Animoca's Ambitious Horizons: Exploring Stablecoins, AI, and DePIN for 2026

Animoca Brands, a leading force in Web3 gaming, is set to broaden its focus beyond gaming in 2026. Chief Strategy Officer Keyvan Peymani reveals plans to invest in sectors such as stablecoins, artificial intelligence (AI), decentralized finance (DeFi), and decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). With a strong portfolio of 600 companies, Animoca aims to leverage growth opportunities within the expanding crypto ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

Animoca Brands plans to diversify beyond gaming, investing in stablecoins, AI, DeFi, and DePIN.
The company has a diverse portfolio, with gaming being its largest sector.
Institutional adoption of crypto will be crucial for future growth, emphasizing broader utility beyond just Bitcoin.
Animoca remains optimistic about the gaming industry while exploring new growth verticals.
The upcoming crypto market structure bill may influence regulatory landscapes and institutional involvement in the crypto space.

Animoca's Ambitious Horizons

Expanding Beyond Gaming

Web3 gaming titan Animoca Brands is shifting its focus for the upcoming year. The company's Chief Strategy Officer, Keyvan Peymani, states that they are looking to expand their portfolio, which currently encompasses about 600 companies. In a recent CNBC interview, Peymani explained, "We invest in dozens of companies a year. Our goal, whether related to AI, DePIN, DeFi, or the emerging sectors and opportunities such as stablecoins, is to explore how the ecosystem we belong to is evolving."

Gaming at the Core

Gaming still stands as the largest segment of Animoca Brands' investments, comprising 230 of the 628 companies within its portfolio. Since its inception in 2014, the company has prioritized gaming, backing notable projects like Axie Infinity, CryptoKitties, Colossal, and Yield Guild Games.

Cryptocurrencies and Games
Animoca Brand’s Chief Strategy Officer Keyvan Peymani speaking to CNBC’s Crypto World. Source: CNBC

Investment Focus and Market Leadership

Animoca is increasing its investments in infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and decentralized finance. Peymani pointed out, "Whenever there is something promising occurring, like stablecoins and real-world assets (RWAs), we plan to establish ourselves as market leaders." He emphasized that the company intends to enable the retail sector to capitalize on the transformations within the Web3 ecosystem.

Aiming for Game-Changing Projects

Expect animated developments from Animoca as they consistently seek out projects poised to redefine the industry. Peymani indicated that stablecoins will be a primary focus in the near term.

Founder Yat Siu told Cointelegraph that institutional participation is vital for the next growth phase in the crypto sector. However, it's not solely about Bitcoin. “Institutional interest won’t be limited to Bitcoin and token purchases; it will involve genuine adoption driven by utility and the forthcoming market structure bill,” Siu elaborated. Recently, on November 11, U.S. lawmakers unveiled a draft crypto market structure bill, outlining how regulatory responsibilities will be allocated amongst agencies, with a Senate vote scheduled for December.

Commitment to Gaming

Even as Animoca explores new sectors, gaming continues to be a priority. Peymani stated, “We remain highly optimistic about the potential in gaming, where users can gain genuine value from their time, energy, and financial contributions, where assets can thrive beyond the confines of the Web3 space.”

Related: Nasdaq-listed Enlivex plans $212M RAIN token play with ex-Italian PM onboard

The third quarter of 2025 witnessed a remarkable 290% increase in crypto venture funding compared to the previous quarter, with Galaxy Digital reporting $4.8 billion invested, marking it as the strongest quarter since Q1. Established firms in the crypto realm, particularly those founded in 2018, accounted for the bulk of this capital, while newer companies from 2024 participated in the greatest number of deals.

Animoca Brands is set to go public on Nasdaq next year through a reverse merger with the AI-focused public fintech firm, Currenc Group.

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