Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands is sharpening its focus on stablecoins, artificial intelligence (AI), and decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) as key growth areas in 2026. This strategic pivot aims to capitalize on the evolving Web3 landscape and bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized technologies.
Stablecoins have emerged as a focal point for Animoca Brands, with the company actively pursuing opportunities in this space. In August 2025, Animoca Brands established a joint venture, Anchorpoint Financial Limited, in collaboration with Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (SCBHK) and HKT, with the goal of obtaining a stablecoin issuer license in Hong Kong. Anchorpoint has formally expressed interest to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in applying for a stablecoin issuer license when the Stablecoins Ordinance took effect on August 1, 2025. This move underscores Animoca Brands' belief in the potential of stablecoins to become mainstream within the financial ecosystem. Group President of Animoca Brands, Evan Auyang, stated that regulated stablecoins referenced to fiat currency are important to strengthen Hong Kong's position as a leading international financial center as assets continue to move on-chain.
Animoca Brands views stablecoins as a crucial element in bridging Web3 and traditional finance, bolstering Hong Kong's position as a global digital assets hub. The company has been actively participating in the HKMA stablecoin issuer sandbox since July 2024, alongside SCBHK and HKT, to explore the role of stablecoins in shaping financial markets and payment systems. Animoca Brands sees significant opportunities for stablecoins in facilitating payments through open-source digital wallets and enabling open clearing houses for settlements. They believe that digital wallet payment solutions built around stablecoins have a lower barrier to entry compared to Web2 digital wallet companies, both technologically and commercially.
The integration of AI is another significant area of focus for Animoca Brands. The company envisions a future where AI serves as the primary interface for users interacting with blockchain technology. Animoca Brands anticipates that individuals will communicate with AI assistants to manage their digital assets and navigate the Web3 environment, rather than directly interacting with complex interfaces like MetaMask or Phantom wallets. Yat Siu, chairman of Animoca Brands, believes that the convergence of real-world AI, crypto, and DePIN will lead to breakthroughs. He emphasizes the importance of bridging real-world assets to crypto and believes that stablecoins are a good mechanism for that, as people understand the dollar in the real world.
Animoca Brands is also investing in DePIN projects to promote decentralized computing infrastructure. The company recognizes the challenges associated with ensuring the decentralization of AI infrastructure, given the concentration of computing power in centralized areas. By supporting DePIN initiatives, Animoca Brands aims to foster a more distributed and resilient ecosystem for AI development and deployment.
Animoca Brands sees tokens as a native currency for AI, with the potential for agentic AI to generate their own tokens and compensate individuals. The company also emphasizes the importance of digital identity and building an online reputation stack, which could be based on either human or AI reputation. They believe that blockchain technology can play a crucial role in ensuring privacy-preserving reputation systems.
As Animoca Brands expands its focus on stablecoins, AI, and DePIN, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of the evolving Web3 landscape. By embracing these key technologies, Animoca Brands aims to drive innovation, foster greater adoption of decentralized solutions, and shape the future of the open metaverse.
