Astar Network, a key gateway for bringing blockchain projects to Japan and beyond, has announced a strategic investment from Animoca Brands aimed at accelerating the growth of Web3 entertainment. Animoca Brands is dedicated to delivering digital property rights to consumers with the goal of establishing the open metaverse and leveraging its network effects. Holding investments in over 540 companies, Animoca Brands boasts one of the broadest portfolios in the Web3 industry. Together, Astar and Animoca Brands will collaborate to promote the onchain deployment of Japanese and Asian intellectual property (IP) for worldwide Web3 adoption, focusing on scalable entertainment solutions. Notable integrations, such as Anime ID (powered by Animoca’s Moca Network and partner San FranTokyo), will function as a leading identity and reputation layer on Soneium. This partnership and investment from Animoca Brands further support Astar’s mission to drive Web3 adoption by empowering developers, creators, and enterprises to build onchain entertainment solutions. Astar’s dedication to innovation in entertainment is reinforced by initiatives like the Anime Art Fest on Soneium, an IP and creator-centered campaign launched by San FranTokyo and Animoca Brands to onboard users to Web3. By emphasizing entertainment and mass adoption, Astar and Animoca Brands seek to open new opportunities for artists, developers, and digital creators, strengthening Astar’s position as a hub for entertainment projects. Since its founding, Astar has concentrated on bridging Web2 and Web3 to facilitate blockchain adoption. The integration of Soneium, an Ethereum Layer 2 open blockchain developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs, represents a major milestone that bolsters Astar’s growth trajectory. Central to the vast Astar ecosystem (including Soneium) is the Astar (ASTR) token, which drives liquidity and user engagement.

By supporting funding, fostering innovation, and attracting users through incentivized decentralized applications (DApps), ASTR solidifies its role as the ecosystem’s unifying token. Yat Siu, executive chairman and co-founder of Animoca Brands, stated, “Our investment in Astar Network aligns perfectly with our mission to advance digital property rights and the open metaverse. Astar’s focus on onchain entertainment IP, especially in Japan and Asia, offers a unique chance to accelerate global Web3 adoption. By combining Astar’s robust ecosystem with our wide portfolio and expertise, we’re poised to unlock new possibilities for creators, developers, and users within the fast-evolving Web3 entertainment landscape. ” Sota Watanabe, founder of Astar Network, commented, “We are thrilled to receive investment from Animoca Brands and to collaborate on creating greater value within the Astar and Soneium ecosystems. As one of the most active investors in Web3, Animoca Brands understands the ecosystem’s direction, and their support confirms that our efforts contribute to the long-term success of blockchain and digital assets. ” With a focus on integrating some of the most innovative and transformative concepts in crypto, this collaboration aims to advance the Web3 entertainment industry and boost engagement on Soneium. Potential initiatives include exploring the creation of a fund dedicated to IP and entertainment narratives—a move that has garnered interest from institutional investors.