Meta's Metaverse Vision Faces Major Strategic Retreat, Reality Labs to Lay Off Over 1,000 People

By: theblockbeats.news|2026/01/14 06:30:12

BlockBeats News, January 14th. According to Fox Business, Meta conducted its latest round of layoffs in early 2026, primarily targeting its Reality Labs division (responsible for VR/AR hardware and the metaverse project), marking a significant strategic retreat from Mark Zuckerberg's "metaverse" vision that he has vigorously promoted since 2014. Meta will reduce its Reality Labs division workforce by 10%, equivalent to over 1,000 positions. The affected employees have begun to receive notifications starting this Tuesday.

Meta is shifting from metaverse products to wearable devices, particularly AI smart glasses. Its metaverse project has been deeply unprofitable for a long time, with Reality Labs accumulating operational losses of over $70 billion since 2021, and a loss of $4.4 billion in just the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal year.

In early 2026, AI has returned to the center of the crypto market — not as a short-lived narrative, but as part of trading infrastructure. AI-powered tokens continue to attract attention, while AI-assisted trading tools are increasingly embedded into exchanges, strategy platforms, and risk systems. For traders, the key question is no longer whether AI will be used, but how it changes execution, risk control, and decision-making in practice. Understanding this shift requires separating market narratives from the actual mechanics of AI-driven trading.

Old Order's Backlash: Market Predicted to Be 'Paused' in Tennessee

Tennessee has halted prediction market platforms like Polymarket citing "illegal sports betting," underlying a positive clash over sports betting regulation and hefty tax revenues.

Trump Gets Serious: Powell Faces Criminal Investigation, Rate Battle Intensifies

Trump's pressure through criminal investigation raises widespread concerns about the Fed's independence and future policy.

WEEX × LALIGA Partner to Bring Professional Discipline From Football to Crypto Trading

As an official regional partner of LALIGA, WEEX highlights seven outstanding players who embody the league’s competitive spirit and global appeal. Each brings a unique style to the pitch, yet all share values that closely align with WEEX’s commitment to stability, precision, and professional execution. This partnership is built on shared standards — where consistency and control define performance under pressure.

Crypto and AI: the hidden digital gray market of Xianyu

Crypto and AI: You Can Buy Anything on Xianyu.

What’s Driving Crypto Markets in Early 2026: Market Swings, AI Trading, and ETF Flows？

Imagine checking Bitcoin and Ethereum prices in a day — one minute up 5%, the next down 4%. Sharp moves, quick reversals, and sensitivity to macro signals marked the first week of 2026. After an early-year rally, both assets pulled back as markets recalibrated expectations around U.S. monetary policy and institutional flows. For traders — including those relying on AI or automated systems — this period offered a vivid reminder: abundant signals do not guarantee clarity. Staying disciplined in execution is often the real challenge.

WEEX Global AI Trading Hackathon Kicks Off: $1.88M Prize Pool Powers the Next Generation of AI Trading Champions

WEEX Labs, the innovation arm of WEEX, a leading global crypto exchange serving over 6.2 million users across 150+ countries, is set to kick off the preliminary round of its flagship global AI trading hackathon, AI Wars: WEEX Alpha Awakens, on January 12, 2026. Backed by the strong support of world-class sponsors including Amazon Web Services (AWS), the total prize pool has surged from $880,000 to an unprecedented $1,880,000, positioning AI Wars among the largest AI trading hackathons in the crypto industry. At the top of the leaderboard awaits an extraordinary champion prize — a Bentley Bentayga S, already on standby in Dubai, ready to be claimed by the ultimate AI trading victor.