One of the most prominent players in the crypto industry, Animoca Brands, is taking a step towards becoming a public company. The well-known Web3 investor is preparing for a Nasdaq listing through a reverse merger with Singapore-based fintech company Currenc Group Inc., which specializes in artificial intelligence solutions.
This move will allow Animoca to gain direct access to American investors and strengthen its position as one of the largest conglomerates in digital assets, DeFi, NFT, and AI.
The path to Nasdaq and deal structure
According to the official statement from the companies, Animoca plans to complete the deal in 2025. After the merger, the company will own about 95% of the new structure’s shares, while Currenc shareholders will retain approximately 5%.
The combined organization will keep the Animoca Brands brand and go public on Nasdaq, giving the company direct presence on the largest American capital market.
“The merger of Animoca and Currenc will create the world’s first public diversified company operating in several areas at once — from Web3 and DeFi to NFT and AI. Nasdaq investors will get direct access to the growing altcoin economy and digital ecosystems through a single investment vehicle,” said the co-founder and chairman of Animoca.
Thus, the company aims to become the world’s first publicly traded digital asset holding company, uniting several fast-growing sectors: blockchain gaming, NFT, artificial intelligence, and decentralized technologies.
The largest Web3 investor with a global portfolio
In recent years, Animoca Brands has become one of the most influential companies in the crypto industry. By the end of last year, the company reported holding more than $500 million in digital assets and having about 400 minority stakes in Web3 startups.
Among the projects Animoca has invested in are Kraken, MetaMask, Ledger, Axie Infinity, Immutable, OpenSea, and The Sandbox.
In addition, the company’s portfolio includes bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), and its own loyalty token MOCA, used for internal reward programs and ecosystem services.
Animoca is actively investing in gaming blockchains, NFT marketplaces, infrastructure solutions, AI products, and DeSci projects (decentralized science). Thanks to broad diversification and years of experience, the company has become a symbol of a sustainable approach to Web3 investment.
From the Australian market to the American one
Animoca already has experience with public listing: in 2020, the company was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) due to disagreements with the regulator. After delisting, Yat Siu repeatedly stated plans to return the company to the stock exchange, considering jurisdictions in Hong Kong, the Middle East, and Europe.
However, current market conditions have made Nasdaq the most promising option. Amid growing institutional investor interest in the crypto industry, especially after the approval of US bitcoin ETFs and renewed activity in the DeFi market, Animoca’s move to Nasdaq looks timely.
Moreover, a reverse merger with an existing company allows bypassing the lengthy and expensive procedures of a traditional IPO while retaining control over the business.
Why this step is important for the industry
Animoca’s listing on Nasdaq could become one of the key events for the Web3 sector in 2025.
- First, it will set a precedent for other crypto companies that want to list on regulated exchanges but are wary of bureaucratic hurdles.
- Second, the listing will strengthen institutional investor confidence in crypto assets, making Web3 a more integrated part of global finance.
Experts note that successful completion of the deal will be an important step towards legitimizing the crypto economy in the eyes of traditional capital. This will allow investors to access the fast-growing market of tokenized assets, NFT, and decentralized technologies in a transparent and regulated manner.
Development prospects
After the merger is completed, the combined structure plans to use Currenc Group’s AI developments to automate trading, analytics, and risk management in its Web3 projects.
In addition, Animoca intends to expand The Sandbox ecosystem and integrate AI tools into its own metaverses and gaming projects.
The company is also preparing to create a fund for investing in decentralized startups, including blockchain infrastructure, Web3 learning platforms, and DeSci programs.
If the deal is successful, the new structure will become the first public crypto conglomerate with a diversified business in the field of digital assets, which could affect the balance of power in the global Web3 investment market.
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