The metaverse is one of the internet’s new favorite buzzwords.

If you’re new to the party, the metaverse is the latest version of virtual reality, or worlds accessed by people wearing virtual reality headsets. From shopping and entertainment to learning and gaming, some technology companies see the metaverse as a new frontier that could be as transformative as the world wide web was a generation ago.

This broadly futuristic concept became a household word after Facebook rebranded itself as Meta Platforms last year.

Cryptocurrency is beginning to play a key role in certain precincts of this brave new world. Nevertheless,…