Weekend Reading | a16z Discusses the 7 Key Elements of the Metaverse; Renowned Historian Niall Ferguson Talks About Cryptocurrency

整理：胡韬，链捕手

1. "a16z: The 7 Fundamental Elements of the Metaverse"

Since the term "metaverse" was coined in the 1990s, there has been much discussion about it. a16z states that achieving a "true" metaverse—open and closed—requires seven fundamental elements inherent to this popular state: decentralization, property rights, self-sovereign identity, composability, openness/open source, community ownership, and social immersion.

While many companies have begun to build different parts of the whole, a16z believes that if any of the above elements are missing from the virtual world, it cannot be considered a fully formed metaverse.

2. "Twitter's Idealized Future: Protocols, Not Platforms?"

On the night Elon Musk finalized the acquisition deal, Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted something very interesting: "Twitter should not be owned or operated by anyone. Twitter should be a protocol-level public good, not a company. To solve this problem, Musk is the only solution I trust."

Will Musk follow the path set by Jack Dorsey, or will he become the next king of a centralized social network monopoly? This article is a compilation of a blog discussion by Suji Yan, the founder of Mask Network, who shares his insights on these issues from the perspective of an industry observer.

3. "A Comprehensive Analysis of the Value of the ZK Rollup Era"

Zero-Knowledge cryptography is considered one of the most underrated technologies of our generation. Unlike the overwhelming media coverage of artificial intelligence and big data, there is almost no media attention on zero-knowledge technology. Nevertheless, this technology represents a significant breakthrough, providing valuable privacy protection in an era where personal information is exposed everywhere. So, what is its value? And why is it important now?

4. "The 'X to Earn' Product Methodology: Frequency, Principal, and Labor"

After summarizing over 50 X2earn products on the market, the author found a commonality: using tokens for cold starts, attracting participants (investing labor or capital) through rapid market cap expansion until scale is achieved, and then monetizing through gamification, paid services, or external economic activities.

If you see a scenario with 2earn potential, you should break it down as much as possible. High-frequency, quantifiable behaviors can be designed into a 2earn model; while unquantifiable, complex, and personalized behaviors should retain a centralized business model to continue operating.

5. "Pantera: Crypto Assets Will Reshape the Global Macro Trade Landscape"

Pantera Capital believes that the prices of crypto assets will soon decouple from other risk assets. At that time, a world where bond yields exceed 5.0%, stock prices and real estate prices decline, while crypto assets rise tenfold will indeed exist.

6. "AC Talks with Delphi: Emerging from the Crypto Wilderness into a Compliant Future"

This blog post features an interview between Delphi Media and AC after his exit from the industry. The transfer of minting rights symbolizes AC's gradual loss of control over Yearn, but in his eyes, it also represents Yearn's success in decentralization.

7. "We All Misjudged the Landscape of Land and Otherside"

Do not underestimate remote land. Otherside aims to create a decentralized and interoperable meta platform, which will consider the balance of land and the balance of user experience in the game. The inner ring, close to the yacht club, has commercial meme sentiment and eye-catching effects, attracting traditional brands to settle in. However, more resource-rich land will be placed further away by Yuga.

8. "Famous Historian Niall Ferguson Writes: Cryptocurrencies and the Dollar Are Partners, Not Competitors"

Famous historian and professor at Harvard University's History Department and Business School, Niall Ferguson, wrote in Bloomberg that major international events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict indicate that the global monetary order may be on the verge of another transformation.