Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, NFTs and Metaverse: Four New Concepts Explained

Rabindra Ratan / Michigan State University

Our reality has been growing increasingly virtual for decades. Each new major information technology—from radio to television to the Internet to Mobile Phones—dramatically changes the way people work, socialize, and play. We are presently standing at the doorstep of a new technological revolution that will transform how people own and experience information: in particular, digital goods. This new socio-technical existence will rely on a class of assets enabled by blockchain technologies—cryptocurrencies and NFTs—and will be integrated into our daily lives via the metaverse.

If that last sentence reads like a doozy and makes you feel like a virtual neophyte (get it, virtual neophyte!?), then this class is for you. Dr. Ratan will ease you into these four fundamental concepts, explaining what they mean, how they are related to each other, and why they are important. Dr. Ratan will also describe a bit of his latest research on perceptions of cryptocurrencies and the metaverse. Lastly, he will provide some simple tips on how to dip a toe into the metaverse yourself.