Animoca Brands Seeks U.S. IPO to Seize ‘Special Opportunity’ During Trump Era: FT

Animoca Brands, a Web3 investment company, is planning a public listing in New York, aiming to capitalize on the “unique moment” presented by the Trump administration’s stance on digital asset regulation, according to executive chairman Yat Siu in an interview with the Financial Times. An announcement regarding the listing could be forthcoming, Siu indicated. Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. crypto regulatory landscape was characterized by numerous lawsuits and enforcement actions against leading crypto companies like Coinbase and Kraken. This year, those actions have eased, signaling a more favorable attitude towards the digital asset industry from the Trump administration.

“If the U.S. didn’t do what they did with the regulators [under Biden], we probably would have competitors in the U.S.,” Siu noted. “It’s a unique moment in time. I feel like it would be one heck of a wasted opportunity if we didn’t at least try.” The Hong Kong-based company has been a significant investor in the Web3 sector for several years, rising to prominence during the NFT boom of 2021. Its portfolio includes investments in blockchain games like Axie Infinity, along with NFT marketplaces and established crypto platforms.

Beyond its NFT and GameFi investments, Animoca Brands’ most recent financial report highlighted a shift towards enhancing its advisory services, which encompass token advisory, tokenomics, marketing, listing advisory, node operation, and trading services. As of the latest report, Animoca holds $293 million in cash and stablecoins, $538 million in digital assets, and $2.9 billion in off-balance-sheet token reserves. The company did not provide immediate comment on this topic.