Animoca Brands and Ava Labs Partner to Drive Avalanche Ecosystem Growth

Animoca Brands has strategically invested in Ava Labs and formed a partnership to accelerate the growth of the Avalanche ecosystem, with an initial focus on entertainment, real-world assets (RWAs), and digital identity. The collaboration will center on capital deployment, product integrations, and strategic advisory support for projects building on Avalanche, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.

Strategic Partnership Details

The partnership aims to strengthen Avalanche’s position as a leading platform for real-world blockchain adoption by combining Avalanche’s technical capabilities with Animoca Brands’ distribution network and advisory expertise . Avalanche projects will gain access to Animoca’s commercial relationships to facilitate deployment and expansion. Ava Labs aims to improve user access and interoperability for applications within the Avalanche ecosystem .

Regional Focus: Asia and the Middle East

The initial focus will be on Asia and the Middle East, regions where Animoca Brands has been actively building infrastructure and establishing institutional connections. Animoca Brands opened its first Middle East office in Dubai in April 2025 and subsequently secured a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license from Dubai’s VARA in February 2026, enabling it to offer broker-dealer and investment services to institutional and qualified investors .

Ava Labs’ Institutional Expansion

This partnership complements Ava Labs’ broader strategy to expand its institutional reach. Ava Labs has been actively pursuing partnerships in the Middle East related to remittances, payments, embedded finance, loyalty programs, and tokenized assets, including collaborations with LuLu Financial and other regional entities . The company views the region as a significant opportunity for regulated, large-scale blockchain adoption.

Animoca Brands’ Capabilities

Animoca Brands manages a portfolio of over 600 blockchain projects . John Nahas, chief business officer at Ava Labs, highlighted Animoca Brands’ experience across consumer, institutional, and blockchain ecosystems .

Avalanche Ecosystem and AVAX

Ava Labs is the blockchain development company behind the Avalanche network, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for high-speed, low-cost applications. The network’s native token, AVAX, is used for transactions, staking, and network security.

Hong Kong’s Role as a Crypto Hub

This expansion occurs as Hong Kong solidifies its position as a regulated cryptocurrency hub. In 2023, the city implemented a licensing regime for cryptocurrency trading platforms, requiring registration with the Securities and Futures Commission to enhance investor protection. Hong Kong approved its first spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in April 2024 and a spot Solana (SOL) ETF in October 2025 . Authorities are also promoting initiatives related to stablecoins, tokenized bonds, and blockchain-based trade finance.

Officials have announced a new digital asset platform to support the issuance and settlement of tokenized bonds, with plans to connect it to regional tokenization infrastructure and expand its capabilities to other asset classes.