The current study aims to explore the early adoption of the metaverse in the hospitality and tourism industry, with a particular focus on understanding adoption drivers for tourism providers and the anticipated benefits for end-users. Addressing the need for practical insights in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the review identifies 33 real-world early cases of metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) adoption, spanning from the first metaverse hotel in 2006 to ongoing digital twins of tourism destinations up to 2023. This study follows the PRISMA technique and examines early metaverse adopters at both the enterprise and destination levels, categorizing them into metaverse-based, NFT-based, and complementary-to-tourism cases. The analysis applies two theoretical frameworks: the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to examine adoption drivers and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to assess expected end-user benefits. Key findings highlight promotion, brand engagement, new revenue streams, and community building as primary motivations for adoption, while user benefits include enhanced entertainment, social interaction, improved decision-making, and immersive experiences. By bridging theory and practice, this study contributes both actionable guidance for tourism stakeholders and a theoretical foundation for future research on digital transformation in tourism.
Headlines globally have highlighted the role of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) within the metaverse in radically reshaping future retail in the digital world. Yet, NFTs are not fulfilling its disruptive potential in virtual marketplaces. Researchers must understand the strategic concerns of non-sellers of NFTs before theorising about long-term implementation, diffusion, and adoption. An exploratory case study of non-selling content creators is employed in this study. The findings of this study reveal that resistance to NFT sales is influenced by several factors including external influences, initial conditions, social responsibility beliefs and individual values. Whilst a lot of research has examined the positive associations with NFT (e.g. motivations to buy) this paper focuses on resistance from a seller’s perspective. It further provides a foundation for understanding resistance from individuals who are self-employed and thus sheds new insights for this domain. • Developed a conceptual model focusing on resistance to NFTs. • Focuses on self-employed individuals who could use NFTs to sell digital assets. • Moves beyond the perspective of NFT buyers. • Identifies social, psychological, and behavioural factors behind NFT resistance. • Provides propositions for further research.
Objective: This research aims to explore how elements of immersive brand experiences in the metaverse-including gamification, interactive narrative, social interaction, visual realism, and the use of blockchain technology and NFTs-contribute to emotional engagement, belonging, and consumer loyalty. Research Design & Methods: This study uses an exploratory qualitative approach with in-depth interview techniques with more than 20 participants who actively interact with brands on metaverse platforms such as Roblox, Decentraland, and The Sandbox. Data analysis was conducted through a thematic approach to identify patterns of consumer engagement and perception. Findings: The results show that immersive experiences that are participatory and personalized drive strong emotional attachment to brands. Gamification increases intrinsic motivation, interactive narratives deepen the emotional experience, and social interactions form a sense of community. Realistic visualizations increase trust, while NFT ownership provides a sense of exclusivity and control that strengthens consumer loyalty. Implications & Recommendations: Brands are advised to design holistic metaverse experiences, integrating game elements, stories, communities and blockchain-based digital assets to build more meaningful and sustainable relationships with consumers. Contribution & Value Added: This research makes a theoretical contribution to the study of digital marketing and brand engagement by highlighting the importance of a multidimensional approach based on immersive technology in building consumer loyalty in the Web3 era.
Dušan Morháč, Kristián Košťál, Viktor Valaštín, Ivan Kotuliak
Abstract Interoperability is a critical aspect of fluent liquidity and healthy blockchain ecosystems. Achieving seamless interoperability within heterogeneous blockchains often proves challenging due to the inconsistencies in architecture, asset registration and management logic, implementations, and smart contract designs. These unresolved challenges frequently cause fragmented liquidity within ecosystems. This paper proposes a modular and novel solution, UniSpell, that works as a universal adapter to achieve seamless interoperability and overcome fragmented liquidity problems. This is possible by leveraging Polkadot’s native cross-chain protocol, XCMP, allowing developers to implement dApps that can source liquidity, cross-chain transfer, and swap assets within one line of code. UniSpell presents a framework that is easily extendable and applicable to multichain ecosystems outside of its native ecosystem, Polkadot. UniSpell’s primary goal is to cultivate a dynamic ecosystem by enhancing liquidity and encouraging the addition of new assets. This approach enables innovation and broadens the adoption of decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions.
Extended reality holds the potential to alter human experiences. This project explores user perceptions of peak experience (PE), a state of self-actualization and fulfillment, within augmented spaces and the potential role it can play for designers and developers to effectively engage immersive World Wide Web (Web3) communities. Semi-structured interviews, including an interactive experience stimulus, with key stakeholders in the Web3 space (staff from global immersive technology entities, brand collaborators, and community members, n = 15) were conducted. The findings reveal rich opportunities for users to experience surprise, delight, and a sense of connection and belonging in these spaces. They further suggest the potential to reshape and extend current user experiences by moving the focus of design toward crafting PEs. This holds great value for users to achieve a fuller sense of self-actualization and for content creators to connect to their communities in more meaningful ways.
Purpose Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are reshaping art markets and gaining strong stakeholder interest. While research has examined their applications in art ecosystems, their role in advancing Web3D markets remains unclear. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the impact of NFTs on the Web3D market and its impact on stakeholders, analysing 89 systematically selected articles. Findings The results of the study show that NFTs in the Web3D context can enhance privacy and trust through blockchain technology and protect intellectual property and ownership rights while influencing market dynamics, behaviour and investment strategies. Originality/value As the Web3D ecosystem grows, ongoing research and collaboration are critical to developing strategies that ensure sustainability, transparency and innovation in digital arts. This study is the first step in exploring these dynamics. Highlights
Sheshadri Chatterjee, Tomáš Klieštik, Zuzana Rowland, Martin Bugaj
Research background: Internet of Things devices and sensors, artificial intelligence-based digital asset trading and digital twin-based extended reality technologies, and autonomous robotic and enterprise resource planning systems can be leveraged in 3D semantic scene completion and metaverse-based commercial transactions across Internet of Things-based business environments. Distributed ledger and enterprise business technologies, shop-floor digital twin synthetic data, and 3D simulation and visualization systems configure integrated multi-physics workflows in hyper-realistic immersive industrial environments for artificial intelligence-based business value. Digital twin-based Internet of Robotic Things, robotic swarm and multi-modal machine learning algorithms (with regard to enterprise total factor productivity), and virtual and augmented reality simulation technologies are pivotal in spatial planning processes. Industrial product data and manufacturing value chain management support digital twin-based virtual factory modeling in collaborative immersive 3D visualization environments. Purpose of the article: We show that interconnected business process management and metaverse economic organizational structures, immersive economic and entrepreneurial knowledge image-based modeling (for big data-driven product development processes), and remote autonomous equipment control and monitoring integrate digital twin-enabled 6G Tactile Industrial Internet of Things, deep reinforcement learning and image processing algorithms, and event-driven signal processing for collaborative economic value co-creation. Deep learning-based visual recognition and industrial extended reality technologies, 3D production management modeling, and Internet of Things industrial and mobile sensing networks are pivotal in production operation management, as deep learning-based multi-source data fusion assists autonomous industrial manufacturing processes across interactive 3D immersive business and synthetic manufacturing environments. Collaborative robotic cyber-physical production and generative Artificial Intelligence of Things-based systems (in terms of managerial business value), artificial intelligence-based perceptual and cognitive technologies, and spatial mapping and machine intelligence algorithms enhance manufacturing process visualization, as industrial big data sharing and interoperability are functional in 3D semantic scene completion for sustainable business and economic growth across big data-driven immersive virtual industrial manufacturing environments. Methods: We inspected Tracxn (the Industrial Metaverse section) for the first 100 companies in terms of Tracxn score for X-corn status (i.e., Minicorn, Soonicorn, or none), total equity funding (USD), and company stage (i.e., Seed, Funding Raised, Unfunded, Public, Acquired, Acqui-Hired, and Series A, B, C, D), and identified three main topics for analysis that would lead to tangible business outcomes. We examined the performance management of shop floor virtualization: connected digital twins increase production and logistics process optimization in production environments across the industrial metaverse, facilitating photorealistic production system 3D modelling and simulation. We appraised integrated diagnostic functionalities of real-time simulation implementation for error elimination and machine parameter adjustment in immersive planned production lines by synthetic image data sets and collaborative workflows. We determined digital twin-based data synthesis operational procedures and interconnected use cases across industrial scalable infrastructures for value chain efficiency. Findings & value added: We identified the specific integrated operational simulation functions and production tasks, key performance indicators of shop floor autonomous and value creation systems, and industrial process parameters for predictive quality and fault detection, resulting in production loss reduction by use of industrial metaverse technologies. By use of operational data with regard to the technological management of the selected companies, quantitative analysis determines how immersive collaborative business process and extended reality-driven industrial metaverse technologies lead to economic value co-creation across 3D digital twin factories and cyber-physical manufacturing enterprises. The main value added derived from our research is that cloud-based collaborative 3D visualization and neuromorphic computing systems, 6G sensing and holographic simulation technologies, and machine intelligence and environment awareness algorithms (for business performance and productivity) can be leveraged in machine vision-based defect prediction, detection, diagnosis, and management. Virtual reality space convergence and object connection operate in Internet of Things-based sensing device performance monitoring across Internet of Things-based business environments. Virtual assembly lines and manufacturing enterprises necessitate machine learning-based production forecasting techniques, 3D object detection and tracking, and industrial autonomous and cyber-physical production systems, supporting spatial computing and predictive maintenance algorithms in collaborative immersive virtual environments.
<p>This paper examines the evolving challenges of intellectual property (IP) rights protection in the Metaverse, with particular focus on the intersection of traditional IP frameworks with emerging Non-fungible token (NFT) technology. While existing research has explored digital IP rights broadly, the unique characteristics of the Metaverse—its decentralized nature, platform interoperability, and novel ownership models—present unprecedented legal and technical challenges that warrant systematic investigation. The research addresses three key questions: 1) How do traditional territorial-based IP frameworks adapt to the borderless nature of the Metaverse? 2) What specific challenges does NFT technology present for trademark and copyright protection? 3) How can existing legal mechanisms be enhanced to provide effective IP protection in virtual environments? Through comparative analysis of recent case law from American and European courts, supported by examination of regulatory frameworks and technological capabilities, this study identifies critical gaps in current IP protection mechanisms. The analysis reveals that while NFTs offer new possibilities for digital rights management, their implementation raises complex issues regarding ownership verification, cross-platform rights enforcement, and jurisdictional authority. The paper proposes a three-tier framework for enhancing IP protection in the Metaverse: 1) Technical solutions incorporating blockchain-based verification systems with practical implementation considerations; 2) legal adaptations to address jurisdictional challenges; and 3) platform-level governance mechanisms. Each tier is evaluated against current technological constraints and legal precedents to ensure practical viability. This research contributes to both academic discourse and practical policy development by providing a structured analysis of Metaverse IP challenges and offering implementable solutions that balance innovation with rights protection. The findings suggest that effective IP protection in the Metaverse requires a hybrid approach combining adapted legal frameworks, technological solutions, and platform cooperation.</p>
A perfect digital reflection of our world has been a heavily contemplated concept in the past decade. With the convergence of Web 3.0 and augmented reality (AR) technologies, this network of interconnected entities known as the metaverse has breached our reality. This digital realm leverages blockchain technologies like cryptocurrencies and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), blurring the lines between physical and virtual worlds. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to accelerate these technologies. This review uses AI to analyze the role of cryptocurrencies and NFTs in the metaverse, enabling a comprehensive study of a vast range of literature. This approach aids in understanding how NFTs and cryptocurrencies are used in the metaverse and categorizing their applications. Web 3.0 technologies are seen in areas like artistic expression, virtual healthcare, education, entertainment, legal frameworks, tech innovation, and the virtual economy. This review explores relevant research and shows how AI can transform research by analyzing a wide spectrum of data.
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are an important element of the Metaverse as they support functionalities at various Metaverse layers, including the creation, trade, and ownership of digital assets. This paper focuses on the details of NFT dynamics within the Metaverse and emphasizes the mechanisms that support value creation and distribution in this area. This chapter explains the role of NFTs in decentralized ownership tracking, as well as addressing the challenges related to copyright and intellectual property. We draw parallels between traditional and virtual economies and highlight key differences and similarities. Moreover, we investigate the influence of NFTs on wealth disparity and the distribution of digital assets, and we report their potential benefits and drawbacks.
The virtual world will be altered significantly as a result of the incorporation of metaverses into digital communication. Immersive, cooperative, and resilient 3D cybernetic environments that surpass conventional web surfing define the metaverse. Modern technology and dynamic forces that fortify the metaverse are what propel this advancement, since they allow its hybrid virtual-physical nature to be effortlessly integrated. The development and fulfilment of virtual world technologies require core capabilities including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and 5G and 6G connection. Web3, which uses blockchain technology and smart contracts to create a decentralized, user-centric Internet, is all about the practical and geographical visibility of metaverses. Nonetheless, these ideas are connected to the broader evolution and do not conflict with one another. Because of its multiple functions, the metaverse may be used for a wide range of tasks. The gaming and entertainment sectors employ the metaverse in some of its most well-known uses. Users may enjoy a vibrant and imaginative setting in the metaverse where they can play games, watch films, go to concerts, etc. Because it may offer instructors and students a virtual environment where it is feasible to conduct training and experiments that cannot be experienced in the actual world owing to potential hazards or expenses, the metaverse can have various applications and consequences in the field of education. The metaverse will also benefit corporate growth, employee cooperation and communication, the creation of more realistic simulation models for urban development, process optimization, and many other areas. However, there are drawbacks to the metaverse as well. These include addictiveness, impairment of the ability of the mind to discriminate between actual reality and augmented or virtual reality, privacy protection, safeguarding people&s;s digital identities, information confidentiality, and the requirement for sophisticated hardware and software infrastructure in order to receive, send, simulate, and process information in real time. The Indian Information Technology Act of 2000 and its implementing rules created India&s;s current data protection system, which places requirements on businesses managing sensitive and personal data. Businesses must create organizational safeguards to protect data and get consent before processing any data. As the metaverse integrates more deeply into our digital world, a single legal framework is critical for managing the convergence of artificial intelligence and citizen privacy. In the light of newly introduced Indian Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) of 2023, data fiduciaries, data holders, and data processors have to be cautious of data collection and dissemination, and for this reason, metaverse app developers, app retainers, and app disseminators need special attention. Companies that employ moral artificial intelligence strategies are more prepared to navigate moral and societal traps associated with conducting business in the metaverse.
In this chapter, we provide details of key enablers of Web3 and the metaverse. It will discuss how several new technologies that are enabling the vision of Web3 and the metaverse, such as AR and VR headsets, are becoming cheaper and more powerful, leading to improved user experience. It discusses major opportunities that can result from Web3 and the metaverse. It provides a perspective on the roles of the metaverse in enhancing branding, empowering consumers, and increasing customer satisfaction with services. This chapter also highlights the various challenges that Web3 and the metaverse face. It discusses how human resources-related challenges and technical constraints can hinder the success of Web3 and the metaverse. It also offers an overview of the lack of standards and standardization to ensure interoperability within the metaverse ecosystem.
This introductory chapter provides an account of the current status and key trends in Web3 and the metaverse. It provides pointers to an increasing number of applications of Web3 and the metaverse in diverse areas. The chapter also looks at the developmental pattern of various metaverses. It provides a brief history and key events that have led to the development of Web3 and the metaverse. This chapter also looks at the debate about whether Web3 and the metaverse are only hype or the future of the digital economy. This chapter also delves into the recent rise and fall of Web3 and the metaverse. It examines the key factors contributing to the decline in Web3 and metaverse-related activities.
Вячеслав Володимирович Осадчий, Катерина Осадча, Світлана Сімоненко
Rapid advances in digital technology are transforming higher education. The Metaverse, combining virtual, augmented, mixed, and extended reality technologies, blockchain, digital twins, and non-fungible tokens, offers an exciting, personalised, and interactive learning experience, making it a powerful tool in modern higher education. In this paper, the authors set out to analyse scientific sources that highlight the use of the Metaverse in combination with AI technologies to improve higher educa-tion. To achieve this goal, scientific papers were selected from three international scientometric data-bases (Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC), a search strategy was developed based on key search queries and inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a bibliometric analysis and narrative review of the selected scien-tific papers was conducted. Using bibliometric analysis in VOSviewer, network visualisation was per-formed to analyse and display the co-occurrence of keywords in the selected scientific publications. A narrative review of the papers selected according to the established criteria was used to identify ways to combine the Metaverse with AI technologies to enhance higher education; the main directions include the creation of user-friendly and useful environments and their expansion to virtual university campu-ses, the implementation of AI capabilities for security in the Metaverse, creating personalised user expe-riences based on their behaviour and preferences, facilitating real-time communication, generating con-tent for the Metaverse, combining the physical and digital worlds, and implementing AI tutoring.
This study investigates the correlation between the number of views and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) valuation, explicitly focusing on Sandbox land assets. This study uses data from the OpenSea marketplace to examine various valuation metrics, including current price, offer price, and floor price. It develops a digital investment valuation and analysis (DIVA) model to predict NFT valuations. This study employs a quantitative research design, incorporating descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to analyze the data. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between views, offers, and current prices, highlighting the critical role of attention in NFT valuation (Wang et al., 2021). The validated DIVA model demonstrates strong predictive power, explaining 75 percent of the variance in current prices. These insights are crucial for investors, creators, and platform operators, emphasizing the importance of visibility and engagement in maximizing NFT values (Sun, 2024). This study aims to contribute to the literature on digital asset valuation and offers insights that may inform investment strategies and market efficiency in the evolving NFT market. Future research should consider more extensive and diverse samples and explore additional variables to refine the valuation model.
Oleksandr Kuznetsov, Alex Rusnak, Anton Yezhov, Kateryna Kuznetsova · 6 authors
This chapter delves into the pivotal role of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) in bolstering the realms of metaverse environments and blockchain technology, with a special emphasis on their integration into wireless communication systems. By combining theoretical insights with empirical evidence, the chapter elucidates the transformative impact of ZKPs on enhancing privacy, security, and operational efficiency in these digital ecosystems. It commences with a review of the current literature, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of ZKPs. The discourse progresses into a detailed examination of both interactive and non-interactive ZKPs, including an in-depth mathematical exposition of zk-SNARKs (zero-knowledge succinct non-interactive arguments of knowledge) and zk-STARKs (zero-knowledge scalable transparent arguments of knowledge). This foundational analysis sets the stage for investigating ZKPs' practical applications within metaverse environments, scrutinizing their influence on user authentication, secure asset transactions, and privacy-preserving data sharing. Such applications underscore ZKPs' capacity to revolutionize virtual world experiences by fortifying security and privacy. Moreover, the narrative extends into the blockchain domain, spotlighting the inadequacies of conventional data verification methods, with a focus on Ethereum's reliance on Merkle Trees. It introduces a novel ZKP-based methodology that mitigates these limitations, markedly diminishing proof size and computational demands. The efficacy of this strategy is corroborated by experimental outcomes, and its economic viability is highlighted, advocating for its real-world applicability in blockchain systems. Additionally, this chapter integrates a discussion on the application of the proposed methods to metaverse wireless communications, underscoring the criticality of ZKPs in satisfying the book's scope. It concludes by synthesizing the insights garnered and contemplating future directions, thereby enriching the scholarly dialogue and offering valuable perspectives for advancing research and development in blockchain and metaverse technologies, particularly within wireless communication frameworks.
• Decision Support System enhances player decision-making in the dynamic Metaverse. • Blockchain and NFTs can be used for accurate asset representation in the Metaverse. • Genetic algorithms optimize character traits under constraints in the Metaverse. • Genetic algorithms dominate over greedy in repeated games simulation. The Metaverse, a virtual world enabling user interaction with digital environments and assets, increasingly utilizes blockchain and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to represent unique characters and items. Representing and valuing individual digital characters is crucial in the Metaverse as it establishes ownership, identity, and status within these virtual worlds. This research investigates decision-making within collaborative online games, where players face the challenge of optimizing their character's value through strategic NFT acquisition. This challenge is analogous to the Knapsack Problem, aiming to maximize the value of items selected within a limited capacity, just as players seek to maximize character rarity within budget constraints. We propose a Decision Support System (DSS) employing genetic algorithms to assist players in tackling this complex optimization problem. A simulation framework, based on the "SunflowerLand" Metaverse, demonstrates that players using the DSS achieve significantly higher character rarity, highlighting the potential of this approach to enhance player experience.