Why did UK politicians wear metaverse avatars?

British politicians laid out their blockchain and web3 vision during a recent event, wearing avatars in the process. Natalie Elphicke, a member of parliament, called for greater collaboration and roadmaps for the technology.

What are the main takeaways?

• It coincides with the launch of a new Parliamentary Group for Blockchain Technologies.

• Natalie Elphicke says the UK has the potential to become a “smart country”;

• Fewer than twelve countries have published roadmaps on the technology;

• She wishes the UK to continue on its National Blockchain Roadmap, published in 2021;

• She also focused on real-world tokenization. “Physical assets are getting tokenized, and this trend will only grow from here.”

My Analysis

Two parts I want to focus on. The first is appearing as an avatar to speak about the topic, which I am split on. It certainly legitimises the use of the technology for making major announcements, though I am unsure if it leads to a greater impact for those watching. It embodies the principles of the new group well, but it invites criticism from people on Twitter. I don’t envy the balance.

What I am supportive of is making strides to bring high-quality roles to the UK. We lag behind in the area, and a new parliamentary group focused on it could make some good strides in the area. Mapping the value of blockchain services is tricky, but it has the potential to reach billions by the end of 2030.

In any case, let’s see what the new group does over time.

If you found the analysis useful, consider subscribing to the Immersive Wire for a weekly briefing on the industry: