Animoca Brands Wins Provisional Approval From Abu Dhabi’s Financial Regulator
Animoca Brands mentioned Monday that it secured in-principle approval from Abu Dhabi’s monetary regulator, taking a key step towards working as a regulated fund supervisor in one of many Middle East’s most energetic digital asset hubs.
The Hong Kong-based Web3 investor mentioned the approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority would permit it, as soon as situations are met and ultimate sign-off is granted, to handle a collective funding fund in or from the ADGM.
For an organization that has lengthy positioned itself on the intersection of gaming, NFTs and digital belongings, the transfer marks a push deeper into institutional territory.
Middle East Expansion Gains Momentum With Abu Dhabi Regulatory Backing
Animoca Brands describes itself as a digital asset advisory companies and an funding administration arm that now backs greater than 600 portfolio firms. The in-principle approval strengthens that technique by giving the agency a clearer regulatory footing for capital formation and fund buildings.
The firm has been steadily increasing within the Middle East and already maintains a presence in Dubai to assist Web3 exercise throughout the area. The Abu Dhabi choice, whereas nonetheless conditional, advances its plan to construct a regulated footprint in key markets, topic to native licences and approvals.
Omar Elassar, managing director for the Middle East and head of worldwide strategic partnerships at Animoca Brands, mentioned, “The UAE is a rising hub for exercise in Web3 and digital belongings. This in-principle approval helps our regional technique to construct regulated, institutional pathways for participation whereas persevering with to accomplice with founders and enterprises throughout the ecosystem.”
ADGM officers framed the transfer as a part of their effort to draw extra blockchain and digital asset gamers right into a rules-based surroundings.
Middle East Expansion Gains Momentum With Abu Dhabi Regulatory Backing
Animoca Brands is pursuing its regulatory buildout alongside a return to public markets. Earlier this month, it entered right into a non-binding agreement with Nasdaq-listed Currenc Group to pursue a reverse merger that targets a valuation of about $1b, with closing anticipated by the top of 2026.
If accomplished on these phrases, shareholders of Animoca Brands would personal roughly 95% of the mixed firm’s issued shares, whereas present Currenc shareholders would maintain about 5%.
The proposed deal would mark Animoca’s comeback to public markets after it was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange in 2020 amid governance issues and its involvement in crypto-related actions.
Firms Must Meet Capital And Operational Conditions To Move Beyond IPA Status
In Abu Dhabi, crypto firms can’t merely begin operations on the again of an in-principle approval. Firms first interact in pre-application discussions, submit an in depth regulatory marketing strategy, possession info, monetary projections and their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework.
The FSRA then evaluations know-how, custody preparations and senior workers, together with senior government officers and compliance leaders. Only after these checks does the regulator challenge an in-principle approval, which is a conditional inexperienced mild reasonably than a licence to function.
The IPA comes with a listing of necessities, akin to assembly base capital thresholds, finalizing programs, acquiring residence visas for key personnel and lining up third-party audits.
Once a agency satisfies these situations throughout the required timeframe and evidences this to the FSRA, it might probably acquire full Financial Services Permission.
That ultimate licence permits the corporate to include inside ADGM, safe a industrial licence and start regulated actions akin to buying and selling, custody or advisory companies for digital belongings. Well-prepared candidates sometimes transfer via the complete course of inside a number of months.
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Animoca Brands pursues $1 billion Nasdaq itemizing via reverse merger with Currenc Group, concentrating on completion by the top of 2026.