- Animoca must meet capital, compliance, and operational conditions before final approval.
- The company already secured an in-principle approval for a crypto brokerage licence in Dubai in October.
- Animoca’s portfolio includes more than 600 companies across web3 gaming, infrastructure, and digital ownership.
Animoca Brands has taken a major step in its regulated expansion plans by securing initial approval to establish a fund management company in Abu Dhabi.
The move signals a deeper shift in how the company plans to operate in the Middle East, focusing on building a structured, compliant foundation for its growing investment activities.
Abu Dhabi’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority granted the in-principle approval on 24 November, giving the company a clear path toward full authorization once the required capital, compliance and operational processes are completed.
This preliminary approval provides fresh direction to Animoca’s efforts to formalize its presence in a region rapidly emerging as a hub for digital-asset businesses.
The company views the United Arab Emirates as a growing market where regulated frameworks can attract both traditional investors and digitally native participants.
With operations already established in Dubai, Animoca is now aligning its regional strategy with a framework that supports managed funds and institutional products.
Investment expansion
The approval allows Animoca Brands to pursue management of collective investment funds from the UAE.
This is significant because it positions the company to serve institutional clients within a regulated environment.
Animoca already operates across multiple areas of the web3 economy, including advisory services and investment activities, and it holds a portfolio of more than 600 companies spanning gaming, infrastructure, digital ownership rights and tokenized platforms.
A fund manager licence would provide a structured base for these investments and create a unified location for regulated activities across its global network.
It also supports Animoca’s intent to expand its footprint in markets where regulatory clarity is improving rapidly.
By anchoring its investment operations in Abu Dhabi, the company is preparing for a future where compliance-aligned digital-asset services become increasingly central to institutional adoption.
Regional licensing developments
Animoca Brands has steadily expanded its regulatory presence in the Middle East.
In October the company secured an in-principle approval for a crypto broker licence from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, enabling it to offer regulated trading services in that emirate.
The combination of approvals in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai demonstrates how the company is shaping its regional strategy through recognized regulatory frameworks rather than informal or unregulated activity.
Alongside regulatory progress, Animoca is also advancing tokenization initiatives involving real-world assets.
A recent project involved a limited partnership fund developed with Hong Kong-listed DL Holdings, using the XRP Ledger to structure on-chain vehicles.
The company continues to add new programs in education finance, token distribution and web3 gaming, expanding the network of projects connected to its broader ecosystem.
Increased focus on digital assets in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates has become a priority destination for companies operating in the digital economy, and Animoca Brands is leveraging this momentum to ground its regulated activities in the region.
With clearer rules, new licensing pathways and rising interest from global investors, the Middle East offers a strategic opportunity for businesses seeking growth within compliance frameworks.
Animoca’s latest approval places the company at the center of this shift as institutions look for regulated access to digital assets.
Chairman Yat Siu is scheduled to speak at the Global Blockchain Show 2025 in Abu Dhabi, where he will highlight the company’s role in regional discussions on the development of digital-asset markets.
The new approval supports this engagement by providing Animoca with an acknowledged route to expand its fund management and investment activities as demand for regulated services continues to rise.