Raphael Thys
Here’s the most comprehensive list of the latest metaverse statistics in 2022.
Get answers on:
- How much is the metaverse market worth?
- How fast is it developing & future predictions?
- What companies are the biggest players?
- What are the main metaverse projects?
- How many people use it & what do they expect?
And much more.
P.S. There’s even a list of new jobs the metaverse will bring.
Contents:
What is metaverse?
The metaverse is a computer-generated, persistent, real-time, virtual world (often in 3D) where people socialize, play games, trade, own virtual real estate and items, date, work, and interact in new and unique ways.
Metaverse Market Size & Industry Predictions
Let’s start with the main question:
What is the metaverse market worth?
1. The global metaverse market stood at an estimated $38.85 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow to $47.48 billion in 2022.
According to a March 2022 report from Statista, the future is bright for the market as it’s expected to grow fast (Statista 3).
2. Grayscale predicts the metaverse revenue could soon reach $1 trillion.
Experts in crypto management from Grayscale expect the metaverse to soon reach $1 trillion in revenue in a 2021 study (Grayscale).
Some predictions are less optimistic.
3. Worldwide metaverse market value will reach $1.607 trillion in 2030 and record a 43.3% CAGR growth, according to Emergen Research.
Many estimates predict a multitrillion-dollar market for the metaverse. The only question is how soon we’ll see it. Emergen Research thinks it will take longer than other analysts (Emergen Research).
4. According to Bloomberg, the metaverse market size could reach $783.3 billion in 2024.
Bloomberg industry analysts Matthew Kanterman and Nathan Naidu used their own, Newzoo, IDC, PWC, Statista, and Two Circles data. They came up with a close to $800 billion prediction (Bloomberg).
5. ReportsAndData prediction forecasts the global metaverse revenue at $872.35 billion in 2028.
According to Reports And Data prediction, the market will grow at over 40% CAGR (ReportsAndData).
6. Grand View Research estimates the metaverse market will be worth $678.8 billion by 2030.
A more modest Grand View Research prediction from March 2022 report (Grand View Research).
Here’s the table that summarizes the metaverse market predictions from different sources:
| Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
2024 | Bloomberg | |
2028 | ReportsAndData | |
2030 | Grand View Research | |
2030 | Emergen Research |
One of the key metaverse statistics is the future value of the market. While estimates are slightly different depending in who’s data you take into account, all analysts agree the future is bright.
7. JPMorgan expects the metaverse to infiltrate every sector in a couple of years.
JPMorgan agrees with the Grayscale Investments estimate metaverse market could be worth over $1 trillion soon (Bitcoin.com 1).
8. The metaverse could become an $8 trillion business opportunity in the future.
The Goldman Sachs investment bank sees metaverses as a massive multitrillion-dollar opportunity in the future. They’re even more optimistic than other estimates.
Cathie Wood, the CEO of Ark Investment Management, predicts the same multitrillion-dollar market for metaverse (Bitcoin.com 2).
9. The potential total consumer expenditure of the U.S. metaverse market for 2022 is estimated at $8.3 trillion.
In other words, the number estimates how much money Americans would spend on metaverse-related products in 2022.
30.4% of the money is expected to be spent on virtual real estate, 8.5% on vehicles, and 8.44% on home-related products (Statista).
10. The metaverse could be a $586 billion global disruptor for the advertisement industry.
According to Global X, metaverse platforms will offer their services for free but make revenue via ads and in-platform purchases (Global X).
11. The market capitalization of Web 2.0 metaverse companies was $14.8 trillion in October 2021.
The combined market value of metaverse companies is already in multi-trillion numbers, according to Grayscale (Grayscale).
12. $48.12 billion was the worldwide metaverse market size in 2020.
The data tells us the metaverse is still in its infancy but growing fast. The ReportsAndData expects a 44.1% CAGR (cumulative annual growth rate) (ReportsAndData).
13. Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance (owner of TikTok) are heavily investing in the metaverse.
The Chinese companies aren’t far behind, they’re investing large sums of money in the metaverse.
14. The top 5 crypto metaverse projects in April 2022, according to CoinGecko:
- Axie Infinity
- Decentraland
- The Sandbox
- Enjin Coin
- Radio Caca
Crypto metaverse projects are developing and changing fast. And since the technology is still new, their market caps fluctuate quickly.
The rankings change week by week, but we can expect them to stabilize over time. You can check the current order on CoinGecko here.
15. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (M.R.) global market size is forecast for $30.7 billion in 2021 and increasing up to $300 billion by 2024.
To enter the metaverse, people will need special gear. The AR, VR, MR headsets, and controllers are a growing tech category that companies expect to sell more of in the future (Statista 4).
How much is being invested in the metaverse?
Investment in the metaverse can be counted in tens of billions of dollars and growing. Below are some of the numbers:
16. Meta’s Reality Labs division invested over $10 billion in 2021, and they expect to invest even more.
Mark Zuckerberg is willing to invest large amounts of money to realize his concept of the metaverse (CNBC 2)
17. Sony invested $200 million into Epic’s metaverse, which got around $1 billion of funding in 2021.
The developer of Fortnite isn’t scared of bigger companies and is actively investing new resources in their metaverse projects (Epic Games).
18. Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion to enter the metaverse.
One of the biggest acquisitions in the gaming world has been spurred by Microsoft’s desire to compete in the metaverse (Microsoft).
19. Hiro Capital created a €300 million metaverse technology fund to invest in smaller projects in Europe.
Small projects need funding too, and venture capitalists are already investing large amounts in startups (Hiro Capital).
20. Meta alone plans to hire 10,000 new people in the E.U. over 5 years to develop their metaverse.
We can expect many new jobs thanks to the development of the metaverse. One of the biggest companies, Meta (previously Facebook), plans to hire thousands in Europe (Reuters).
21. According to Grayscale, the Web 2.0 metaverse companies combined were valued at $14.8 trillion in October 2021.
The centralized Web 2.0 metaverse companies already represent a significant market today. (Grayscale).
22. 29 million VR headsets and 21 million AR headsets are estimated to be sold in 2025.
VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) headsets will become much more widespread and available in the next few years (eMarketer).
23. The revenue from virtual gaming worlds is predicted to grow from $180 billion in 2020 to $400 billion in 2025.
In-game purchases and cosmetic gear are making a lot of money for companies.
By Grayscale estimate, the revenue generated by selling virtual items in gaming worlds will reach new records (Grayscale).
24. Virtual platforms were responsible for most revenue in the worldwide metaverse market in 2021.
Virtual platforms like Decentraland, The Sandbox, Roblox, etc., created the most money in the global metaverse. in 2021. NFT marketplaces, financial services, and avatar creators are growing but lagging behind (EmergenResearch).
25. The greatest monetization opportunities in the metaverse are in:
- Launching NFTs
- Games (P2E)
- Crypto casinos
- Art galleries
- Advertising
- Billboards in digital worlds
- Music venues and events
Many opportunities will transfer to meta worlds, primarily in entertainment and advertising (Grayscale).
Development of Metaverse: Stats & Trends
Here are the stats on:
- How much money companies are investing into the metaverse?
- What are the biggest investors in the field?
- How many companies are investing?
- What are the trends in the AR and VR markets?
- How much processing power we’ll need to run a metaverse?
But first let’s start with the basics:
Where does the name metaverse come from?
The word “metaverse” was first used in the science fiction novel Snow Crash in 1992.
The novel was written by an American writer, Neal Stephenson, known for sci-fi, cyberpunk, and futuristic works (Data Driven Investor).
The word metaverse represents a “universe beyond,” a world separated from our physical universe yet still a part of it.
The word “meta” in Greek means “beyond” or “after.”
It’s an artificial, virtual world that mimics real life and adds its own supernatural features.
Today, the metaverse is rather rudimentary. But developers already know what the future metaverse will look like.
Most imagine it as an immersive 3D world where you enter as a unique avatar that can socialize, entertain, play, work, trade, build, and do anything else.
Metaverse versus Web 3.0: What’s the difference?
The metaverse is a virtual world that focuses on how people use it to create new and never before seen experiences.
Web 3.0 is the next step forward from Web 2.0.
Web 2.0 is a centralized internet controlled and owned by big corporations like Facebook and Google. Web 3.0 will bring forth decentralized, user-owned, and controlled internet assets.
For example:
- Fortnite is a centralized web 2.0 metaverse owned and controlled by one company.
- Decentraland is a decentralized, web 3.0 metaverse where everybody can own and control their own piece.
26. In Q3 2021, $1.8 billion of crypto fundraising went to the Web 3.0 & NFT sector.
Out of the $1.8 billion, the biggest share of $1 billion went to blockchain-based gaming across 14 deals (Grayscale).
27. Before releasing in February 2020, Decentraland fundraised $24 million with their ICO (initial coin offering).
Decentraland ranks highly among crypto metaverse projects as it was one of the first that had a successful launch into virtual space (Analytics Insight)
28. SoftBank invested $93 million into The Sandbox in 2021.
The Sandbox is a Hong Kong-based platform, and this is also where it gets most of its funding (Channel News Asia).
29. Shiba Inu meme-coin crypto project is launching its own metaverse with 100,595 plots of land.
It will be called Shib: The Metaverse as it was announced in April 2022. People will be able to buy their own plots of land for 0.2 ETH (Bitcoin.com 3).
What companies are working on metaverse?
30. Some of the biggest players in developing the metaverse are:
- Meta (Facebook)
- Qualcomm
- NetEase
- NVIDIA Corporation
- Epic Games
- Microsoft
- Roblox Corporation
- Apple
- Unity Technologies
- Amazon
- Lilith Games
- Nextech AR Solutions Corp.
Social media and gaming companies see themselves as pioneers in the metaverse. These companies likely already have the employees and knowledge to push the technology further (Analytics Insight 2).
How many companies are working on metaverse?
31. Over 160 companies are actively working on metaverse, according to XRToday.
By the end of 2021, XRToday claimed over 160 companies are working on developing a metaverse. This number is expected to increase with time (XRToday).
32. North America is predicted to hold the biggest share of the metaverse market.
Companies like Meta, NVIDIA, Roblox, and Microsoft represent a large part of the market (Fortune Business Insights).
What kind of new jobs will be created in the metaverse?
33. Here are 10 new jobs created by metaverse:
- Metaverse research scientist
- Metaverse ecosystem developer
- Metaverse hardware builder
- Virtual storyteller
- Metaverse tour guide
- Metaverse world builders
- Digital fashion designers
- Metaverse event planner
- Smart contract lawyers
- Metaverse security manager
Most of these jobs are hard to imagine today but the first people who’ll hold jobs like that are probably already alive (Honeypot).
34. AR and VR device shipments will reach 76 million units worldwide by 2024, of which 35 million (55%) will be AR devices.
AR (augmented reality) devices are expected to sell more units than VR in the future (Yahoo).
35. AR (augmented reality) is predicted to surpass the VR (virtual reality) market due to ease of access, price, and safety.
Most people have a smartphone, and AR can be accessed with a smartphone, while VR requires special VR headsets that cost hundreds of dollars (Statista 2).
36. Virtual reality (VR) content had the largest growth in the media segment in 2020.
Virtual concerts in the metaverse attract large crowds that far surpass any other non-virtual event (IBC.org)
How much more processing power will be required to support the metaverse as intended?
37. According to Intel, we’ll need 1,000 times more processing power to run the metaverse with billions of people uninterrupted.
Intel is one of the main chip-makers with decades of chip-making experience. And from what they say, we’ll need quite some time to increase our computing capacity 1000-fold. And physically realistic virtual worlds will need even more processing power than that (Medium).
Metaverse Usage Statistics
Here you’ll find:
- How people use the metaverse
- How much money is spent in the metaverse
- How much time people spend in it
- And other interesting use cases
38. 12.3 million people have seen Travis Scott’s Fortnite concert.
Now, the truth is not all 12 million were present in one session. Instead, there were 50 people in each session with hundreds of thousands of sessions.
The processing power to support such large numbers in one session isn’t available yet (IBC.org)
39. $501 million has been spent on the metaverse real estate in 2021, it’s expected to double in 2022.
The number is quite significant considering the technology is in its infancy and will take decades longer to reach its full potential.
Most of the virtual land sales have been concentrated in The Sandbox world with a 62% share, followed by Decentraland, Cryptovoxels, and Somnium (CNBC 3).
40. The most expensive virtual plots of land in the metaverse sell for millions of dollars per plot.
If you’re an investor and want a prime location inside one of the popular digital worlds, get ready to pay a 7 million figure. Virtual space with lots of visitors goes for similar prices are prime real estate in the real world (CNBC).
41. A plot of digital real estate in Decentraland metaverse sold for $2.4 million
The plot of digital land was purchased in November 2021 and is located in the “Fashion Street” of Decentraland. It will be used for fashion events and virtual clothing exhibits (Reuters 2).
42. Republic Realm company paid $4.3 million for a plot of virtual land in The Sandbox metaverse.
Republic Realm is a developer of virtual land who plans to create play-to-earn games where players play to win cryptocurrency (TheRealDeal).
43. Someone forked over $450,000 to buy a plot of land next to Snoop Dogg in The Sandbox metaverse.
For $450,000, you can buy an actual plot of land in a nice location and, in some cases, a real house built on top of it.
But then again, it’s nowhere near enough to become the Snoop Dogg’s neighbour (CNBC).
44. Famous artists like Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X, DJ Marshmello, Ariana Grade, and even Paris Hilton performed with their own avatars (CNBC).
Many people go to concerts to see artists in person, but music is still the main attraction.
45. Companies are increasingly using the metaverse-based platform to engage their employees.
It’s hard to motivate your employees through a video call far away from any real-life situation. 3D worlds better represent reality and are better at motivating staff (HBR.com)
46. Coca-Cola launched its Zero Sugar Byte flavor in Fortnite Creative before launching it in the real world.
Coca-Cola doesn’t want to skip on the opportunity to solidify its brand name inside simulated worlds (The Sun).
47. Hyundai is showcasing their cars inside Roblox metaverse.
Real car dealership locations are expensive to run. Why not show your product inside a virtual world. Hyundai aims to attract younger audiences with popular vehicles and future mobility solutions (Hyundai).
48. Scott Travis’s Astronomical tour in Fortnite Creative metaverse had an average minute audience of 2.3 million.
If you include replays, the virtual concert has been seen by 45.8 million people in the game. The event allegedly netted Scott Travis a $0.5 million fee.
Virtual events are already a big thing and have a massive earning potential for artists (Nielsen SuperData)
49. Lil Nas X’s Roblox concert was seen by 33 million people.
It was much bigger than any live concert; Lil Nas X’s performance made new records for the Roblox metaverse. They have big plans for virtual music events (Verge).
50. 25% of people will spend at least 1 hour per day in the metaverse by 2026.
Gartner predicts that a quarter of people will use the metaverse daily for shopping, work, entertainment, and social interaction.
Additionally, 30% of companies will have products or services to sell in the virtual worlds (Gartner).
51. Oculus VR is the most popular virtual reality headset on the market.
Source:Oculus
Oculus, a Meta brand, is the most used VR headset with around 50% market share. Sony is second with 12%, the 2020 data shows (Statista 5).
52. Gucci, Balenciaga, Nike, Louis Vuitton, and other fashion brands already exhibit their products in the metaverse.
Digital versions of their real products, like the Gucci’s Dionysus handbag, sold for more than the price of a real one, are already present in metaverse worlds or sold in special virtual events.
This way, the companies are trying to reach younger audiences and establish their brands further (HypeBeast).
53. Nike has filed for 7 new trademarks that indicate they plan to sell digital apparel and shoes.
The popular “Just Do It” company has big plans for future business in the metaverse and is already working on it (CNBC 2).
54. Disney plans to create virtual world experiences in their Disneyland parks.
They plan to combine physical and digital worlds to create a unique experience for all visitors (Gadgets360).
55. Coca-Cola sold an NFT collectible for $575,883.61 in an OpenSea auction.
The winner also received a real-life Coca-Cola refrigerator and the NFT collectible (Coca-Cola Company).
Metaverse User Statistics
Here are key metaverse statistics on:
- How many users does the metaverse have?
- What people think of it?
- Who is interested in the metaverse the most?
- What are the dangers and benefits of the metaverse?
- How much money people are willing to spend on VR gear?
And more.
56. Web 3.0 virtual worlds have over 50,000 all-time users.
According to Grayscale, the number is 10 times bigger than in 2020, when it was only around 5000 users. Also, Web 2.0 metaverse projects have even more users (Grayscale).
57. People in the metaverse choose the same type of friends they have in the real world.
A study found making friends online isn’t much different. People choose the same qualities they like in the offline world (Forbes).
58. 74% of adults in the U.S. are considering joining the metaverse.
According to a NordVPN survey, most Americans would join or are considering joining one of the metaverses (NordVPN).
How many people use VR and AR in the U.S.?
59. 58.9 million Americans used VR (virtual reality), and 93.3 million used AR (augmented reality) at least once per month in 2021.
The number of users is predicted to grow as the adoption continues. And the numbers today aren’t negligible, representing almost a third of Americans who’ve used augmented reality (eMarketer).
60. 1.73 billion people are estimated to use augmented reality (AR) by 2024.
AR is the fastest-growing segment of the metaverse with a low price to entry, as most people own a smartphone (ARInsider).
61. Active users who use AR monthly in America are predicted to grow from 83,7 million in 2020 to over 110 million by 2023.
The content that uses AR (augmented reality) is growing and attracting more users every year (Statista 6).
62. 66% of the people believe the metaverse can replace the social media we use today.
People think Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok could be replaced once the metaverses fully develop and become mainstream (NordVPN).
63. According to Forrester Research, about a third of people have no need for the metaverse and don’t understand it.
In a 2021 survey, 27% of people in the U.S. and 36% in the U.K. said they have no need for the metaverse.
29% in the U.S. and 33% in the U.K. said they still don’t understand the metaverse.
(Forrester)
64. Consumers are aware of the metaverse, with 44% of U.S. adults moderately interested in visiting a travel destination in a virtual world.
Traveling in the metaverse is also getting attention, with almost half of grownup Americans saying they are interested.
The younger generations, 23% of millennials and 22% of Gen Zers, say they’re very interested (MorningConsult).
65. 68% of Americans said they’re not interested in Meta’s metaverse concept.
A 2021 survey of 2200 U.S. adults showed more than two-thirds of those asked aren’t interested in the metaverse concept of the Meta company (MorningConsult 2).
66. Males, young people, and people in urban areas show the most interest in the metaverse.
Percentage of people interested in a 2021 poll by Morning Consult:
- 39% of men vs. 27% of women
- 44% of Gen Zers and 46% of millennials vs. 16% of baby boomers
- 43% of urban communities vs. 28% of suburban and rural communities
(MorningConsult 2)
67. 30% of adult Americans think the metaverse isn’t as good as real life.
The most common view of the metaverse among U.S. adults is that it’s not yet as good as real life.
The second most common view, 26%, thinks it’s the future of technology.
And 23% think it’s a new way for tech corporations trying to earn more money (Ipsos).
68. 77% of people surveyed about the metaverse think it could create serious harm to society.
Most people are aware of the negative changes to society metaverses can bring (Tidio).
What do people think are the biggest dangers of metaverse?
69. People see the following dangers in living in the metaverse:
- 47% are concerned about addiction to virtual reality (neglecting physical reality)
- 41% have privacy concerns (a 3rd party knowing everything about you)
- 41% are worried about mental health problems (depression, bad self-image, anxiety)
- 35% believe it will cause obesity (by promoting unhealthy lifestyles)
The main concerns are related to the expectation that people will spend more time in a digital world and spend less time having real-life interactions and neglect their health (Tidio).
What are the main reasons for joining the metaverse?
70. The main reasons for joining a metaverse are:
- 52% of people would join the metaverse for job opportunities (networking, digital workspaces, etc.)
- 48% for entertainment and art (live virtual concerts, exhibitions, movies)
- 44% for investment opportunities (crypto investing, staking, NFT trading, etc.)
- 40% for education (online courses, virtual classes)
- 32% for dating and socializing (meetups, dating rooms, etc.)
- 29% for gaming (playing games with friends in the metaverse, competitive tournaments, etc.)
- 18% for adult entertainment (adult movies, games, etc.)
(source:Tidio)
What are the largest benefits of the metaverse?
71. The largest benefits of the metaverse are:
- 39% of people believe overcoming real-life obstacles and disabilities
- 37% think improving creativity and imagination
- 37% think traveling without moving
Apart from those survey respondents also think learning new skills and technology, making new connections with people, having new work opportunities, dating, getting education opportunities, and having the freedom to self-express as the benefits of the metaverse (Tidio).
72. 88% of people believe they can create meaningful relationships in digital space.
Online dating is as popular as ever. Dating in a metaverse is just one step forward, and most people believe it will happen (Tidio).
73. Pretending to be someone else is the 3rd most popular answer (24%) to the question: What would you do in the metaverse you’d never do in real life?
Living your life through an alter ego is an attractive proposition for many people who’d like to live out their fantasies they can’t experience in the real world (Tidio).
74. More than half of the respondents (54%) would create a different-looking avatar than how they look in reality.
Pretending to be someone else, or role-playing is a big part of the metaverse experience.
We can conclude from this data that people like the idea of experiencing life through the lens of a different person, even if only digital (Tidio).
How much money are people willing to spend on a basic VR headset and controllers?
75. Most people (39%) are willing to spend $350 – $700 for basic VR gear.
We’ve charted how much people are willing to spend on VR gear:
- Almost 40% of people would spend up to $700, which is less than the $399 price of Oculus Quest 2.
- 35% would spend less, max up to $300.
- 12% don’t want to spend money at all.
- 11% would spend more, from $700 – $1000.
- And 3% would spend more than $1000 (Tidio).
76. Meta has sold around 8 million VR Oculus Quest 2 headsets globally.
About 4 million units were sold in the U.S. alone, according to an estimate from the Consumer Product Safety Commission report (Protocol).
Frequently Asked Questions:
Facebook hasn’t fully developed its own metaverse yet but is investing large sums of money. They’ve released Horizon Worlds VR world to the U.S. and Canada, which is a small part of what’s to come.
Sources:
Conclusion
This was the list of the latest metaverse statistics. Hopefully, you’ve found the answer you’ve been looking for.
But if you still have some questions, let us know in the comments below.
We’re curious what you think about this technology and its development.
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