Mark Zuckerberg is creating his own metaverse currency called ‘Zuck Bucks’

PEOPLE entering the metaverse could find themselves paying for stuff with “Zuck Bucks” as the tech billionaire tightens his grip on the new virtual world.

Mark Zuckerberg, 37, is reportedly planning to launch digital coins and tokens to boost his Meta firm, as Facebook and Instagram’s popularity dive.

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But it probably won’t be a cryptocurrency.

Apparently bosses prefer a sort of in-app token they can control centrally similar to those in the Roblox game.

Roblox’s robux currency helped revenue soar to $1.9billion/£1.5billion last year.

Insiders told the Financial Times that staff internally have dubbed the currency “Zuck Bucks”.

It comes as experts expect some 5billion users to transport to the metaverse by 2030 creating a $8trillion (£6.1trillion) to $13trillion (£9.9trillion) money-making opportunity, with Zuckerberg as their potential leader.

“Social tokens” and “reputation tokens” are other ideas being mulled over to reward people who post something meaningful in a Facebook group.

There could also be “creator coins” especially for influencers on Instagram.

It’s the latest attempt by the Facebook owner to get in on the money game, after their ill-fated Diem cryptocurrency failed.

The tech giant gave up on the blockchain-based system – previously known as Libra – because of complicated financial rules.

Digital tokens don’t require as much regulation, so seem like a good way to get around any complaints.

The metaverse is a developing digital space filled with virtual and augmented reality, where we could one day find ourselves working, socialising, and, if Zuckerberg has his way, spending too.

We’ve already seen many real world things jump across, including restaurants like Chipotle, casinos, and even the metaverse’s very own fashion week.

The Facebook founder is betting his company’s future on the metaverse, so much so he renamed it Meta.

But when plans were revealed last year, he suggested it should be a collaborative project, describing it as an “embodied internet”.

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