Astar Network, a multi-virtual machine smart contract platform in the Polkadot ecosystem, has announced a strategic partnership and a significant investment from Animoca Brands, a leader in blockchain gaming and digital entertainment.
This alliance aims to accelerate the growth of Astar's interoperable blockchain infrastructure with a focus on integrating Japanese and Asian entertainment intellectual properties (IP) into Web3 projects. Astar's unique dApp staking mechanism and compatibility with both EVM and WebAssembly enable it to support a diverse range of decentralized applications.
Animoca Brands brings its extensive network and expertise, having invested in numerous global Web3 companies and developed popular blockchain games. The partnership is positioned to boost adoption of Astar's platform, particularly in Asia, leveraging popular IPs from regions abundant in manga, anime, and gaming culture.
Key initiatives include onboarding more users to Sony's layer-2 network Soneium, launching entertainment-focused campaigns such as Anime Art Fest, and integrating Anime ID — a digital identity layer powered by Animoca's Moca Network and partners. The strategic collaboration also positions Astar as a primary gateway for Web3 entertainment and gaming projects in Asia.
Animoca co-founder Yat Siu emphasized the alignment with their mission to advance digital property rights and the open metaverse. The investment signals strong confidence in Astar's technology and long-term vision from a major Web3 ecosystem player.
This partnership is expected to create new opportunities for developers, users, and the wider Web3 ecosystem by fostering innovation in blockchain gaming, NFTs, and metaverse experiences rooted in culturally rich IPs. As Animoca prepares for a U.S. IPO, this deal underscores its commitment to scaling digital entertainment via blockchain technology.