The Metaverse: Money’s Next Frontier

In the Hot Seat

Are you ready for money in the Metaverse? David Birch, payment industry legend and Author of Money in The Metaverse joins the hot seat to discuss what fintechs need to know about the future of payments in the Metaverse, what exactly the Metaverse is and why it isn’t just a virtual space and how it might help level the playing field when it comes to being more inclusive, and tackling fraud!

Key Takeaways.

• [0:00] Denise Johansson puts David Birch, payment industry legend and Author of Money in The Metaverse, in the hot seat.
• [3:30] David points out the fundamental differences in ownership and identity between other virtual spaces and what the Metaverse offers.
• [6:54] The three aspects of the new financial market infrastructure of the Metaverse, spatial computing, digital assets and digital identity.
• [7:56] Is this a person or not? It seems that for some people, it doesn’t matter.
• [10:24] What fintechs need to know now in order not to be left behind.
• [13:20] Does online connectivity mean less in-person interactions?
• [14:03] While spatial computing and asset tokenization are well on their way, digital identity seems to be lagging behind.
• [15:39] How money is spent in the metaverse and why simpler might be better.
• [16:18] David explains how digital identity can fend off the more insidious possibilities that come along with the metaverse.
• [17:42] How digital identity can serve as an inclusivity multiplier.
• [19:30] David explains how the Metaverse is being built with security first and might provide some measure of protection from online fraud.
• [21:56] The Metaverse is actually a plurality of Metaverses.
• [22:47] David shares a few important things to think about when it comes to the future of this technology.
• [24:10] Getting people educated about new tech is always the best policy.
• [24:55] Denise signs out until the next time she puts an industry leader in the hot seat.

People.

• Guest David Birch, payment industry legend and Author of Money in The Metaverse: Digital Assets, Online Identities, Spatial Computing and Why Virtual Worlds Mean Real Business.
• Host Denise Johansson, co-CEO and co-Founder of Enfuce, a female-founded fintech helping drive business growth, solve customer challenges, and extend financial inclusion.

Links.

• Enfuce

Guest Quotes (edited).

• In the metaverse, your identity, your money, your property is yours. It doesn't belong to the platform and you can take it with you and move it around. — David Birch, Money in The Metaverse, InTheHotSeat
• We really need more focus on the digital identity side of things if we're going to make this happen. If I want to trade securely with you in the metaverse, I don’t need to know your personal information, but I need to know some things about you. — David Birch, Money in The Metaverse, InTheHotSeat
• We want the internet to be inclusive. Obviously, if the goggles are 3000$ and you have to pay 100$ a month, that's not very inclusive. But I'm technologically optimistic. I think those costs can come down over time. — David Birch, Money in The Metaverse, InTheHotSeat

Denise Quotes (edited).

• Younger generations are more adaptive to a Metaverse future than us being a little older and not as connected. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat
• Will people spend less time interacting in person? And does that mean we will spend less time interacting with the people we want in our lives? — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat
• The Metaverse is going to be the new normal. Our kids should be aware of how it is to interact online. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat
• The new frontier of money and identity is in the Metaverse, companies need to look for opportunities to build out a presence in virtual worlds. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat