Web3 gaming is alive and important to the development of on-chain economies.
Yat Siu, Animoca Co-Founder and Executive Chairman
Animoca Brands is a Hong Kong-based Web3 gaming and crypto investment firm led by co-founder and chairman Yat Siu. It became one of the most influential forces in crypto by funding and supporting a wide range of “on-chain economy” projects, especially in games, digital property, and consumer-decentralized apps (dApps).
In 2025, Animoca stands out because it’s not just betting on tokens. It’s building an ecosystem of companies, licenses, and products that try to legitimize digital ownership.
Origin and Background
Animoca started as a gaming company and later shifted hard into blockchain. It was once listed on the Australian stock market, and in 2020, it was delisted after its shift into crypto. Since then, it has grown into a major private Web3 investor and operator.
Key Highlights
- Built a portfolio with investments in 600+ companies, acting as what Animoca leaders call an “ecosystem enabler.”
- Backed and acquired major Web3 gaming and crypto brands, including The Sandbox, and supported projects like Axie Infinity and Catizen.
- Reported holding almost $1B in cash, stablecoins, and digital assets.
- Launched Anchorpoint, a stablecoin joint venture with Standard Chartered (HK) and HKT, and signaled interest in an HK stablecoin license process.
- Started a fund to bring Japanese anime and manga IP on-chain, aiming to turn fandom and licensing into digital ownership rails.
- Moved toward public markets again via a proposed reverse merger tied to a potential Nasdaq listing by 2026.
Impact on the Industry (2025)
In 2025, Animoca helped keep Web3 focused on real use cases, such as games that players are actually interested in, stablecoins that one will actually spend, and IP people are already into. Its size also makes it a signal, as when Animoca backs a theme, crypto developers pay attention.
Looking Ahead (2026 and Beyond)
If Animoca reaches public markets, it could become one of the clearest Web3 plays for traditional investors. But the bigger question is execution: can it scale ownership-based products without repeating the old hype cycles? Its next phase will likely depend on regulation-ready stablecoins, stronger game economies, and IP deals that last longer than one market run.
