Library · Crypto, word by word · Tokens and supply
What is the metaverse in crypto?
A metaverse is an online virtual world where people interact, usually through avatars. In crypto, the word is used for virtual worlds whose land, items or characters are tokens that can be bought, sold and moved between players.
What it means for you
Virtual land or items are worth only what another player will pay, and a world can lose its players or shut down. Owning the token does not guarantee the world, or its use for the item, will last.
How it works
The US Government Accountability Office describes extended reality as technologies that link the digital and real worlds, and says they enable online universes, or metaverses, where users interact. It flags concerns including cybersecurity and privacy, harassment in virtual spaces, and physical effects of long immersion. On blockchains, ethereum.org notes that in-game assets can exist as tokens or NFTs that players trade with each other.
Sources: US GAO: Science & Tech Spotlight, Extended Reality Technologies, ethereum.org: Gaming on Ethereum · checked 5 October 2026
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