Hong Kong-headquartered blockchain-powered game publisher Animoca Brands has closed a funding round sized at almost $139m having secured a $50m second tranche featuring corporate investors Coinbase, Razer, Samsung and Scopely.
The round included Blue Pool Capital, Gobi Partners, Korea Investment Partners, Liberty City Ventures and Token Bay Capital, and the capital was raised at a $1bn pre-money valuation.
Coinbase Ventures, zVentures and Samsung Venture Investment Corporation represented cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, gaming accessory provider Razer and electronics manufacturer Samsung respectively, while video game producer Scopely invested directly.
The initial $88.9m close took place in May this year and featured the Fintech Investment Fund run by HashKey, the blockchain-focused fund affiliated with auto component producer Wanxiang, as well as crypto trading platform developer Huobi, family office Octava, Kingsway Capital, RIT Capital Partners, AppWorks Fund and LCV Fund.
Ellerston Capital, Perennial Value Management, Axia Infinity Ventures, SNZ Holding, Liberty City Ventures, Metapurse and unnamed other investors filled out the first tranche.
Animoca Brands provides mobile games that allow players to trade digital property using non-fungible tokens. Its products feature intellectual properties held by brands including Formula 1, Garfield, Snoopy, Thomas & Friends, Ever After High and Doraemon.
The funding will go to strategic investments and acquisitions, product innovation and intellectual property licences.
The company had floated on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2015 but was later removed from the official list in March 2020 because it failed to meet governance, personnel and compliance standards, according to ASE.
Animoca Brands had previously received $4.1m in a July 2020 round backed by M7 Alternative Investment Strategies Asia, Mind Fund and undisclosed other investors.
