Animoca Brands Expands into Crypto Brokerage with Dubai VARA Approval
Animoca Brands Middle East Advisory FZCO has secured in-principle approval from Dubai's VIRTUAL Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) for a crypto broker-dealer license. The move signals Animoca's strategic pivot into digital asset trading alongside its established Web3 investment portfolio.
The company established its UAE presence in 2025 with a Dubai office led by Managing Director Omar Elassar. This hub serves Animoca's growing Middle Eastern operations, including a $7 million investment in Param Labs and a $50 million Web3 infrastructure partnership with Saudi Arabia's NEOM Investment Fund.
With portfolio tokens exceeding $45 billion in market capitalization, Animoca's brokerage expansion leverages its DEEP ecosystem connections. The Sandbox, Axie Infinity, and other high-profile investments position the firm uniquely at the intersection of gaming, metaverse, and digital asset trading.
