Animoca Brands has expanded its institutional capabilities by securing fund-management authorization in Abu Dhabi. The company announced on November 2 that Animoca Asset Management (AD) Limited obtained Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to manage collective investment funds in or from the financial center.
According to the ADGM register, the permission took effect on October 13. The authorization explicitly prohibits dealing with retail clients and holding or controlling client assets, establishing a scope that is narrower than a general license for all cryptocurrency services.
Fund management provides institutional investors with a structured route to digital-asset exposure by consolidating investment mandates, transaction discretion, asset valuation, and investor returns into a single framework. For Animoca, this regulatory permission offers the commercial advantage of engaging allocators through a regulated investment-management structure, though the authorization does not inherently guarantee investor demand or committed capital.
The company's presence in the United Arab Emirates also includes Dubai, where the VARA public register lists Animoca Brands Middle East Advisory FZCO for broker-dealer, management, and investment services subject to institutional and qualified-investor conditions. Animoca noted that these distinct entities and regulators maintain separate scopes.
Future developments for the initiative will depend on disclosures regarding specific funds, including their objectives, eligible investors, custody arrangements, fees, and redemption terms. The newly acquired authorization establishes a regulated framework for the group's institutional business, while the success of the endeavor will rely on the specific investment products developed within that structure.
