A new report indicates that the metaverse might be a significant factor in the growth of economies in Latam and the world in the coming decade. The study, issued by Analysis Group, estimates that Latam might benefit from a surge of $320 billion or an approximate 5% of its GDP, in the next 10 years. This is the biggest percentage share of GDP of the regions in the study’s projection.

Analysis Group’s Metaverse Report

The metaverse is becoming a subject of intense focus in crypto and business at large, and many companies are already projecting the impact that it might have in several countries and areas in the future. In a recent report titled “The Potential Global Economic Impact of the Metaverse” issued by international economic consulting firm Analysis Group, the opportunities that the emergence of the metaverse could open in the next ten years are examined, assuming “adoption begins in 2022.”.

In the document, the researchers compare the rise of the metaverse with mobile technologies and examine the growth as if this new technology were to evolve in a similar way. This industry was selected “because of similarities to the metaverse in the way it combined existing and nascent innovations to fundamentally alter global technological and economic landscapes.”

Major Latam Growth and GDP Estimates

According to the report, the metaverse and its related activities have the potential of representing 5% of the GDP of Latam in the tenth year after adoption begins (2022), contributing $320 billion to the economies of the area. The report also projects that the growth in Latam will be the biggest percentage-wise, while the APAC region would have the biggest growth volume-wise, representing more than $1 trillion of its GDP.

Globally, the study estimates that the metaverse will generate $3.01 trillion, becoming more than 2% of the GDP of the world ten years from now. Per the report, this growth will only happen if the sector reaches its expected potential, having “far-reaching applications, with the potential to transform a wide range of economic sectors such as education, health care, manufacturing, job training, communications, entertainment, and retail.”

Other companies have also predicted the possible impact of this new activity and the economic opportunity it will present for different industries in the future. Grayscale, one of the leading cryptocurrency asset managers, estimated that the metaverse might become a $1 trillion business opportunity in the future. Goldman Sachs also predicts the metaverse will be an $8 trillion opportunity. JPMorgan has stated that this $1 trillion market “will likely infiltrate every sector.”

What do you think about Analysis Group’s metaverse report? Tell us in the comments section below.

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Buenbit, an Argentinian cryptocurrency exchange, has announced a series of layoffs due to the downturn that traditional and crypto markets are currently facing. Buenbit’s co-founder and CEO, Federico Ogue, clarified that this move had nothing to do with the recent Terra ecosystem disaster and that from now on, the exchange would focus on keeping operations in countries where it already has an established presence.

Buenbit Announces Layoffs

Buenbit, an Argentinian cryptocurrency exchange, has announced a change in its hiring strategy due to the recent downturn that the cryptocurrency and stock markets are facing. According to some reports, the company will be laying off almost half of its current workforce across the three countries where it operates, including some senior executives.

Federico Ogue, co-founder and CEO of the exchange, stated on social media that these changes were the consequence of the tech industry facing a review phase. Ogue stated:

Given this new context, we decided to reduce our staff and pause our expansion plan to focus exclusively on operations in the countries where we are present today and maintain a self-sustaining and efficient structure.

Furthermore, Ogue revealed that this move had nothing to do with the recent collapse of the Terra ecosystem, even though the exchange did offer Terra-related services as part of its investment portfolio. “It is a decision that we have been working on for months. It is an adjustment that is taking place throughout the startup industry,” he explained.

Expansion Plans Halted

This new strategy ends the expansion plans the company had revealed during its Series A financing round, which raised $11 million for this goal in July 2021. The company announced that its focus will be to maintain the same quality of operations in countries where it is already present.

The company stated this was a proactive response to an upcoming problem, “in order to avoid, in the near future, the unnecessary exposure of the company to the dependence of raising a next round of investment, when the market numbers indicate that this is not the correct strategy to follow in the current context.”

Other exchanges have also announced changes in their hiring strategies due to the new direction of the global economic markets. Coinbase, a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, recently noted it would slow down its hiring process to be in a better position during and after the current market downturn.

What do you think about the layoffs announced by Buenbit? Tell us in the comments section below.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

One in every 10 households in six eurozone countries has acquired cryptocurrencies, the European Central Bank (ECB) has found with a new survey. While the richest are most likely to own crypto assets, poor families are not far behind, the poll indicates.

Dutch Households Lead in Terms of Crypto Ownership, ECB Survey Shows

Every tenth eurozone household has purchased bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, according to the latest Consumer Expectations Survey conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB). Europe’s financial authorities are now trying to establish if the crypto market downturn could affect household budgets, Reuters reported.

The results from the latest edition of the monthly poll were announced Tuesday. The study reveals that an average of 10% of the households in six participating eurozone countries hold crypto assets. Among them, the Netherlands had the largest proportion of crypto owners at 14% while France ranked last with just 6%.

Some 37% of the respondents said they were holding up to 999 euros worth of cryptocurrency (approx. $1,070 at the time of writing), the monetary authority detailed, and 29% had between 1,000 euros and 4,999 euros. Another 13% owned between 5,000 euros and 9,999 euros. The balance had invested more than that, the report unveils.

Across these nations – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain – the richest 20% of the polled were most likely to own cryptocurrencies. At the same time, a greater proportion of lower-income households hold digital assets than the segment between the two groups.

The authors of the survey have also noted that young adult males and highly educated people were more inclined to invest in crypto. “With regard to financial literacy, respondents who scored either at the top level or the bottom level in terms of financial literacy scores were highly likely to hold crypto assets,” the ECB pointed out.

The eurozone’s central bank didn’t miss the opportunity to reiterate its stance that cryptocurrencies are unsuitable for retail investors. The regulator also called on EU authorities to urgently approve new rules for crypto assets in the 27-member bloc. The data has been published as part of ECB’s Financial Stability Review as European legislators are working to finalize the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation.

What do you think about the findings in the ECB’s Consumer Expectations Survey? Tell us in the comments section below.

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