The iconic rock band Queen and global banking entity HSBC are navigating the metaverse, while Yuga Labs introduces the next stage of its NFT gaming saga.

HSBC Enters the Metaverse and NFT Realms

The esteemed British bank HSBC has put forth a set of trademark requests associated with the metaverse and nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

Documents presented to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in mid-June indicate the bank’s aspirations to hold trademarks for metaverse-related banking, consultation, and financial offerings. Virtual credit cards are also included, suggesting a possible launch of a metaverse bank subsidiary and additional online banking services.

Moreover, HSBC has shown interest in trademarks linked to online markets, specifically targeting NFTs. This is not the first instance of HSBC venturing into the virtual sphere; the bank sought trademark applications for a variety of crypto and NFT-based technologies in late 2022.

While the metaverse property’s attractiveness and value have experienced a recent decline, HSBC nonetheless joins the swelling number of corporations keen on exploring the virtual environment.

In early 2022, JPMorgan became a pioneer by launching the first virtual branch in Decentraland’s metaverse. Following suit, Visa, PayPal, and Western Union have all initiated applications for metaverse trademarks.

Queen Makes Strides into the Virtual Realm

HSBC isn’t the lone British titan exploring the virtual universe. Queen Productions Ltd, the caretaker of the intellectual property of the legendary British rock band Queen, has also initiated a series of patents pertaining to the metaverse and NFTs.

Documents submitted to the USPTO in mid-June disclose Queen’s intentions to provide NFT-certified media, along with virtual merchandise encompassing attire, footwear, and accessories. Additionally, the band intends to create applications for the virtual and mixed-reality domain.

Yuga Labs Announces HV-MTL Forge NFT Game

Yuga Labs has recently broadcasted the launch of its latest NFT game, indicating the ninth phase of its ten-part gaming narrative.

A social media post from Yuga in late June highlighted the HV-MTL Forge event, set to begin at the end of June, allowing users to create homes for their unique NFT characters.

First disclosed in early 2023, the HV-MTL NFT initiative is a compilation of 30,000 “Mech” NFTs, accompanying the project’s primary collection, the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).

Much like the predecessor game Dookey Dash, players will compete in a tier-based, competitive environment. However, this time around, the winner will be selected through community voting.

Despite the mixed reception on social media platforms, with users comparing the trailer to early 2000s online games, Yuga assures that participation in the HV-MTL Forge game will enable further enhancements for the Mechs.

Slim Jim Embarks on the ‘Meataverse’ Journey

The past week saw a flurry of metaverse and NFT announcements, and the American snack brand Slim Jim has added to the mix.

On June 21, Slim Jim, renowned for its internet-centric marketing strategies, announced its first foray into Web3 with the humorously titled “Meataverse,” which includes NFTs and a digital currency. Slim Jim is offering a total of 10,000 NFTs, or “GigaJims,” via its website. These are available for free minting on the Ethereum scaling network Polygon MATIC $0.7029 and are projected to serve as digital membership cards in the future.

Owners of “GigaJims” will have the opportunity to upgrade their NFTs by collecting Slim Jim’s digital currency “S.A.U.C.E.” The brand promises that the holders will gain access to benefits and perks, with more details to be released soon.

More Highlights from the Nifty World

On June 21, Czech car manufacturer Škoda launched an NFT platform in partnership with Layer-1 blockchain Near protocol.

On June 17, Tom Lehman, co-founder of Genius.com, launched “Ethscriptions,” a new protocol for minting NFTs and other digital assets on Ethereum. The protocol’s name derives from Bitcoin Ordinals, where assets are referred to as “inscriptions.”