From Facebook’s name change to virtual real estate selling for real-world sums, the “metaverse” has become one of the moment’s defining buzzwords and crypto storylines. As projects focused on the metaverse are busy raising billions of dollars in venture funding, it’s worth taking a few minutes to drill down on some basic questions. What parts of the metaverse are connected to crypto? Are we all saying the same thing when we use the word, or are there many competing visions? Let’s take a closer look.

A   Elon Musk and Max Levchin

B   Eddie Doge and Coin John

C   Vitalik Buterin and Charles Hoskinson

D   Jackson Palmer and Billy Markus

Brands will begin marketing in (and building) the metaverse.  Most people seem to agree that the metaverse will one day evolve into an all-encompassing, persistent virtual world, where you can work, game, and socialize — sort of like the one that Ready Player One imagines. Plenty of big brands (like Meta, formerly Facebook) and institutions see massive opportunities by getting in early. Analysts at Morgan Stanley agree — they envision the metaverse market topping $57 billion within a decade. Nike, Adidas, Samsung, and Budweiser are among corporate early adopters. Nike’s recent acquisition of virtual fashion brand RTFKT sets the sneaker giant up for major metaverse moves in 2022.

If you started buying crypto during the fizzier months of 2021, recent volatility might have left you with whiplash. Wasn’t Bitcoin just at an all-time high in November? It can be hard to stay calm when markets start to shift, but it’s a lot easier to make smart moves if you have a plan.

Think ahead: Buying and holding isn’t right for every asset, but during a market downturn, consider your long-term goals. Did you buy with the intention of selling many years in the future? If so, it’s probably ok to stop refreshing that tab and take a deep breath.

Look into dollar-cost averaging:Dollar-cost averaging is a popular strategy for reducing the sting of volatility and taking emotions out of trading — it involves buying a smaller amount of crypto every week or month no matter what the market is doing. 

Trade within your limits:Are you planning to “buy the dip?” Remember: No matter how confident you are about a particular asset, you should never put in more than you can afford to lose. (And when in doubt, speak to a trusted and certified financial advisor.)

Last month, a group of internet strangers banded together and raised $47 million in an attempt to buy a rare copy of the U.S. Constitution. Weeks after ConstitutionDAO broke fundraising records, the OG crowdfunding platform Kickstarter announced its own decentralized, crypto-fueled crowdfunding platform. But which blockchains will power the future of fundraising?