The latest trend in tech is the metaverse.
Facebook Inc. (ticker: FB) made headlines in late October by announcing that it’s changing its corporate name to Meta as part of a new focus on building a “metaverse.” The concept involves constructing integrated virtual online environments in which people live, work and play. A real-life version of the movie “The Matrix” may seem like science fiction, but so did ideas like the internet and driverless cars at one point. The global metaverse market could grow to between $390 billion and $800 billion by the mid-2020s, according to Bank of America. Here are seven of the best metaverse stocks to buy today.
Meta (ticker: MVRS)
Facebook announced it will officially change its corporate name to Meta and its stock ticker to MVRS on Dec. 1. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the metaverse is like a version of the internet that users enter rather than just view. “Today we are seen as a social media company, but in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people, and the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started,” Zuckerberg said during a media event. Facebook’s Oculus and Horizon virtual reality subsidiaries will likely play a large role in its metaverse push.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
Microsoft is pushing to be the early leader in the professional metaverse. In an October interview with Harvard Business Review, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussed the metaverse concept. “I think that this entire idea of metaverse is fundamentally this: Increasingly, as we embed computing in the real world, you can even embed the real world in computing,” Nadella said. The metaverse could completely revolutionize the way professionals meet, collaborate and interact online using avatars or even holograms, Nadella adds. Microsoft’s HoloLens, which are mixed reality smart glasses, and Xbox gaming consoles may also play important roles in the metaverse user interface.
Unity Software Inc. (U)
Unity Software owns one of the two main 3D video game engines, which allows designers to customize how video game players move and interact within their games. In fact, 94 of the largest 100 game development studios use the Unity engine. On Unity’s second-quarter earnings call, CEO John Riccitiello said the company will “support and shape the metaverse” and will “emphasize content creation, cross-platform access, and narrowing the distance and reducing the friction between creators and consumers.” Unity may be a central player in helping businesses build unique metaverse presences — the equivalent of websites or social media pages today.
Roblox Corp. (RBLX)
Roblox is an online entertainment platform that may be the closest thing to an existing social metaverse today. Roblox is essentially a video game that has 43.2 million daily active users, its own digital currency and a wide range of unique virtual experiences, such as a live digital concert by Lil Nas X in 2020. Outside developers are constantly building new games and content to integrate into the existing game, which serves as the base for the growing metaverse. The platform’s 1.3 million developers are on track to collectively earn $500 million from their creations in 2021.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)
For years, Amazon has focused on expanding its e-commerce platform into an “ecosystem,” integrating shopping, entertainment and cloud services for its users. Amazon has the dominant online shopping platform and will likely look to establish some version of an “Amazon mall” in the metaverse in which shoppers can interact and buy digital products. In a recent blog post, Amazon’s Vince Koh, who heads worldwide digital commerce for the company, discussed innovations such as virtual try-on, virtual pop-up stores and a virtual avatar economy as ideas changing the retail landscape. Finally, Amazon Web Services will likely play a major role in building and maintaining metaverse infrastructure.
Autodesk Inc. (ADSK)
About 70% of Autodesk’s business comes from design software for architecture, engineering and construction, or AEC. Engineers and architects use Autodesk’s application to virtually design 3D buildings and infrastructure projects. Autodesk now has a suite of products designed specifically for building virtual reality and augmented reality 3D animations and buildings, a perfect fit for metaverse construction. In the second quarter, Autodesk’s AEC segment revenue grew 21% to $397 million, while its media and entertainment segment revenue grew 10% to $53.3 million. It’s easy to see why Autodesk is a top choice for developers building the early metaverse.
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Nvidia produces the graphics and video processing chips used in high-end computing servers, supercomputers, artificial intelligence and virtual reality applications. Nvidia chips will play a crucial role in supplying the massive amount of processing power the metaverse will require. Nvidia is also creating its own metaverse platform, called Nvidia Omniverse. Nvidia Omniverse is a platform used for connecting 3D worlds into an integrated virtual universe. The company has said Omniverse can be used for a wide range of enterprise applications, such as design collaboration and simulation of real-world architecture. In addition, Nvidia says Omniverse is a useful tool for training robots.
These seven names are the top metaverse stocks to invest in:
— Facebook Inc. (MVRS)
— Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
— Unity Software Inc. (U)
— Roblox Corp. (RBLX)
— Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)
— Autodesk Inc. (ADSK)
— Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
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