The last year is likely to be remembered as the year of NFTs, but non-fungible tokens are not the only trend that emerged in 2021. DeFi was still pushing strongly after starting in 2020, and the last few months of 2021 were actually marked by a trend that is likely to be the biggest in 2022 — the metaverse.
The crypto industry has been moving towards the rise of the metaverse on its own, but once Facebook shone a light on it after rebranding into Meta — the trend exploded. Now, all of the projects that were silently developing their virtual worlds in the background suddenly found themselves under the spotlight, which brought new developers, new users, and a lot more money to them. Despite this, we expect that their rise is only starting, and if you are interested in investing in some of them, here are some of the projects with the most potential that we recommend watching in January 2022.
1. Decentraland (MANA)
The first on our list is Decentraland. This is a project that has been around for years, developing the digital world that allows users to purchase digital land, and use it for all sorts of purposes. Decentraland’s plots of land can be used for the development of dApps, games, various new protocols, and more.
They can be used as art galleries where you can display your digital collectibles and artwork in the form of NFTs. It can even be used for organizing virtual events. Only a week ago, someone used the project to organize a celebration of the New Year for anyone in the world who wanted to attend. Another example is the Australian Open, which is about to launch its own event in Decentraland.
These kinds of events are only going to become more common, especially since COVID-19 is still evolving and preventing people from organizing more traditional meetups, so this project definitely has a bright future ahead.
To learn more about this token visit our Investing in Decentraland guide.
2. Axie Infinity (AXS)
Next up, we have Axie Infinity — currently the largest metaverse-based game that utilizes NFTs to allow traders to buy, sell, and breed digital monsters. The game, inspired by Pokemon, allows you to navigate its wide open world, seek out other players, and use your NFT-based monsters to battle them. The winner receives rewards in the form of NFTs and the project’s native cryptocurrency, AXS.
The NFTs can be withdrawn from the game and sold on third-party NFT markets at any time. Or, you can use your monsters to breed new ones and strengthen them with over 500 monster body parts in order to make some of the most powerful hybrids that will be able to win every battle for you.
The only limit is your imagination, and you are strongly encouraged to experiment and strategize with this game. And, thanks to its growing popularity, its native token AXS is certainly worth holding, given the price growth that will come when the demand goes up.
To learn more about this token visit our Investing in Axie Infinity guide.
3. The Sandbox (SAND)
Next, there is The Sandbox — a project that uses its virtual world to allow users to create, buy, and/or sell digital assets from a variety of games. The project’s main goal is to bring blockchain technology and gaming together, and it does it by allowing users to launch their own games, and empower their players through the use of the play-to-earn model.
With the ability to enjoy games and win rewards for playing alone, The Sandbox is one of the go-to metaverse projects among the gaming community. On top of that, its universe also allows gamers to create and collect blockchain-based assets, which is bound to revolutionize the market on its own.
But, the main reason why The Sandbox is so popular is the fact that it is relying on user-generated content. In other words, it allows players to express themselves, create the games they always wanted to make, offer them to others, and at the same time — it is profitable for everyone involved. Simply put, it is a win situation for all parties, and that’s what makes The Sandbox’s SAND tokens worth watching very closely this January and beyond.
To learn more about this token visit our Investing in The Sandbox guide.
4. Illuvium (ILV)
Illuvium is another blockchain-based game that is rapidly growing in popularity. The project is based on Ethereum’s network, and it presents the gaming community with an open-world fantasy battle game. In fact, Illuvium was dubbed the first AAA game ever created on Ethereum, and it is particularly targeting those who are fans of both, gaming and DeFi. As for those who only care for one of these two aspects, it is likely that the project will make them develop an interest in the other as well, soon enough.
Illuvium is a game whose world is inhabited by creatures called Illuvials. These creatures can be captured by players, and used in battles throughout the game. Similarly to Axie, the creatures come in the form of NFTs, and players can use them in the game or sell them to others for profit.
Creating a strong collection of monsters is crucial for emptying dungeons, defeating bosses, and winning rewards. The game features a fully 3D environment, with more than 100 unique Illuvials scattered throughout its various regions, and each creature was designed by the world-class artists, just like the world itself.
To learn more about this token visit our Investing in Illuvium guide.
5. MyNeighborAlice (ALICE)
Last, but not least, we have MyNeighborAlice. This is a multiplayer builder game that uses metaverse to provide players with virtual islands. Players can buy the islands, collect existing items, build new ones, meet new friends, and more. The game is inspired by other, traditional games, including Animal Crossing.
As such, it combines the best aspects of traditional games — a fun narrative for those who are more into games than cryptos — and a rich ecosystem filled with NFTs — for those who are more interested in the technology and the possibility to earn while playing the game.
Meanwhile, MyNeighborAlice also features a native token called ALICE. ALICE can be used as an in-game currency, where players can use it for purchasing assets and acquiring special skill sets in the game’s private marketplace. The coins are also useful for helping to govern the project by voting on various proposals and helping its community come to a decision whenever there is one to be made.
And, if you simply wish to play your game in peace while also earning as much extra money as possible, ALICE is also a great cryptocurrency to use in staking.
To learn more about this token visit our How to buy ALICE guide.
Conclusion
With that, we conclude our list of the 5 best metaverse tokens to watch in January 2022. It is likely that new projects will emerge as this month continues to progress, and the same is undoubtedly true for the rest of the year. But, right now, these are the best that the metaverse sector has to offer, so look them up, do your research, and if you like what you find — feel free to give them a shot.
