystem where people can own assets, earn income, and participate in open economies.
If you hold cryptocurrency, NFTs, or governance tokens, you are already a part of this open metaverse—an interconnected network of virtual worlds, digital businesses, and decentralized communities.
Institutional Interest In web3
Despite early setbacks, the Web3 economy has grown substantially:
DAO treasuries have skyrocketed, growing from $12 billion in 2023 to $32 billion today
Crypto market capitalization has jumped from $1.1 trillion in 2023 to $3.2 trillion in 2025
Institutional support is surging, with firms like BlackRock and VanEck backing digital assets
These numbers highlight a fundamental shift—blockchain technology is no longer just an experimental concept but a maturing financial system.
In early 2023, the idea of earning income through blockchain-based games seemed like a fading trend. However, play-and-earn economies are thriving again, particularly in emerging markets.
Play & Earn, A New Digital Economy
A New York Times article in 2024 highlighted that players in the Philippines earned double the national minimum wage by playing crypto-based farming and metaverse games.
The success of Axie Infinity and Pixels—two of the biggest names in Web3 gaming—proves that digital economies are still evolving despite market turbulence.
DAO Treasuries Are Expanding Fast
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) have become major financial players in the Web3 space. These community-governed treasuries now hold over $32 billion, surpassing the value of many global corporations.
With over 11.4 million governance token holders, DAOs are leading the way in community-driven finance, decentralized governance, and blockchain-based investment funds.
The Metaverse Economy Vs. Traditional Markets
The financial footprint of the metaverse is beginning to rival established markets.
• Crypto & metaverse economy: $3.2 trillion market cap with $148 billion in daily trading volume
• Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX): $4.5 trillion market cap but only $18.2 billion in daily trading
This high trade volume indicates that Web3 is becoming a serious financial force, rivaling legacy financial systems that have existed for decades.
NFTS : Digital Ownership At Scale
If cryptocurrencies are the money of the metaverse, then NFTs are the property and culture that define it.
NFTs can represent digital identity, virtual real estate, art, collectibles, music, gaming assets, and more. But beyond their use cases, they offer something revolutionary—true ownership over digital assets.
• The first NFT emerged 10 years ago, but mass adoption only began in 2017 with Ethereum’s ERC-721 standard.
• In 2024, NFT sales hit $8.9 billion, closely matching Apple’s App Store revenue in 2013, which helped launch the mobile economy.
• Grimes made more money selling NFTs than her entire music career, proving that Web3 puts creators in control.
This shift toward direct ownership is reshaping the internet, moving from platform-controlled content to user-owned assets.
AI & The Metaverse: The Future Is Now
One of the biggest trends in 2025 is the convergence of AI and blockchain.
• AI-powered agents are becoming more autonomous and will need blockchain verification to operate securely.
• Cryptocurrencies could become the primary medium of exchange for AI-driven economies.
• AI-generated NFTs, smart contracts, and DAOs will further automate and decentralize industries.
The metaverse isn’t just about virtual worlds anymore—it’s about AI, digital ownership, and decentralized economies.
AI & The Metaverse: The Future Is Now
Despite market downturns, regulatory uncertainty, and skepticism, the open metaverse is still expanding.
The past two years have proven that Web3 businesses, NFT projects, and digital economies are resilient. Whether through gaming, DAOs, NFTs, or AI-powered interactions, the vision of a decentralized internet is becoming a reality.
2025 is shaping up to be a breakout year for digital ownership, Web3 economies, and the evolution of the metaverse.
