- The native token of metaverse projects saw a significant price surge following news that Apple is exploring mixed reality (MR).
- Apple is expected to release its highly anticipated mixed reality headset in the coming weeks.
- That development triggered another rally in metaverse tokens, including the Metacade (MCADE) token.
Metacade (MCADE) price jumped about 20% today amid renewed excitement around Apple’s expected mixed reality headset.
Apple is widely reported to be preparing to release its new mixed reality headset in the coming weeks. Some industry observers believe the device could give the metaverse sector a fresh boost.
What does Apple’s new mixed reality headset mean for Metacade?
When reports first emerged in January about Apple’s plans to launch a mixed reality headset, native tokens of metaverse projects such as Decentraland and Sandbox experienced notable price spikes.
Metaverse tokens have rallied again after the crypto market’s recent downturn. Native token Metacade (MCADE) led the move, gaining roughly 20.59% today.
The trend was highlighted by independent developer Udi Wertheimer, who bluntly noted that meme coins driven by influencers could be replaced by a powerful pump in metaverse tokens following Apple’s headset launch.
CT is completely oblivious to the fact that Apple is about to launch a mixed reality headset in 3 weeks
Metaverse shitcoins are going to pump so hard it’s not even funny
But you morons keep buying influencer coins
Ok
— Udi | BIP-420 🐱 (@udiWertheimer) May 15, 2023
Pleased note: embedded scripts removed for clarity and security.
eToro market analyst Josh Gilbert expressed a similar view in a media interview, saying he believes Apple’s high-quality product has the potential to move markets and could spark renewed interest in crypto. Gilbert cautioned, however, that the success of the launch alone may not be enough to fully revive metaverse-related tokens.
The link between virtual reality (VR) and metaverse tokens
Many crypto participants see a strong correlation between virtual reality technology and metaverse tokens. Still, it’s important to note differences in development stages: Metacade, a relatively new project, began building games on its platform after completing a token presale and listing MCADE on several popular exchanges, while established platforms like Decentraland continue to develop their VR capabilities.
Historically, the popularity of metaverse-linked tokens such as MANA and SAND exploded during the 2021 crypto bull run, when venture-backed metaverse projects unveiled immersive virtual worlds and captured massive user interest.
According to Gilbert, the long-term performance of metaverse tokens will depend on widespread day-to-day adoption of metaverse experiences by regular users.
In practice, metaverse projects have drawn strong support from gamers and developers, who have led efforts to create real-world utility for native tokens. Many new metaverse projects and their native tokens have seen substantial early market uptake.
Metacade, for example, showed considerable early traction following its presale. The presale sold out quickly, and the token was listed on decentralized exchange Uniswap as well as centralized exchanges such as BitMart and MEXC Global, reflecting active participation from the crypto community.
That said, while buzz around Apple’s headset will likely trigger notable MCADE price moves in the short term, it remains unclear whether any uplift will be sustained. Delivering fully immersive metaverse experiences that integrate seamlessly with hardware often takes considerable time—the gap between a hardware launch and the availability of integrated applications can be substantial.