Animoca Brands secures Dubai VASP license to provide broker-dealer and investment services

Animoca Brands said Monday it has received a Virtual Asset Service Provider licence from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, granting the firm regulatory approval to provide digital asset services in the emirate.

The VASP licence authorizes the Hong Kong-based digital asset firm to provide broker-dealer services and virtual asset management and investment services to institutional and qualified investors in and from Dubai, excluding the Dubai International Financial Centre, according to a statement. 

Animoca said it expects the licence to support its continued expansion in the Middle East and its ability to deliver regulated digital asset services. 

"Receiving the VASP licence from VARA is an important milestone for Animoca Brands' operations, particularly in Dubai and the Middle East," Omar Elassar, managing director for Middle East and head of Global Strategic Partnerships at Animoca Brands, said in the statement. "This licence enhances our ability to engage with Web3 foundations as well as global institutional and qualified investors within a well-regulated framework, and reflects our commitment to building and operating responsibly as digital asset markets continue to mature."

Animoca Brands builds and invests in digital asset platforms, including Moca Network, Open Campus, Anichess, and The Sandbox. The company also provides digital asset services to crypto firms and maintains an investment portfolio spanning more than 600 companies and digital assets, per the statement.

The regulatory approval follows Animoca's announcement last year that it plans to go public on the Nasdaq through a reverse merger with Currenc Group Inc., a Singapore-based fintech firm focused on artificial intelligence solutions. The companies expect the transaction to close in 2026, with Animoca shareholders to collectively own approximately 95% of the combined entity.

Animoca Chief Strategy Officer Keyvan Peymani said in a recent interview with CNBC that the company plans to focus on expanding its stablecoin and real-world asset tokenization initiatives in 2026. 

In August, the firm announced a Hong Kong joint venture with Standard Chartered and Hong Kong Telecommunications to apply for a stablecoin issuer licence, and has since partnered with Fosun Wealth and Hang Feng Technology on RWA tokenization projects.