9 Best Metaverse Crypto Projects to Invest in 2023

In addition to the internet of things (IoT), NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and web3, the metaverse is one of the hottest investment trends in 2023.

Therefore, the purpose of this market insight is to explore the best metaverse crypto coins for early exposure to this growing marketplace.

The metaverse crypto coins projects above each target a different niche from within this marketplace. Therefore, diversification will enable investors to reduce the overall risk spectrum.

Analyzing the Best Metaverse Crypto Coins to Buy

The following market insight into the best metaverse crypto coins explains each and every metric that investors should know before risking their capital.

This includes factors surrounding the project objectives, whitepaper, roadmap, team, and tokenomics – and how this fits into the future of the metaverse.

Read on to find our top picks regarding the best metaverse coins to invest in.

1. Meme Kombat (MK) – Meme Metaverse With Wagering on Token Combat And 112% APY

Meme Kombat ($MK) is a metaverse with a twist. It takes the world’s most successful meme tokens –  Pepe, Pepe 2, Milady, Kishu, Mong, Shiba, Sponge, Wojack, Doge, Floki, Baby Doge – and pits them against one another in an AI-assisted battle arena with live betting on the outcome, paid in $MK.

The outcomes of the battle are also facilitated on chain, with rewards given to the winners automatically. 

There are three game modes in this metaverse. P v P allows the user to place wagers against a friend, adding a personal touch. In P v Game betting, spectators wager on the outcomes of battles against the game itself. 

This is the most common format. It further allows users to analyze and place bets based on calculated probabilities. Odds are not simply 50/50 per game but much more dynamic, much like the betting industry. 

Finally, direct betting allows spectators to place wagers on specific battles or characters. This traditional betting method offers a direct way for users to engage with the game and to potentially earn prizes. Side action betting on nuanced elements also provides a much richer and more complex betting experience for users. 

Aside from active income from bets, passive income in the form of staking rewards is also available, currently 112%. 30% of the total supply of 12 million tokens goes to staking, 50% to the presale, 10% to rewards, and 10% to DEX liquidity. 

In terms of project transparency, the founder has been publicly doxxed and it has undertaken a smart contract audit, with no severe issues located. 

This is a unique metaverse with many layers of incentives. The idea to combine the world’s best memes in one metaverse could be an extremely popular one, given the size of the meme industry and the passionate nature of its followers. 

The ability to bet on fight outcomes, alongside high-yield staking rewards, are further incentives that could tip this as a top metaverse for 2023. 

Some analysts have even suggested 10x for this token.

More information can be found on the Telegram and Twitter accounts, as well as the Whitepaper.

2. eTukTuk – Sustainable Crypto Offering Crypto Payment Options at EV Charging Stations

The next metaverse coin our list is eTukTuk ($TUK). This is the first automotive project built on the Binance Smart Chain. eTukTuk’s goal is to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption among TukTuk vehicles in developing nations. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the population breathes polluted air. A major cause of this are ICEs (Internal Combustion Engines), which run on non-renewable sources of energy. More than 270 million vehicles, including cars and TukTuks operate on ICEs. 

Due to the increase in energy prices, eTukTuk offers more sustainable and cost-effective solution. The platform will set up electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSEs) in developing nations. These will be compatible with zero-emission vehicles, and can be used as charging stations. 

TukTuk drivers can make payments on these charging stations with $TUK – the native cryptocurrency. The EVSEs will be set up with the help of local territory partners, which will reduce the overall costs. It is estimated that the drivers will save 400% of their revenue by using eTukTuk. 

Territory partners will be paid a commission per every payment made by drivers on charging stations. Furthermore, the $TUK token can be staked to earn passive income. $TUK will be stored into power nodes to operate the system. In return, a percentage of the revenue generated will be distributed to staked token holders. 

At press time, eTukTuk is offering an APY of more than 14,000% to token holders. $TUK can be purchased on presale for just $0.024 per token. The presale has raised more than $60K. Read the eTukTuk whitepaper and join the Telegram channel to know more about this project. 

3. DogeStar (DOGESTAR) – New Meme-Centric Metaverse Project 

In the buzzing world of the meme cryptocurrency space, DogeStar has emerged as the next big Doge-themed token. After a successful start to the new $DOGESTAR presale, some believe this meme coin can be a worthy asset in your crypto portfolios. 

However, DogeStar isn’t just an ordinary meme coin without any purpose. One of the upcoming components of DogeStar is its metaverse game and NFT marketplace. DogeStar has planned its upcoming roll-outs through a detailed platform roadmap. While the current focus remains on the ongoing presale and upcoming exchange listings – the metaverse integration will begin by phase 5 of a 7-phase roadmap plan. 

The metaverse game will be followed by the launch of DogeStar’s NFT marketplace, combining different Web3 ecosystems under the same roof. Thus, DogeStar may witness a rapid increase in token demand once these ecosystems are released. To potentially benefit from the upcoming metaverse platform, interested investors can buy $DOGESTAR for just $0.00000025, before the price increases. 

The token will be listed at a price of $0.0000006 – a 140% jump from current levels. By incorporating elements such as a merchandise store in the future, DogeStar will provide multiple use cases for token holders. The DogeStar smart contract has been successfully audited by Coinsult. 

This new presale has already raised over $260K since launch. Join the DogeStar Telegram channel and visit the Twitter page for more updates. 

4. Green Bitcoin (GBTC) – Predict the Price of Bitcoin and Earn Token Rewards 

Green Bitcoin ($GBTC) is an ERC-20 token that combines the legacy of Bitcoin with Ethereum’s eco-friendly blockchain. The cryptocurrency will offer staking opportunities, gaming rewards, and benefits to presale investors. 

$GBTC can be staked on the ecosystem and used to participate in a price prediction game. Players will predict the following day’s Bitcoin price, and earn rewards for their correct predictions. The rewards are given proportionally to your share in the daily staking pool. 

From a 21 million token supply – 5.8 million tokens will be offered through staking rewards. Green Bitcoin will also reward investors for staking tokens for the long term. You can get a 20% bonus on top of your daily winnings by locking tokens for 6 months. 

$GBTC, the native token, is priced at only $0.27 during the ongoing presale round. By the initial exchange offering, the price will jump to $0.6 per token. Thus, investors are looking to join the presale during the early stages to maximize the upside potential. 

Presale investors can also stake their holdings and earn 1,000% in staking APYs (Annual Percentage Yields). This eco-friendly green cryptocurrency has been built on Ethereum since it utilizes 10,000 times less energy than Bitcoin. 

Along with the added benefits of staking and gaming rewards, Green Bitcoin can be one of the top investments in the coming years. For more information on this new crypto project, read the  Green Bitcoin whitepaper and join the Telegram channel. 

5. Pikamoon (PIKA) – Play-to-Earn Metaverse Offering NFT Avatars and In-Game Rewards

Pikamoon ($PIKA) is a play-to-earn role-playing game that offers its own metaverse environment – Pikaverse. On this ecosystem, players can purchase NFTs, engage in battles, and earn rewards. 

With $PIKA, the native token, players can purchase Pikamoon NFT avatars. The first series of Pikamoon will feature 18,012 Avatars. The NFTs belong to four distinct regions on Dreva – the virtual world within the metaverse. The goal of players is to join quests and take part in battles to move through the gameplay. 

Your Pikamoon NFTs can be used in Player vs Player battles within the metaverse. To increase the chance of winning the battles, players can buy NFT items such as healing potions and weapons. This metaverse will offer battling and exploration opportunities – allowing users to capture more NFTs along the way. 

$PIKA has a total supply of 50 billion, 15 billion of which has been allocated for the ongoing presale. At press time, $PIKA is priced at $0.0006 during the final presale stage. The exchange listing price is confirmed at $0.0007 per token. 

Since the start of the presale, Pikamoon has raised more than $4.1 million. The project has been audited by CoinSniper, and KYC verified by Coinsult. Read the Pikamoon whitepaper and join the Telegram channel to learn more about this cryptocurrency. 

6. Ethereum – Decentralized Smart Contract Blockchain Hosting Some of  the Best Metaverse Projects

Each of the metaverse projects discussed thus far operate on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain.

Ethereum is the world’s second-largest crypto coin by market capitalization and has long been one of the best cryptos to invest in, so the upside potential may be limited compared to newer projects.

Nonetheless, as the de-factor blockchain of choice of many leading metaverse projects and other decentralized apps (dApps) Ethereum is still worth considering. This is especially the case when investors factor in the price difference between Ethereum’s current valuations and its former all-time high.

As of writing, those electing to buy Ethereum will pay approximately 65% below its 2021 peak of $4,900.

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7. Decentraland (MANA) –  One of the Most Established Metaverse Ecosystems 

Decentraland (MANA) is one of the most established metaverse crypto projects in this space. In fact, the team behind Decentraland began working on its metaverse in 2015 and the platform was officially launched two years later.

This means that Decentraland has a huge head start over many of its metaverse counterparts.

Users that enter the Decentraland metaverse can create their own virtual avatar and socialize with others via on-screen text. users can also explore the many virtual worlds hosted in Decentraland and even purchase virtual plots of land, payable in MANA.

As of writing, Decentraland carries a market capitalization of just under $1.5 billion.

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8. The Sandbox (SAND) –  Metaverse World Frequented by Snoop Dogg and Other Celebrities 

The Sandbox (SAND) is one of the most popular metaverse projects in this space, and its underlying digital asset now commands a market capitalization of just over $1.3 billion. This metaverse is frequented by a wealth of celebrities, including Snoop Dogg.

In fact, not only has Snoop Dogg bought his own plot of land and virtual mansion in the Sandbox, but he has also released his own music video specifically for the metaverse.

Real estate prices are extraordinarily high in the Sandbox metaverse, with some plots having sold for several million dollars.

Nonetheless, one of the best ways to gain exposure to the Sandbox metaverse is to buy and hold SAND tokens. Just like Ethereum and Decentraland, SAND can be purchased at SEC-regulated broker eToro from just $10.

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9. ApeCoin (APE) – Largest Metaverse Coin by Market Capitalization

Looking for the top metaverse coins by market capitalization? If so the largest digital currency in this space is ApeCoin (APE) – with a market capitalization of over $2 billion as of writing.

ApeCoin is the native token of the Otherside metaverse, which is still in the early stages of development.

ApeCoin will be required to purchase virtual plots of land in the Otherside metaverse and subsequently invest in digital real estate.

Interestingly, both ApeCoin and the Otherside are being developed by Yuga Labs – the company behind the massively successful Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection.

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What is Metaverse Crypto?

The metaverse is simply defined as a virtual reality world in which users can interact with each other and the computer-generated environment around them.

However, the metaverse is not one defined place and has many variations – whether that be in its look, environment or what can be done inside of it. Each project has a unique and distinct metaverse and will have its blockchain-backed crypto coin. Each respective coin will serve a specific purpose within the metaverse, which ensures that it has utility.

Not only do crypto coins serve a purpose in their respective metaverse, but they also enable investors to easily gain project exposure. This is because, in theory, the more successful a metaverse project is, the more valuable its native crypto coin will become.

This investment thesis centers on the market forces on demand and supply.

Let’s take Decentraland and its MANA token as a prime example:

• According to CoinMarketCap, MANA was initially trading at just $0.025 when it was launched in late 2017. At its peak in late 2021, MANA was trading at just under $5.
• This means that those investing in MANA when the project was first launched would have been looking at potential gains of almost 20,000%.
• For every $1,000 invested, this would have translated into $200,000.

In the following sections, we discuss the investment potential of metaverse crypto coins in more detail.

How is Crypto Used in the Metaverse?

Crypto plays a crucial role in the metaverse, shaping its development and integration with real-world systems.

The convergence of three technologies that will shape the future of the metaverse includes advancements in virtual reality, blockchain, and artificial intelligence, which promise to revolutionize how we interact, work, and play in digital spaces.

As a result, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have emerged as fundamental components in this evolving digital landscape. One current example is the use of cryptocurrency for in-game transactions, such as purchasing virtual goods, real estate, or avatars.

It is estimated by 2026 that 25% of the global population will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse for digital activities including work, shopping, education, socializing or entertainment, with a third of global businesses projected to offer products and services in the metaverse.

Decentraland, a prominent virtual world, allows users to buy and sell land using its native cryptocurrency, MANA. Similarly, The Sandbox employs its native token, SAND, for various in-game transactions and governance.

Another application of crypto in the metaverse is the creation and trade of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These unique digital assets represent ownership of virtual goods like art, collectibles, and even virtual real estate. Platforms like OpenSea and Rarible facilitate the buying, selling, and trading NFTs, often using popular cryptocurrencies like Ethereum.

In the future, the use of cryptocurrencies in the metaverse could extend to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.

This could enable users to access financial services such as lending, borrowing, and earning interest on their digital assets within the virtual world. Imagine a scenario where users can seamlessly manage digital assets and financial transactions without leaving the metaverse.

Another potential development is the emergence of crypto-based virtual economies that mirror real-world economic systems. Users can earn digital assets in these economies by offering goods, services, or labor within the metaverse.

For instance, Axie Infinity, a popular blockchain-based game, allows players to earn tokens by participating in battles, breeding Axies, or trading them in the marketplace.

Are Metaverse Crypto Projects Worth Investing in?

Read on to learn more about the investment thesis of the best metaverse crypto coins that the market has to offer in 2023.

Unprecedented Upside Potential 

We mentioned that from its launch in 2017 to its peak in 2021, Decentraland’s underlying token – MANA, witnessed unprecedented growth of nearly 20,000%.

This is because when MANA was first launched, it was a small-cap project that was entering the metaverse market for the first time. Although MANA still has plenty of upside potential it is already valued at over a billion dollars, so gains will be unlikely to mirror previous returns.

With that being said, there is a small selection of other metaverse crypto coins that are only just getting started and thus – are yet to list on a crypto exchange. This means that early investors can secure a super-low entry price and subsequently gain exposure to the project while it has a small market capitalization.

Moreover, a recent study discovered that the metaverse will be all around us and worth $5 trillion by 2030, demonstrating its potential influence on diverse aspects of society and the global economy.

Metaverse Concept Supported by Established Global Brands  

While skeptics will argue that the metaverse is a fad, this sentiment isn’t shared by many of the world’s largest brands.

For example, Facebook rebranded to Meta Platforms in late 2021. This is associated with the social media giant’s plans to dominate the metaverse space in the coming years.

In addition to Meta Platforms, other brands that are investing in the metaverse include Google, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and many others, with the likes of Adidas, Samsung and Louis Vuitton buying metaverse plots of land in The Sandbox and Decentraland.

Land and Real Estate Ownership  

One of the most attractive features of many metaverse projects is that it enables investors to buy virtual plots of land. Each plot will be backed by an NFT on the blockchain, so ownership is verifiable.

Furthermore, NFTs can be traded in open marketplaces. This means that at some point in the future, owners of virtual metaverse land have the opportunity to sell their investment to another person.

Just like in the traditional real estate market, land prices in the metaverse are determined by demand and supply. This is why some plots in the Sandbox are now trading for seven figures.

A more affordable option is to buy virtual land in an emerging metaverse project, such as Decentraland – once its metaverse launches later in the year, there will be plenty of plots up for grabs, which can be built upon and used to generate income through renting property or holding ticketed events.

Metaverse Diversification   

We analyzed some of the best metaverse crypto coins in the market earlier in this guide, but there are many others. In fact, according to CoinMarketCap, there are now more than 240 metaverse tokens in this space.

This enables investors to build a diversified portfolio of metaverse projects. In most cases, metaverse coins can be purchased for just a few dollars.

A potential strategy here is to invest in metaverse coins from a range of niche markets. For example, The Sandbox is a top option for metaverse real estate, while LHINU is great for gaining exposure to vote-to-earn rewards.

Bear Market Pricing   

Although there appears to be a slight recovery in the making, the cryptocurrency markets are still largely bearish. From an investment perspective, this means that it is possible to buy a range of quality metaverse crypto coins at a discount.

For instance, the likes of Decentraland and The Sandbox are both trading below their former all-time highs, hugely down from the 2021 bull run.

Buying into top-rated metaverse projects during the bear market is a great way to gain exposure to this space at an attractive entry price.

Metaverse Presales   

We listed several projects currently engaged in their respective presales. By investing in one of the aforementioned presales, investors will secure the lowest cost price possible.

In almost all instances, once the presale is over, the respective metaverse coin will list on a crypto exchange at a higher price.

Conclusion

The metaverse is expected to become a trillion-dollar industry within the next decade, so now could be a great time to begin building a portfolio of quality coins.

Meme Kombat is undoubtedly one of the most exciting metaverses, a new concept that brings the world’s most famous memes into a combat arena, with multiple betting options on the outcomes.

It could be a new paradigm in the meme industry, and we are excited to see how it unfolds over the coming months.

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Yash Majithia

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Yash Majithia

Yash is a versatile and seasoned writer and analyst in the crypto space with a strong financial background. Over the past year, he has written extensively for various publications on topics ranging from technical analysis to on-chain analytics, including here at Techopedia. In addition to his writing, Yash has collaborated with blockchain marketing companies to develop compelling content. He has also gained valuable experience working as a senior assurance associate for over three years at an audit firm, where he worked with a range of listed companies. Yash's passion for global exchange and cultural exchange led him to represent his…

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