Real-World Asset Deal Brings Animoca Shares to Solana Network

The convergence of traditional finance and decentralized technology reached a new milestone as Republic, a prominent investment platform, unveiled plans to tokenize equity shares of Web3 giant Animoca Brands on the Solana blockchain, marking one of the most significant real-world asset tokenization deals to date.

Groundbreaking Tokenization Initiative

Republic’s announcement on September 30, 2025, represents a watershed moment for institutional adoption of blockchain technology in equity markets. The Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands, which maintains a sprawling portfolio of over 600 Web3 investments, will become one of the first major venture capital firms to offer tokenized equity access through a compliant regulatory framework.

The tokenization process will involve minting digital representations of Animoca’s equity on Solana’s high-speed blockchain network, with tokens distributed directly to participating investors’ digital wallets. Unlike traditional private equity investments that require substantial minimum commitments and lengthy lock-up periods, this blockchain-based approach promises 24/7 trading capabilities and fractional ownership opportunities.

“This initiative establishes a precedent for how companies can structure their equity for the future,” said Andrew Durgee, Co-CEO of Republic. “We’re witnessing the birth of truly democratized capital markets where geographic boundaries and traditional gatekeepers no longer limit investor participation.”

Breaking Down Market Barriers

Animoca Brands’ shares have remained largely inaccessible to retail investors, with the company’s AB1 shares having been inactive on the Australian Securities Exchange since 2020. Current equity access requires navigation through over-the-counter secondary markets, creating significant barriers including high transaction costs, limited liquidity, and fragmented market access.

The tokenization solution addresses these inefficiencies head-on. Republic, which has deployed over $3 billion across a portfolio exceeding 2,500 companies, will leverage its proprietary infrastructure to facilitate secondary trading of the tokenized shares. This infrastructure promises to eliminate many traditional friction points while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation, emphasized the transformative potential of the initiative. “This showcases what internet capital markets make possible, providing retail investors access to opportunities once reserved exclusively for private markets,” Liu stated. “Solana’s architecture offers the speed and cost-effectiveness necessary to make fractional equity ownership economically viable.”

Market Performance and Strategic Positioning

Animoca Brands brings impressive credentials to this tokenization experiment. The firm has completed 457 investments with an average return rate of 58%, according to industry data. In the past month alone, the company announced 24 funding rounds, including participation in a $500 million funding round for Solana’s Helius Medical.

The timing appears strategic, as tokenized real-world assets have gained substantial momentum throughout 2025. Major financial institutions including BlackRock and VanEck have integrated cryptocurrency infrastructure into their fund operations, while Forward Industries, a Nasdaq-listed company holding the largest corporate Solana treasury, recently announced plans to tokenize its own equity.

Technical Implementation and Future Implications

The technical execution will rely on Solana’s blockchain infrastructure, chosen for its high transaction throughput and low fees. This selection aligns with broader industry trends favoring Solana for institutional applications requiring frequent trading and settlement activities.

Market analysts predict this tokenization could unlock significant liquidity for Animoca’s existing shareholders while providing new capital formation opportunities. The company’s diverse Web3 portfolio, spanning gaming, decentralized finance, and metaverse projects, offers investors exposure to multiple high-growth sectors through a single tokenized instrument.

Industry Impact and Regulatory Considerations

The Republic-Animoca partnership operates within established regulatory frameworks, addressing long-standing concerns about compliance in tokenized securities markets. This approach could serve as a template for other major private companies considering blockchain-based equity offerings.

Michael Chen, a blockchain securities specialist at Digital Asset Research, noted the significance of the regulatory compliance aspect. “Republic’s track record in navigating securities regulations while embracing blockchain innovation provides a roadmap for institutional adoption,” Chen observed. “This deal could accelerate tokenization across the private equity landscape.”

The initiative also reflects growing institutional confidence in Solana’s ecosystem, despite Animoca Brands having launched its own Moca Chain network. This blockchain-agnostic approach suggests that utility and market access considerations increasingly outweigh proprietary technology preferences in institutional decision-making.

As tokenized real-world assets continue gaining traction, the Republic-Animoca partnership may represent the beginning of a fundamental shift in how private equity markets operate, potentially unlocking trillions of dollars in traditionally illiquid assets for global investors.

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