From Roots to Runtime: Building the Futureverse Economy

Key Insights

• The Root Network launched RootRewards to incentivize sustained onchain engagement and align user behavior with long-term network growth.
• Following the launch of RootRewards, FuturePass issuance quadrupled from 546,000 to over 2.1 million between March and June 2025.
• Futureverse released Altered State Alpha v2, enhancing avatar fidelity and enabling direct UBF export to advance interoperability across its 3D asset ecosystem.
• Futureverse acquired Candy Digital in April 2025, bringing over 1.5 million users and 4 million digital collectibles into its ecosystem.
• Futureverse expanded its ecosystem footprint through strategic partnerships with FC Barcelona, Rakuten Wallet, Glenn Maxwell, GameTree, and Story Protocol.

Primer

Futureverse, founded in 2022, integrates blockchain, AI, and immersive experiences to build a decentralized metaverse. Formed through merge of 11 companies, it offers a unified ecosystem with a three-layer technology stack:

• Infrastructure Layer (The Root Network): A Layer-1 blockchain with EVM compatibility, asset interoperability, multi-token economy, and NFT-specific runtimes. Its modular design allows app creation and asset management without coding expertise. The Root Network uses XRP as its default gas token, ensuring native interoperability with the XRP Ledger (XRPL), while its “Any-Token Gas” system enables seamless fee payments using multiple approved tokens.
• Protocol Layer: Includes protocols for decentralized identity (DID), secure data storage (SSDS), access control (e.g., Doughnuts), and decentralized communication (e.g., Sylo Network), all of which enable secure, user-owned data exchange and messaging. Other protocols focus on AI, such as Altered State Machine (ASM), which powers user-owned AI models for intelligent interactions.
• Content Layer: Hosts a growing ecosystem of gamified experiences, interoperable NFTs, and branded IP activations. The Universal Blueprint Framework (UBF), Futureverse’s protocol for 3D asset composability, enables platform-agnostic deployment of avatars, wearables, and game objects across immersive environments.

The Root Network’s multi-token economy, led by ROOT, supports governance, staking rewards, and ecosystem activities. In 2025, the protocol introduced RootRewards, a loyalty program distributing non-transferable Root Points (RP) for onchain participation, digital identity engagement, and NFT ownership. RP can be redeemed for ROOT during defined reward cycles, aligning user participation with long-term ecosystem growth.

This Pulse report provides a focused update on RootRewards traction, UBF infrastructure developments, and strategic partnerships that advanced Futureverse’s mission in 2025.

For a full primer on Futureverse, refer to our Initiation of Coverage report.

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RootRewards: Driving Long-Term Engagement

Futureverse launched the RootRewards program in March 2025 to incentivize sustained engagement across The Root Network. Designed as a loyalty system, RootRewards allows both users and builders to earn rewards through onchain activity, digital identity integration, and broader ecosystem participation. The program aims to drive long-term alignment between protocol growth and user behavior, while avoiding the unsustainable incentives often seen in short-term token distribution campaigns.

RootRewards distributes non-transferable, offchain loyalty points known as Root Points (RP) in exchange for eligible onchain behavior, ecosystem activity, and identity-linked participation. Unlike typical loyalty systems, RP can be redeemed for ROOT tokens during defined reward cycles, establishing a clear connection between ecosystem contribution and liquid rewards.

Source: The Root Network

Earning Root Points: Eligibility and Actions

Source: The Root Network

Users earn RP through eligible actions such as:

• Staking at least 25 ROOT via FuturePass (Futureverse’s identity and wallet layer)
• Bridging assets, trading, and transacting across dApps on The Root Network
• Interacting with UBF-powered applications and immersive digital experiences
• Holding eligible NFTs such as Flufs, Party Bears, Seekers, and Cool Cats.
• Participating in identity-linked campaigns and social activations via platforms like Candy, Showrooms, and Altered State Machine.

RP accrual is dynamically weighted to favor high-value, sustained activity. NFT holders receive additional multipliers based on their FutureScore, a composite identity score derived from the type and volume of collectibles in their wallet.

RootRewards ran limited-time campaigns such as Candy x Cool Cats and Candy x MLB, each offering up to 10 million RP through seasonal quests tied to NFT ownership, FuturePass activity, and UBF-enabled app interactions.

Reward Cycles and ROOT Redemption

As of June 2025, over 5.2 billion RP had been generated across the first two reward cycles, 1.65 billion in April and 3.6 billion in May, resulting in the distribution of 160 million ROOT to participants. Onchain redemption mechanisms are now live, enabling users to claim their earned rewards directly via smart contracts, adding transparency and finality to the process.

FutureScore Multipliers and Referral Mechanics

Source: The Root Network

To support organic growth, RootRewards incorporates a referral system that rewards both first- and second-degree invites. Referrers earn 15% of the RP generated by their direct invitees and 7.5% from indirect invitees. By late May, over 30,000 referral links had been shared, resulting in over 37,000 referred users joining the network. These incentives have contributed to rapid user onboarding and network expansion.

FuturePass acts as the gateway for identity-aware participation in the RootRewards system. Each FuturePass is linked to a corresponding Externally Owned Account (EOA), enabling the network to contextualize both user behavior (e.g., staking, transactions) and identity-linked traits (e.g., NFT ownership, campaign engagement). This structure allows RootRewards to reward users more intelligently by factoring both behavioral and identity-based inputs into RP distribution.

Following the launch of RootRewards, FuturePass issuance grew nearly 4x, from approximately 546,000 on March 12 to over 2.1 million by June 23. With each FuturePass paired to an EOA, total registered wallets on The Root Network reached 4.2 million, reinforcing identity-layer adoption as a central driver of ecosystem activity.

Onchain activity accelerated alongside this expansion. Monthly transaction volume increased from about 88,000 in January to over 967,000 by June 24, representing an approximately 11x gain. In March, the month RootRewards launched, transactions climbed 47% from approximately 660,000.

Daily active wallets (DAWs) also grew significantly, rising from around 550 in early March to over 10,600 by late June, a 1,827% increase. The largest spike occurred during the program’s rollout, with steady growth through Q2 as more users became eligible.

These trends show that RootRewards played a critical role in driving user acquisition and retention. By incentivizing identity creation via FuturePass and sustained onchain engagement, the program contributed to a measurable expansion in both wallet infrastructure and network activity.

In addition to infrastructure-wide growth, RootRewards recorded consistent growth in program participation, with registered accounts increasing from just over 1,000 at launch to approximately 75,000 by June 24, an increase of over 7,000% within three months.

Staked ROOT: Program Impact to Date

Following the launch of RootRewards in March 2025, the amount of staked ROOT on The Root Network more than doubled, from approximately 318 million to 670 million ROOT by late June, representing a 110% increase. Since staking is one of the primary actions eligible for Root Point (RP) accrual, this growth suggests that the program’s incentive design contributed to higher token lock-up and broader protocol participation. While other factors may also influence staking behavior, the timing of this increase aligns closely with the rollout of RootRewards, indicating early responsiveness to reward-based engagement mechanisms.

Builder Incentives and API Integration

RootRewards also offers a developer-facing Grants and Rewards API, allowing builders to integrate RP distribution into their applications. This enables incentive customization based on user behavior within specific dApps or games. Builders are responsible for co-marketing, traffic generation, and performance reporting. This modular structure supports scalable, targeted reward campaigns and makes RootRewards a flexible mechanism for ecosystem-wide user activation.

To improve transparency and user access, The Root Network launched a dedicated RootRewards dashboard in Q2 2025. The dashboard allows participants to monitor RP accrual, check eligibility tiers, redeem rewards, and track historical participation across multiple campaigns.

Strategic Role in Ecosystem Incentive Design

From a strategic perspective, RootRewards addresses a critical challenge: how to fairly distribute incentives across a horizontally integrated ecosystem without introducing unnecessary token inflation. By decoupling early contribution from immediate financial gain, the system fosters durable engagement and enables flexible, modular campaign design, such as seasonal drops, in-game multipliers, and brand-specific activations.

Unlike most Web3 points programs, RootRewards offers direct, onchain redeemability for ROOT and is designed to operate across both EVM-compatible and native TRN environments. This network-agnostic flexibility ensures that incentives can be distributed and claimed across the full spectrum of dApps on The Root Network, supporting scalable and sustainable growth.

Gameplay Incentives and Interoperable Rewards

In addition to passive and identity-based participation incentives, Futureverse also introduced real-time gameplay rewards to deepen user engagement. In Q2 2025, the flagship title The Third Kingdom distributed over 300 million ROOT to players through activity-based rewards. Episode 2 added Mycelium, an in-game resource that can be redeemed for ROOT, creating a parallel value accrual mechanism tied to gameplay rather than point accumulation. While separate from the RootRewards program, this structure reinforces the protocol’s incentive design by embedding token distribution directly into immersive, interoperable experiences.

Universal Blueprint Framework (UBF)

The Universal Blueprint Framework (UBF) is Futureverse’s protocol for creating and managing interoperable 3D assets. Designed to be platform-agnostic, UBF provides a standardized way to define, interpret, and deploy digital content across engines like Unity and Unreal (two of the most widely used real-time 3D engines for building interactive applications and virtual worlds), as well as within diverse metaverse environments. It decouples asset design from platform execution, allowing creators to design once and deploy across multiple applications without reconfiguration.

Source: Futureverse

Architecture and Workflow

UBF operates on a runtime-driven model that separates static asset files (e.g., models, textures, animations) from the logic that governs how those assets render. This logic is stored in JSON-based “blueprints,” authored using UBF Studio, a node-based visual editor. Blueprints can be previewed in real time with the UBF Previewer, allowing assets to be dynamically loaded into games without embedding them into builds.

The UBF pipeline includes two core phases:

• Resource Creation: Artists create 3D assets using tools like Blender or Substance Painter, following technical guidelines for rigging, mesh optimization, and file structure.
• Blueprint Authoring: These assets are then packaged into blueprints and grouped into UBF Projects, which use UID-based referencing to support version control and multi-user collaboration.

Modularity and Asset Composability

UBF supports a modular architecture that enables assets to be customized and recombined across collections. Core models, such as those used for NFT collections like Flufs, Party Bears, Raicers, Seekers, or Atem vehicles, can be extended with attachable traits like outfits, accessories, or animations. One-shot items, such as Reebok wearables, are also supported and can be reused across avatar types without modification. This composability enables efficient reuse and minimizes duplication across asset libraries.

Source: Futureverse

Technical Standards

To ensure cross-engine compatibility and real-time performance, UBF enforces technical standards such as Level of Detail (LOD) optimization, ORM texture atlasing, standardized UV mapping, and ARP-compatible rigging. Projects are hosted on centralized repositories like Dropbox to support collaborative version control and consistent asset rendering across platforms.

Source: Futureverse

Tooling Enhancements and Alpha v2 Updates

In Q2, Futureverse expanded UBF’s tooling ecosystem to streamline asset creation and deployment. The UBF Interpreter and an upgraded Creator Studio allow developers to test blueprints for cross-platform rendering. Altered State, Futureverse’s no-code avatar engine, now supports direct UBF export. The Open Alpha v2 release of Altered State introduced improved rigging, enhanced mesh detail, and stylization controls, lowering friction between AI-generated avatars and runtime integration.

Additionally, Futureverse launched Connectibles, a UBF-native asset management platform that allows IP owners to license, distribute, and monetize branded assets across multiple environments. Connectibles enforces digital rights and supports deployment independent of underlying game engines.

Ecosystem Integration and Use Cases

UBF-powered assets were integrated into multiple live environments in Q2. Avatars from The Next Legends could be ported into The Third Kingdom, Readyverse Showrooms, and other interoperable spaces, showcasing functional composability across experiences.

By standardizing asset behavior at runtime, UBF transforms NFTs from static collectibles into interoperable content primitives. This positions Futureverse not only as a content platform, but as a protocol-layer infrastructure provider for open metaverse applications.

Candy Digital Acquisition and IP Integration

Futureverse completed the acquisition of Candy Digital in April 2025, expanding its ecosystem with over 1.5 million user accounts and approximately 4 million digital collectibles. The acquisition strategically aligned with Futureverse’s goal of building an interoperable metaverse by integrating licensed entertainment IP into decentralized infrastructure.

Candy’s portfolio includes rights to content from Major League Baseball (MLB), Warner Bros., DC Comics, and Netflix. Since joining Futureverse, Candy has launched multiple campaigns on The Root Network, including:

• Showstopper ICONs: A series of MLB collectible packs featuring guaranteed Epic-tier cards that sold out within days.
• Legacy Unleashed: A crafting-focused experience for Bat Cowl and Legacy NFT holders, introducing item rarity upgrades via burn mechanics.
• DC3 comic drops: Regular releases tied to franchises like Superman, alongside promotional campaigns for upcoming Warner Bros. titles.
• Access Granted: A campaign linked to RCADIA that unlocked rare digital experiences within gaming environments.

These activations leverage Futureverse’s onchain infrastructure for licensing, royalties, and identity (via Pass), demonstrating how traditional IP can operate in Web3-native formats. Candy’s assets are also UBF-compatible, enabling deployment across games, storefronts, and immersive experiences within the Readyverse.

Partnerships and Ecosystem Onboarding

Futureverse expanded its ecosystem through a series of strategic partnerships targeting identity onboarding, branded content distribution, and interoperable IP infrastructure.

• Story Protocol: In April 2025, Futureverse signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Story Protocol, a Layer-1 blockchain focused on tokenized intellectual property. The partnership enables IP assets created through UBF and linked to Pass identities to interoperate with Story’s IP registry, supporting features like provenance tracking, automated royalty attribution, and composable licensing. This integration aligns with Futureverse’s goal of enabling scalable IP composability across interoperable digital environments.
• Rakuten Wallet: In May 2025, Futureverse partnered with Rakuten Wallet to launch RakutenWallet.Pass, a localized Web3 onboarding experience for Japanese users. The initiative abstracted wallet creation through Rakuten credentials and introduced users to Futureverse’s identity layer via Pass. The launch campaign included the Reebok Impact drop, an AI-generated sneaker collection designed with Altered State and distributed on The Root Network.
• GameTree Integration: In May 2025, GameTree, a cross-platform social gaming app with 1.5 million users, integrated Futureverse’s Pass protocol. The deployment enabled persistent user identity, interoperable login, and asset linking across games, validating Pass as a modular identity solution for gaming environments.
• Glenn Maxwell: In June 2025, Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell launched GlennMaxwell.live, an interactive fan portal built on Pass. The platform provided users with tokenized experiences and real-world prize incentives, including exclusive memorabilia.
• FC Barcelona: In June 2025, Futureverse announced its largest mainstream deployment to date through a partnership with FC Barcelona. The Barça.Pass initiative linked over 11 million existing Barça ID accounts to Futureverse’s identity layer, enabling access to digital collectibles, loyalty programs, and immersive fan experiences on The Root Network. The rollout reinforced Futureverse’s ability to abstract Web3 infrastructure for mass-market audiences.

This integration demonstrates Futureverse’s ability to provide interoperable identity infrastructure for third-party ecosystems, reinforcing Pass’s relevance beyond its native applications.

Closing Summary

Futureverse launched the RootRewards program to encourage sustained onchain engagement through a system of non-transferable loyalty points (Root Points) redeemable for ROOT. Since launch, the program has distributed over 5.2 billion Root Points and has contributed to a 7,000% increase in RootRewards-registered accounts. Daily active wallets rose from approximately 550 to over 10,600, and staked ROOT increased by 110%. By incentivizing actions such as staking, NFT ownership, and identity-linked participation, RootRewards has become a key mechanism for user activation and retention on The Root Network.

In parallel, the Universal Blueprint Framework (UBF) advanced Futureverse’s interoperability goals through improvements to its runtime architecture, authoring tools, and asset management systems. The Alpha v2 release of Altered State and the launch of Connectibles enhanced support for modular 3D assets and cross-platform deployment. Futureverse also expanded its ecosystem through strategic acquisitions and integrations. The acquisition of Candy Digital and partnerships with FC Barcelona, Rakuten Wallet, Glenn Maxwell, GameTree, and Story Protocol demonstrated scalable onboarding and cross-domain interoperability via the Pass identity system.

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