Investment bank Morgan Stanley has stated the metaverse is now the next big investment theme, in a note directed to investors Thursday. Bank strategists believe there is significant interest in this alternate take on reality from companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) and Microsoft, who are already trying to grasp the concept. Some of these companies are already taking advantage.
‘Metaverse’ the New Buzz Concept
Morgan Stanley, one of the biggest investment banks in the world, announced it considers the metaverse the next big investment scheme, according to a note directed to investors Thursday. The metaverse is a concept that includes building an alternate universe where individuals can mold their image to who they want to be and perform actual tasks such as buying things, playing with friends, and other activities.
The concept has already been grasped by companies that are trying to build their respective takes on it. Facebook has been renamed Meta to reflect this new direction, and Microsoft is also adding metaverse-themed elements to its products starting next year. Morgan Stanley strategist Edward Stanley declared:
It can fundamentally change the way we socialize with others.
Companies Want Piece of the Pie
Stanley stated that more and more companies are moving to include these activities and elements in their projects. Tech and gaming stocks are already capitalizing on this new market trend, including gaming universes like Roblox. Stanley pointed out:
Newsflow around the metaverse concept has been high and companies are embracing it in growing numbers. Regardless of the major theme, companies and analysts are more interested in the metaverse than any other theme right now.
However, the note also acknowledged that we are still in the very early phases of this alternate world being built. While all of these initiatives are already starting to take shape, the full metaverse is still years away, and it will take considerable interoperability and collaboration from these companies for this world to exist. This will be possible when users can move their experiences and avatars from one platform to another, seamlessly.
Stanley also noticed that most of the companies getting into the metaverse trend come from three countries. The U.S., China, and South Korea are the countries most focused on activities and corporate launches regarding the metaverse.
