What Awaits DeFi: Holiverse Virtual Worlds and Financial Innovations
A couple of years ago, when we heard about DeFi (decentralized finance), we imagined crypto exchanges, staking protocols and fans of “farming” tokens. But today this world is changing before our eyes, turning into something much more.
DeFi has long gone beyond the boring interfaces of exchangers and tools for traders. Now it’s not just about finance, but also part of large-scale ecosystems like metaverses. Instead of just keeping crypto in your wallet, you can use it to buy virtual land, create NFTs, or attend digital parties.
How did it start?
It used to be simple. Users would go to decentralized exchanges (DEXs) like Uniswap or PancakeSwap to swap one token for another. No middlemen, everything was done through smart contracts. This approach saved time and helped to avoid high fees. But that was just the first step.
In 2020, Uniswap surpassed even such giants like Coinbase in trading volume, which showed that people were ready to trust DeFi. In 2023, trading volume within metaverses exceeded $3 billion, and most of the transactions happened through DeFi protocols.
According to DappRadar, metaverse users spend an average of $50 on digital goods, including avatar clothing.
How DeFi became a part of metaverses
Metaverses have become a new field for DeFi experiments. Metaverses appeared to be the perfect environment for DeFi. Micropayments, transparent transactions, and automation of processes through smart contracts fit seamlessly into them. Plus, a unique economy is being created here, where money does not just lie around, but “works”. Now it is a virtual world where you can not only walk, but also invest, rent land, or get paid in crypto. DeFi is just the tool that allows you to do all this without bureaucratic delays.
DeFi continues to evolve, becoming an integral part of the new digital reality. And who knows, maybe soon we will not only exchange tokens, but also live in virtual worlds, where DeFi will become our new financial system.
The visionary of evolution is the Decentraland platform, where DeFi is integrated into every detail of the ecosystem. Users can buy virtual plots of land, trade them, rent them out, or even build digital galleries on them. All this happens using cryptocurrencies, and DeFi protocols ensure the security and liquidity of transactions. There are even platforms where you can take out loans secured by virtual assets.
Another example is The Sandbox. This project offers tools for creating virtual worlds, and its SAND and LAND tokens are actively used to purchase resources and access exclusive content. Thanks to DeFi, users can participate in token staking, receive rewards, and even take out loans to develop their virtual projects.
Did you know that some users are already earning more on metaverses than in the real world? For example, the sale of virtual plots in The Sandbox in 2021 brought developers more than $100 million. And all this thanks to the integration of DeFi tools.
According to Citi, by 2030, the number of metaverse users could reach 5 billion, including mobile and VR/AR users.
Holiverse: merging virtuality and reality
One of the striking examples of the integration of DeFi and metaverses is the Holiverse project. Based on the Polygon ecosystem, Holiverse combines games, social networks, and virtual reality. Users can create, buy, and sell digital assets, including NFTs, using the HC (Holichain) cryptocurrency.
In October 2024, Meta Force underwent a major restructuring and rebranding. Now known as Holiverse, its main product, the Forcecoin token, received a new name: Holichain (HC).
Meta Force emerged two years ago as a project created by Lado Okhotnikov, who became the founder and ideological inspirer of the company. Having started as a DeFi platform for implementing complex business projects, Meta Force has attracted more than two million users in two years.
The original plan involved the evolution of the platform into a metaverse capable of ideologically competing with such giants as Meta and Microsoft. Starting September 2023, the platform began a smooth transition to the metaverse format, and a year later, the testing started. Almost simultaneously the company announced a corporate restructuring and rebranding.
This process was part of Meta Force’s strategic transition from a simple DeFi platform to a large-scale metaverse with unique functionality.
The future of DeFi and metaverses
According to Strategic Market Research, the global metaverse market was valued at $47.48 billion in 2022, projected to grow to $678.80 billion by 2030.
The synergy between DeFi and metaverses opens up new horizons for users. Virtual worlds are becoming full-fledged economies where you can earn, invest, and interact. However, growing popularity brings risks related to security and regulation. For example, in 2023, users lost about $1 billion due to DeFi platform hacks. It is important to be aware and cautious in order to make the most of the opportunities provided by the new digital era.