Saudi mega-project commits to $50M investment in Web3 gaming firm Animoca

Animoca Brands is partnering with NEOM to develop global Web3 services and a hub, supporting tech growth in the economic zone and Riyadh

article-image

choi yurim/Shutterstock, modified by Blockworks

share

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM initiative has proposed a $50 million investment in the Web3 gaming and investment company Animoca Brands.

NEOM’s investment division has teamed up with Animoca to further Web3 projects in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy. 

According to an announcement on Tuesday, half of the $50 million investment will come through convertible notes with a capped conversion price of $4.50 AUS per share, while the other half will be used to acquire Animoca shares from the secondary market.

Animoca’s share price is likely listed in Australian dollars as the firm was once listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). It was delisted from the ASX in 2020 due to non-compliance issues, yet it still trades on the secondary market.

The finalization of the financing agreement for the convertible notes is contingent on agreed conditions being met.

Read more: Crypto funding: Web3 gaming, blockchain security in focus

Animoca Brands will collaborate with NEOM to develop Web3 business services for global use, focusing on technological growth in the Saudi capital Riyadh and the NEOM area. 

An Animoca Brands spokesperson did not reveal specific information regarding the projects they intend to undertake with the NEOM ecosystem, stating that the initiatives are still in the planning phase.

NEOM is an ambitious initiative launched by Saudi Arabia, and is designed to be a new-model international city and economic zone situated in the northwestern part of the country. 

The project’s vision is for the city to be a hub for innovation, technology and sustainable development, seeking to diversify the Saudi economy away from its traditional reliance on oil.

Investing in Web3 initiatives would align with NEOM’s vision of being at the forefront of technological innovation.

Read more: Busan to build urban blockchain and digital asset exchange

“We are honored and excited to partner with and receive investment from NEOM, one of the world’s most ambitious projects seeking to use innovation and technology to redefine how we live, work, and play,” Yat Siu, Animoca’s executive chairman, said in a statement.

“We have always referred to the growth of the Web3 ecosystem as the emergence of a new meta-nation, and now NEOM could well become the first region to fully harness the power of blockchain,” Siu added.

Saudi Arabia has earlier disclosed investments in about 40 US venture capital firms, many of which are involved in crypto, blockchain and Web3 ventures. 

Sanabil, associated with Saudi’s sovereign wealth entity, annually allocates about $2 billion to support businesses with innovative models. 

This fund has stakes in firms such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Polychain Capital and Peter Thiel-backed Valar Ventures.

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Brooklyn, NY

SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

recent research

Research Report Templates (19).png

Research

Suilend has grown into the top money market and liquid staking provider on Sui. STEAMM, Suilend’s Superfluid AMM, presents a compelling avenue for growing market share within Sui’s DEX landscape and revenue generation for the protocol. Suilend’s multi-product suite position it well for owning market share across key verticals. While current metrics across the Sui ecosystem are likely inflated due to Sui Foundation incentive programs, SEND trades at amongst the lowest multiples in the lend/borrow sector, suggesting that a bull case for continued growth in the ecosystem may be mispriced.

article-image

One small step for man, one giant leap for Bitcoin

article-image

Jay Woods, Chief Global Strategist at Freedom Capital Markets, said it would be “very rare” for an acquisition to happen since the IPO may occur as soon as next week

article-image

Sponsored

Money is one of the most consequential pieces of infrastructure, and M0 believes its architecture should serve builders, not extract from them

article-image

The financial backwaters they laughed at might be the only thing keeping the dollar afloat

article-image

The blockchain’s perpetual futures exchange is highly popular

article-image

The final company of the Magnificent 7 is set to report its Q1 earnings today after the close