Editor | Carol

Editor | Carol

The popularity of the metaverse came much faster than expected. Even when the giants were still gearing up, the market had already overreacted. But if we observe carefully, we will find that this field is still dominated by the media. The popularity of the industry, therefore, we try to start from the important composition of the Metaverse, and see what the "inside" of the Metaverse is.

Perhaps it is already difficult for us to find out whether it is the metaverse that hypes the technology of the blockchain, or the blockchain hypes the metaverse. After all, some prototypes of the metaverse have appeared in the blockchain, but countless facts have emerged again. It proves that it is not an exaggeration to describe the connection between the two as inextricably linked.

This article will first briefly introduce what blockchain is and its characteristics (those who understand it can skip it), and then start from blockchain technology itself to explore the integration of metaverse and blockchain. we will start fromIdentity, decentralization support and asset supportfirst level title

Review blockchain features

The concept of blockchain originated in 2008. An anonymous person named Satoshi Nakamoto proposed aThe architectural concept of the electronic cash system based on encryption technology, which is essentially a decentralized distributed ledger database.

Blockchain technology combines cryptography, economics, and sociology. By encrypting the information in each block, it ensures that the information and data stored in the block cannot be forged and tampered with, and does not require any third-party audit, so as to A decentralized and trustless way to achieve joint maintenance by multiple parties.

decentralized

decentralized

openness

openness

Openness can also be understood as the blockchain is an open and transparent system. Blockchain data is open to everyone. Anyone can query blockchain data records or develop related applications through the open interface. Of course, all parties to the transaction Private information is encrypted. It is precisely because of this feature that each node can achieve joint maintenance by multiple parties. Even if a node has a problem, it will not affect the entire network.

autonomy

The autonomy of the blockchain refers to the norms and protocols based on consensus, so that the participants in the system can automatically and securely verify and exchange data without any human intervention, without any human intervention, to ensure that the district The authenticity and accuracy of every transaction on the block chain will transform the trust between third parties into trust in machines, and finally realize the automatic management of data.

Information cannot be tampered with

This feature can be understood literally. Once the transaction information is verified and recorded in the blockchain, it will be permanently stored and cannot be tampered with. But strictly speaking, it is not completely tamper-proof, unless you can control more than 51% of the nodes in the blockchain system at the same time, you can manipulate and modify network data. But in theory, the cost of tampering with data is much higher than the benefits, so the data in the blockchain has high security. On the contrary, this feature reduces the cost of credit and changes the centralized credit model.

anonymity

Nodes and traders on the blockchain have a unique address composed of numbers and letters to identify themselves. Since the exchange between nodes follows a fixed algorithm, the exchange of data does not require trust, so there is no need to obtain trust by disclosing identities. Unless it involves legal provisions, information transmission and transactions in the blockchain can be anonymous.

first level title

Blockchain Provides Identity for the Metaverse

When it comes to the most basic guarantee of the metaverse, we can imagine such a scenario. If we have two "I"s in the metaverse, what kind of feeling should we feel, just like being easily copied in the Internet world? ), it is difficult to distinguish who is a copy of the same document, and such problems must not exist in the Metaverse, which is also a function that is difficult for the Internet to achieve at this stage.

However, blockchain can do it.

Just like the important features of the blockchain we described above, anti-tampering and traceability make the blockchain inherently have the characteristics of "anti-copying", which is why the Bitcoin network, which has been born for more than 10 years, has never been hacked attack problem.

In the Metaverse, our identities will not only rely on the current traditional identity authentication system, but will also be connected to the blockchain identity authentication system with a high probability in the future.This means that even without the traditional identity authentication, the identity of the user can still be judged, and it can also ensure that the identity of others will not be copied or stolen.

Of course, what the blockchain provides is only the function of "anti-copying", not anti-theft. In addition to anti-copying of identities, it also includes anti-copying of assets, which we will elaborate on below.

Only by ensuring the unique identity in the metaverse, can we truly swim in the metaverse without worrying about our value being plagiarized. This is the drawback of the Internet, but because of the support of blockchain technology, the world in the metaverse will A significant change has taken place. It can be said that only with this basic guarantee can the Metaverse truly develop.

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Blockchain Brings Decentralized Support to the Metaverse

Data decentralization

Since the information age, the transmission speed of information has become faster and faster,While we are enjoying the convenience brought by technology, the possibility of our own privacy exposure is also getting higher and higher.Technology giants often obtain a large amount of our personal data by providing us with many free services, but we don't know how these data will be kept and used. But we clearly know that these data are not safe. Even Facebook, which has nearly 3 billion users, is often exposed to the problem of user data being leaked.

These leaked personal data are often misused, ranging from harassing our daily life to affecting our property safety and life safety. Such problems will also be more obvious in the Metaverse, because the Metaverse will involve many digital assets. If our personal data is used to authenticate some platforms, then criminals are likely to steal our digital assets. Therefore, how to ensure the security of our data in the metaverse is very important.

The blockchain is called the Internet of Value, because it can guarantee that the data on it will not be tampered with, cannot be forged, and the transmission of data can be traced, so it can transmit value and rights.If our precious personal data is decentralized through blockchain technology, this can realize that our data is owned by us personally, and no one can tamper with it, nor can it be disposed of at will.

If an organization wants to use our personal data, it needs to be authorized by us and pay the corresponding authorization fee. If combined with some privacy or encryption technology, it can even achieve that the other party can only obtain some desensitized data, or can only verify We are an eligible participant without knowing who I am.

With the blessing of the blockchain, the metaverse in the future can be closer to real-world interactions. For example, buyers and sellers don’t need to know who the other party is, and they don’t have to worry about being harassed by phone calls when buying virtual real estate in the metaverse.

Decentralization of storage, computing, and network transmission

If you have watched this year's hit "Runaway Player", you must be very impressed with a scene in the movie. When the protagonist is looking for evidence in the virtual world, the villain BOSS can destroy the virtual world by destroying the server running the virtual world. , thereby intending to block the protagonist.

If we are in a metaverse, we definitely don't want this to happen to us.And this requires establishing the Metaverse on a server that is not controlled by a centralized entity, but all data in the Metaverse can be stored, calculated and transmitted over the network in a decentralized manner.

The decentralized technology of the blockchain, combined with some emerging distributed storage, computing and network transmission technologies, can build the decentralized network infrastructure expected by the metaverse, so that our data and assets in the metaverse can be It belongs to us personally, and there will no longer be a situation where the metaverse we live in is dominated and destroyed by others at will.

Rules are open and transparent

One of the characteristics of the metaverse is that it is very similar to the operating rules of the real world, and it will have a very strong sense of real immersion. Then the most scenes we encounter in reality are rules. Specifically, all our actions are in the Within the protection and constraints of the law, to ensure our normal life. However, the existing legal framework is also difficult to avoid some centralized evil situations, such as black-box operations, secretly modifying rules, and so on.

These problems will also occur in the network-based metaverse. Fortunately, there is blockchain technology in the network that can solve this problem."Code is Law", which means code is law, is a distinctive feature of blockchain that has always been talked about.

Because the blockchain is decentralized and open and transparent, the rules can be written in code in advance through smart contracts, so as to ensure that the code is not a part of black-box operations, and that no one can tamper with the rules. andOnce the rules are written, they can be executed automatically. When the conditions set by the rules are triggered, the smart contracts in the blockchain can perform the corresponding operations according to the settings. This is the interpretation of code as law.

first level title

Blockchain Provides Asset Backing for the Metaverse

For the metaverse, credible asset value is a very important component. Because there is no strong centralized organization in the relatively free metaverse, everyone is the master of their own metaverse.

In this case, the metaverse will gradually develop its own economic system, and has a unique economic system, which needs to realize asset value certification under the premise of decentralization, and all of this is inseparable from the blockchain technology. support.The NFT supported by blockchain technology has reasonably and efficiently empowered the assets in the metaverse, and the blockchain technology itself has brought the possibility of asset digitization.

The value of NFTs

Before discussing the value of NFT, we must first correctly understand what is NFT?

The full English name of NFT is Non-Fungible Token, that is, non-homogeneous tokens, which are non-tamperable, indivisible, irreplaceable and unique, and are widely used in images, music, and artworks.

Its non-tamperable and indivisible characteristics mean that any change of NFT-related data will be reflected on the blockchain and become a clearly traceable part. Being irreplaceable and unique means that the expression of any NFT on the blockchain is traceable and definite, just as no two snowflakes are the same, and no two NFTs can replace each other.

first,

first,NFT can capitalize virtual items that could not be realized before.Secondly,

Secondly,The linkage between NFT and offline entities is a means by which influential traditional enterprises can easily connect to the Metaverse.There is a very important assumption in the metaverse, that is, one day in the future, when a user buys a car offline, there will be the same car for him to use in the metaverse.

This matter was realized by Lamborghini not long ago. The digital collection platform ENVOY Network launched the NFT Wen Lambo, a custom painting by the famous Dutch contemporary artist Pablo Lücker. Buyers of this NFT will receive a custom painted rare Lamborghini delivered to them by luxury car dealership VDM Cars.
Maybe the NFT holder can't drive his Lamborghini to the metaverse now, but who says it won't be possible in the future? In the future metaverse, not just Lamborghini, any metaverse’s mapping of the physical world may become a reality through NFT.

At the same time, NFT can also separate the control and editing rights while ensuring the scarcity of assets.Asset Digitization

Asset Digitization

In addition, the digitization of assets is also a topic that the Metaverse cannot avoid. Assets in the Metaverse are recorded on the blockchain, which can complete instant interactions while ensuring security.

Trading is a very important part of social interaction. Human beings have grown from ignorant primitives to highly civilized and developed social beings. Barter exchange plays a vital role. Throughout the history of human trade, it is a history of human development.Then, as a replica of all production and lifestyles in the physical world, the metaverse needs a safe, traceable and transparent payment method, and this can fundamentally guarantee the freedom of users.

postscript

postscript

On the whole, the blockchain has entered a relatively stable development stage after experiencing a bubble period, and has also attracted the attention of global technology practitioners. As a master of technology, the Metaverse is also inseparable from the blockchain. Therefore, we need to pay attention not only to the development of the metaverse, but also to the progress of its important underlying technology blockchain, and the effective integration of the two will bring new business innovations.

Of course, the current development of the metaverse may not need to use too much blockchain, but as long as the metaverse maintains an open and free network, it will inevitably meet the blockchain.