Animoca Brands targets Nasdaq listing through reverse acquisition

Animoca Brands is planning a Nasdaq debut through a reverse merger with a fintech firm.

Animoca Brands, a leading blockchain investment firm based in Hong Kong, has announced plans to go public on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange through a reverse takeover of Currenc Group Inc., a U.S.-based fintech company. The move would mark Animoca’s return to public markets after its 2020 delisting from the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), following concerns over regulatory breaches tied to its crypto dealings.

Per a Bloomberg report, Animoca co-founder and executive chairman Yat Siu confirmed the news in a letter to shareholders saying the company had signed a letter of intent with Currenc Group to facilitate the merger.

Upon the completion of the deal, Animoca shareholders like ingsway Capital, 50T Funds, and SoftBank are expected to control approximately 95% of the merged entity, which will operate under the name Animoca Brands.

“This merger will create the world’s first publicly-listed, diversified digital assets conglomerate,” said Yat Siu in a blog post. He noted that “it offers investors on Nasdaq direct access to the trillion-dollar altcoin economy across DeFi, NFTs, gaming, AI, and decentralized science (DeSci).”

Currenc Group CEO Alex Kong also reacted to the news, describing the proposed transaction as a “milestone” that would unlock new value for both companies. As part of the merger, Currenc plans to spin off some of its existing operations, primarily in remittances and traditional financial services.

Animoca Brands’ reverse takeover to take place in 2026 

The transaction is expected to close in 2026 but remains subject to multiple regulatory approvals in the U.S. and Australia, as well as audited financials for recent years. While the company is reportedly profitable, it has yet to disclose full-year earnings for the current fiscal year.

Animoca is also planning to open a new office in New York, a move driven by the growing pro-crypto stance in the United States. According to Siu, U.S. President Donald Trump’s support for the crypto industry played a major role in the decision.

Interestingly, the reverse acquisition comes as Animoca expands its institutional presence. The firm is currently working on a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin in partnership with Standard Chartered Plc and HKT. It is also collaborating with Provenance Blockchain Labs to develop a platform that connects real-world asset issuers such as home equity lenders with blockchain-based investors.

Meanwhile, the latest merger, if successful, could pave the way for broader institutional access to Web3 infrastructure, and position Animoca Brands as a major player in bridging traditional finance with the decentralized economy.