What is the Metaverse Standards Forum?

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The key to connecting the future of the metaverse! What is the Metaverse Standards Forum and XR's "Interoperable Anchor"? A complete guide for beginners

Hey everyone! I'm John, a veteran metaverse blogger. Recently, I've been hearing the word "metaverse" a lot, but I'm sure there are many people who think, "It sounds difficult..." Especially when the technical terms come up, it can make your head spin. But don't worry! In this blog, I'll explain the latest topics in the metaverse in a way that anyone can understand, so please feel free to follow along.

Well, today's theme is "Metaverse Standards Forum" and the "XR"And"Interoperable anchoring" It's like a spell, but if this comes true, our metaverse experience will be more free and more exciting. Come on, let's open a new door to the metaverse together!

Basic Information: What does the Metaverse Standards Forum do?

Let's start with the basics. I think most people don't know what the "Metaverse Standardization Forum" is.Let's all create common rules (standards) in the metaverse world to make our experiences more convenient and enjoyable!It is a place of cooperation for many companies and organizations (technically known as SDOs: Standards Developing Organizations) that have come together for the purpose of ``developing standards.''

Imagine this. If your avatar (your alter-ego character) or items created in one metaverse could not be used at all in another metaverse, wouldn't that be a bit inconvenient? Just like the language differs from country to country, if the rules differ from metaverse to metaverse, it would be difficult to move freely between them and play together.

To solve this problem, the Metaverse Standards Forum hasInteroperability" In other words, we are working on creating a mechanism for different metaverses and services to work together smoothly. This is the main problem that this forum is trying to solve.

What is XR?

Next, the word "XR".Extended RealityIt is also called "augmented reality" or "cross reality" in Japanese. Specifically, it is a collective term for the following three technologies:

VR (Virtual Reality)：A technology that allows you to wear goggles and be completely immersed in a virtual space. It is used for games and virtual tourism.
AR (Augmented Reality): A technology that overlays digital information and images onto the real world. Examples of this include filters on smartphone apps and games where characters appear in the street.
MR (Mixed Reality)：It's a technology that combines VR and AR, and the real world and the virtual world interact more closely. For example, you can place a virtual object on a real table and manipulate it with your hands.

These XR technologies are essential to making the metaverse experience more realistic and interactive.

What is interoperable anchoring?

And the most important keyword this time is "Interoperable AnchorsFirst of all, it may be easier to understand the word "anchor" if you imagine a ship's anchor. You drop an anchor on the ocean floor to keep the ship from drifting away, right? An "anchor" in the metaverse or XR world is similar."Landmarks" and "reference points" for determining specific positions and orientations in virtual spaceIt's something like that.

For example, say you use an AR app to hang a virtual painting on a real wall. The app remembers that location on the wall as an anchor. The next time you visit the same location, the app can use that anchor to display the virtual painting in the same place.

So what is an "interoperable" anchor?This "anchor" information can be shared between different XR apps and platforms, allowing them to be recognized in the same way.If this is realized, for example, a virtual object placed in real space with one AR app will be able to be seen in the same place by a friend using another AR app. It is a technology that allows different systems to have a common understanding of "this is the reference point!"

This topic was also the focus of a webinar called "Towards Interoperable Anchoring for XR" held by the Metaverse Standards Forum on April 2025, 4. This is truly a unique and important effort to realize an open metaverse.

Supply Details: This is not a coin! What is the "value" that standardization brings?

Now, when it comes to topics related to the metaverse, some people may think, "Is this about a new coin (cryptocurrency)?" However, the "Metaverse Standardization Forum" and "Interoperable Anchor" are not issuing any specific coins or tokens. Therefore, things like maximum supply and circulation do not apply here.

So what is being "supplied"?Standards are a common ruleand is born from it."worth"what.

Think about it. The reason the Internet has become so popular is because of common communication protocols (communication rules) such as HTTP and TCP/IP. If you had to access each website in a completely different way, it would not have become so convenient.

The same is true for the metaverse; creating common standards will create the following value:

Improved development efficiencyDevelopers will no longer need to deal with disparate specifications for each platform, allowing them to focus on creating more creative content.
Improved user experience: Users will be able to carry their avatars and items between different metaverses and easily interact with friends across platform boundaries.
Market expansion: Increased interoperability will make it easier for new services and businesses to be created, revitalizing the entire metaverse market.

In other words, the activities of the Metaverse Standardization Forum are not about providing specific "things," but about preparing the "soil" for the healthy development of the entire metaverse. The "value" of this is immeasurable.

Technical Mechanisms: How do we achieve "interoperable anchors"?

"Interoperable anchors" sounds a bit like magic, but what kind of technology is actually being used to achieve this? Let's try to get an idea of how it works, in a way that's easy to understand even for beginners.

First, XR devices (such as VR goggles and AR glasses) use cameras and sensors to recognize the surrounding environment and create something like a 3D map. In this 3D map, you set "anchors" at locations that you think are "important."

The problem is that if the way these "anchors" are created and the way the information is stored varies from app to app and device to device, other systems cannot understand them.

Therefore, in order to realize "interoperable anchors," the following technical approaches are being considered:

Common Data Format: Information such as the location, orientation, and size of anchors can be recorded and exchanged in a common format that everyone can understand. For example, the idea is that anchor information created with AR glasses made by company A can be read by an AR app made by company B.
Sharing spatial mapping data: For more advanced collaboration, it may be necessary to share not only anchors but also the surrounding 3D spatial map itself, or even to partially match the map. This will allow different devices to more accurately recognize that they are looking at the same space.
Cloud-based anchor service: A mechanism to store anchor information on a cloud server and share it among authorized apps and users, making persistent anchor information available across time and location.
Leveraging distributed technology：We are also researching approaches to increase the reliability and transparency of anchor information using distributed ledger technology (a technology that does not gather data in one place but distributes it among everyone) such as blockchain. This may lead to a more open anchor system that is not dependent on a specific company.

At the Metaverse Standardization Forum, experts from around the world are pooling their knowledge on exactly these technical issues to formulate optimal "standards." For example, in the aforementioned session "Towards Interoperable Anchoring for XR," experts such as Jérémy Lacoche and Jérôme Royan presented specific technical proposals and challenges.

As these technologies become standardized, a future will come where different XR experiences will be seamlessly connected, almost like a universal language. Just imagining it is exciting, isn't it?

Team and community: Who is involved?

The Metaverse Standardization Forum is not run by a single company. As the name suggests, it is a forum (a forum for public discussion) and is run by many organizations working together.

Participating organisations and companies include:

Standards Development Organizations (SDOs): For example, standardization organizations with a proven track record in various fields, such as the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), which promotes the standardization of web technologies, and ISO (International Organization for Standardization), which defines industrial standards, are participating. ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) also provides event information on interoperable anchoring of XR.
Big Technology: Major companies developing metaverse platforms and XR devices (you can imagine many well-known companies such as Meta, Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, etc.)
Game development companies and content production companies: Companies that are actually creating metaverse and XR content will also be important in creating practical standards.
Other related organizations and academic institutionsIndustry associations and research institutions such as universities are also participating to provide their expertise.

The number of followers on LinkedIn is over 8,600 (based on data as of early 2025), and X (formerly Twitter) is also actively posting information, which shows that the community is very interested. For example, the X account (@Metaverse_Forum) announces event information such as the "Special SDO Session" that is held regularly.

In this way, people from various positions are gathering, bringing their respective expertise and experience, and through open discussion, trying to create the best standard for everyone. This is a very reliable initiative that aims to develop the metaverse as a whole, not for the benefit of a specific company.

Use cases and future prospects: How will standardization change the metaverse?

As standards such as "interoperable anchors" advance, how exactly will our metaverse experience change? Let's look at some use cases and future prospects.

A seamless augmented reality experience :
- When you're using AR navigation around town, virtual store signs that your friends have shared with you using another AR app will appear in the same location on your screen.
- In a museum, one AR app might display a description of an exhibit, while another AR app might display an interactive 3D model related to the exhibit in the same location.
The evolution of collaboration and social interaction :
- Using mixed reality technology, colleagues in far-flung locations can gather around the same virtual blueprint and edit together at a real desk.
- Multiple players can play games and participate in events together in the same virtual space, even if they are participating from different devices and platforms.
Creating a persistent and shareable virtual space :
- Local communities can install AR art in real parks and share that information as an anchor, allowing anyone to enjoy the art for a long period of time.
- Companies can use AR to operate virtual stores that are linked to their real-world stores, providing customers with the same personalized information and experiences every time they visit, regardless of which app they use.
Increased portability of avatars and digital assets :
Although not directly, Anchor technology is part of a larger trend towards greater interoperability that will one day allow people to carry their avatars and digital purchases freely across different metaverse platforms, which is essential to realizing a truly "open metaverse."

In the future, the real world and the virtual world may blend more smoothly, and communication and collaboration beyond physical constraints may become commonplace. For example, the development of these fundamental technologies could make holographic meetings and conversations with AI assistants that appear in real space, as seen in science fiction movies, a reality.

The work of the Metaverse Standards Forum is like laying the groundwork for shaping this future metaverse.

Challenges and caveats: The road to standardization is not a smooth one

Standardization of the metaverse is expected to have a great future, but the road to it is not easy. Let's be aware of some challenges and points to note.

Difficulty in reaching a consensus：The involvement of many companies and organizations means that there are many opinions. Creating a "standard" that everyone can agree on will require time and a lot of effort. Sometimes there may be conflicts of interest.
Rapid technological evolution: Metaverse and XR technologies are evolving at a tremendous speed. While standards are being established, new technologies may emerge and change the assumptions. The challenge is how to respond to this rapid flow.
Hurdles to Dissemination and AdoptionEven if a great standard is created, it is meaningless unless many developers and companies actually adopt it. Efforts to widely communicate the benefits of the standard and encourage its adoption are also necessary.
Security and privacy：For anchor technology that handles spatial information and personal data, security and privacy protection are extremely important. We must consider creating mechanisms to prevent misuse at the same time as standardization.
The risk of fragmentationIf multiple standards groups start proposing different standards, there is a risk of the metaverse becoming fragmented. This is why a forum for inclusive collaboration like the Metaverse Standards Forum is so important.

To overcome these challenges, cooperation and a long-term perspective from all parties involved will be necessary. If we, the users, continue to take an interest in these developments, we may be able to realize a better metaverse.

Expert opinions and analysis: Directions indicated by the Forum's activities

The activities of the Metaverse Standardization Forum are attracting attention from industry experts. Although they are not directly in the form of "expert comments," you can see their importance by looking at the information the forum itself publishes and its members.

For example, webinars such as the "Special SDO Session - Towards Interoperable Anchoring for XR" hosted by the Forum are venues where experts at the forefront of the industry discuss specific technical issues and solutions. The content presented here can be taken as the opinions and analyses of the experts.

The fact that the world's leading standardization organizations (SDOs) and technology companies participate in this forum speaks to its reliability and expertise, as they have many years of experience and knowledge in promoting standardization in a variety of fields.

International organizations such as the World Economic Forum have also shown interest in next-generation digital public infrastructure (this may not be directly related to MSF activities, but it is evidence of the larger trend of placing importance on standardization and infrastructure development in the digital space).

Academic platforms such as ScienceDirect are also publishing research papers on the sustainability and value creation of the metaverse (for example, the article dated May 2025, 5), showing that the importance of the metaverse's underlying technologies and standardization is recognized from an academic perspective as well.

From this information, it can be inferred that"An open and interoperable metaverse" is the major direction for the future, and "standardization" is essential to realize it.This is the consensus of experts. The Metaverse Standards Forum is trying to play a central role in this.

Latest News and Roadmap Highlights

The activities of the Metaverse Standardization Forum are currently underway. The latest developments that are particularly noteworthy are theTowards Interoperable Anchoring for XR" This is an initiative related to this.

Special SDO Session: The Metaverse Standards Forum regularly holds special sessions (Special SDO Sessions) on this topic. For example, you can see from official information (metaverse-standards.org article and X's post @Metaverse_Forum) that a webinar was held on April 2025, 4. In these sessions, specific technical specifications, use cases, and issues toward standardization are discussed.
Ongoing discussion: ETSI's event information also lists an event with a similar theme, "Towards Interoperable Anchoring for XR," on January 2025, 1. This shows that this topic is not a one-time discussion, but is being continuously deepened.
Transmission of information: The forum publishes information about its activities and events through its website (metaverse-standards.org), X (@Metaverse_Forum), YouTube channel (@metaversestandardsforum), etc. We recommend checking these official channels to get the latest information.

Although a specific "roadmap" has not been made public in detail, it is clear that the steps toward standardization are steadily progressing through these regular sessions and information sharing. The major milestone for the time being is to develop a practical standard specification for this "interoperable anchor" and to widely disseminate it.

We'll be keeping a close eye on concrete developments, such as the establishment of new working groups and the publication of draft standards!

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Thanks for reading! Finally, I’ll answer some common questions newbies have about the Metaverse Standards Forum and related technologies.

Q1: What is the ultimate goal of the Metaverse Standardization Forum?: A1: In a word, "An open metaverse where anyone can freely move between different services" We are aiming to realize this. To that end, we are working to create common rules (standards) that everyone can use.
Q2: Is XR different from VR?: A2: XR (Extended Reality) is a term that combines VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and MR (Mixed Reality). It might be easier to understand if you think of VR as a part of XR.
Q3: What are the benefits of having interoperable anchors?: A3: For example, information created in one AR app such as "Place a virtual object in this location in the real world" can be shared with other AR apps. This makes it easier for people using different apps to share and collaborate on the same AR experience. It's like creating a "common landmark" in the metaverse space.
Q4: Why does the metaverse need “standards”?: A4: The Internet is used all over the world because there are common rules (such as HTTP) for viewing websites. The metaverse is the same. Without common rules, people would be locked into the services of specific companies and it would be inconvenient. Standards make development easier and allow users to enjoy it more freely.
Q5: Is this forum just a way for some company to make money?: A5: No, it is not for the benefit of any particular company, but is a non-profit forum for cooperation aimed at the healthy development of the entire metaverse industry. Many companies and standardization organizations participate and hold open discussions.

Connecting the future of the metaverse! A thorough explanation of the standardization forum and XR anchor technology