Astar Network, a parachain within the Polkadot ecosystem, has secured a strategic investment from Animoca Brands, as both companies look to bring more Japanese and Asian entertainment IP onchain and grow adoption of Sony’s layer-2 network Soneium
Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu said the investment “aligns perfectly with our mission to advance digital property rights and the open metaverse,” adding that Astar’s focus on onchain entertainment IP, especially in Japan and Asia, offers a unique chance to speed up web3 adoption. The investment size hasn’t been disclosed.
The partnership will include integrations such as Anime ID, a digital identity layer powered by Animoca’s Moca Network and partner San FranTokyo. Additionally, Astar is also planning to launch entertainment-focused campaigns like Anime Art Fest on Soneium, per the press release.
Siu also pointed to the shift in regulatory stance under the Trump administration as a key reason for moving forward but didn’t provide a clear timeframe for the public listing, saying it was a unique moment and that it would be a wasted opportunity not to try.