Blockchain and the Metaverse make inroads at Consumer Electronics Show

Published at: Jan. 5, 2022

Blockchain, metaverse and NFT technology are set to make a splash at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) event in Las Vegas this week.

The CES is an annual event that features exhibitions of the latest tech advancements and keynote speeches from giants such as LG, Samsung, Amazon, Nvidia and Sony.

Innovation of mobility.Sony's Vision-S #CES2022 pic.twitter.com/lLykDAUapB

— Sony (@Sony) January 5, 2022

This year’s event runs between Jan. 5 and Jan. 7 and will host more than 2200 exhibitors, with crypto and NFT companies a notable addition to the perennial gadget makers and TV manufacturers.

In terms of the blockchain sector, the exhibitors grouped under the cryptocurrency category include the derivatives and NFT exchange FTX, NFT platform Blockparty and NFT Software and hardware developers Atomic Form.

The event’s keynote speeches will feature crypto figures including Filecoin founding director Clara Tsao, Celsius Network chief growth and product officer Tushar Nadkami, Coinbase chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad and Art Blocks Inc founder and CEO Erick Calderon to name a few.

“Are stablecoins really stable? How are traditional banks embracing crypto? Should my company be accepting crypto payments? We tackle the big questions with today’s top experts,” the preview for the Decrypting Crypto panel says. The lineup includes Nadkami, Tsao, Transform Ventures CEO Michael Terpin and Blockchain Association executive director Kristin Smith.

According to conference organizer the Consumer Technology Association, several top brands will use their spots at the event to explore and promote developments in Metaverse tech such as “hardware, software, and the blockchain and crypto.”

This is how we will teach complex subjects in the future using AR #CES2022 pic.twitter.com/Ir4gIXFPJg

— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) January 4, 2022

Speaking on Samsung’s plans for CES — the manufacturer recently ramped up its blockchain initiatives by announcing an NFT platform for its new smart TVs — CTA senior manager of industry intelligence Brian Comiskey told The Australian that:

“We’ll really be looking at Samsung. Their smartphone advancements at the show will be an interesting area to watch from the hardware Metaverse side. Their televisions are even going to be showcasing what they can do for the Metaverse.”

“They’re really trying to be a one-stop hub for various internet-based economies and technologies,” he added.

Comiskey made some bullish statements on crypto, blockchain tech and NFTs when speaking about the interest from mainstream firms, labeling them the “future evolution of payments and what trade looks like” that will rise alongside the Metaverse.

“I think NFTs and cryptocurrency really represents an opportunity for blockchain to become more popular with consumers,” he said.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal on Jan. 4, Maribel Lopez, the principal analyst at tech research analysis firm Lopez Research said that while NFTs and the Metaverse are still new to many top tech firms, highlighting the bleeding edge of the blockchain sector in 2022 fits the vision behind the annual CES events.

“Are we a little ahead of our skis on the topics of Metaverse and NFTs? Yes. But that’s kind of what CES is about.”