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- Animoca Brands secures Dubai VASP license, expanding crypto services regionally.
- New license strengthens Animoca’s position in Middle Eastern crypto market.
- Dubai’s growing crypto hub boosts Animoca’s institutional investment opportunities.
Animoca Brands, a leading Web3 and blockchain platform developer, has just secured a groundbreaking Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). This permission, which will be granted on February 5, 2026, will allow Animoca to provide broker-dealer services and investment management involving virtual assets to institutional and qualified investors within Dubai. However, the license does not cover the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
The relocation is a sign of a breakthrough for Animoca on its way to growing its activities in the Middle East. Having this new license, the company headquartered in Hong Kong will be able to increase its power to interact with the foundations of Web3 and institutional investors, all under the condition of being structured in a highly controlled environment. Omar Elassar, who is the managing director of the Middle East branch of Animoca Brands, says that with the license, they are in a better strategic position in the region that is quickly becoming a digital assets hub.
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Strategic Expansion into Dubai’s Crypto Market
As a city that has a progressive attitude toward the usage of digital assets, Dubai is becoming a hotspot among businesses working in the crypto industry. As a regulator of the virtual asset activity in the entire territory of Dubai, as well as in the free zones, VARA is critical in making sure that such enterprises operate transparently and in line with the requirements. With such a license, Animoca will be able to enter a highly profitable market, serving institutional investors seeking secure and regulated services in the area.
Animoca Brands already has a strong presence in the Web3 ecosystem, where it provides support for platforms such as The Sandbox, Open Campus, and Moca Network. Animoca has a portfolio of more than 600 companies and online-asset projects, which are putting it in a position to dominate both the global and regional markets. The license also enhances Animoca’s dedication to offering high-end services to meet the institutional requirements in the quickly expanding digital asset market.
Dubai’s Vision for Digital Asset Regulation
The license is also in line with the overall vision of Dubai to be a world leader in the regulation of digital assets. With a booming crypto ecosystem, Dubai is becoming a destination of choice for more crypto companies in search of regulatory clarity. It is notable that in October 2025, BitGo, an extensive digital asset infrastructure, also received a comparable license, which indicates the increased role of the city as a crypto hub.
The new license will enable further global expansion and impact of the company in the Middle East, which should lead to the establishment of additional strategic partnerships and investment opportunities in the rapidly developing crypto market in the region, and furthermore, this is the direction in which Animoca Brands is heading.
