In the fall of 2017, NFT projects like Cryptokitties took off like a rocket. I had the opportunity to have a lot of discussions about the crypto space, NFTs, and the emerging metaverse. These conversations centered around how virtual land could become a viable alternative asset niche within cryptocurrency markets, and the metaverse. That’s when it clicked for me: humans have owned land for thousands of years all over the world, but now it’s being replicated digitally on computers around the world. Virtual real estate will have its own set of economic principles just like physical real estate does, and Next Earth is leading the way in creating this new asset class. Next Earth was launched in August 2021 and has quickly become the metaverse’s largest virtual real estate platform based on a replica of Earth, with nearly $2M in the total value of land owned by users. The importance of NFTs In my view, NFTs are a continuation of our evolution from caves to cities to the blockchain – they’re just another tool for us to build our lives and connections digitally. As we all know, technology is both a blessing and a curse, so I think we’ll have some growing pains as we figure out how to create safe spaces online while also allowing people to express themselves creatively and make money along the way. But if Next Earth is any indication, I think it will be very exciting times ahead for virtual real estate. Buying virtual land NFTs on Nex...
