AWARP has secured a strategic investment from Animoca Brands focused on real-world asset tokenisation and cross-border payments in ASEAN and other emerging markets.
The companies will collaborate on on-chain financial infrastructure, with AWARP using regulated stablecoins as its core settlement units. The aim is to connect local economies in the region with broader liquidity networks and support asset issuance, clearing and payment flows.
AWARP is presenting the investment as part of a broader push into markets where digital financial systems remain fragmented. Its model centres on infrastructure linked to public blockchains, digital identity, payments and tokenised assets.
A key part of that strategy is in Laos through Lao National Digital Technology Group, AWARP's implementation entity in the country and across the wider ASEAN region. LADT is expected to focus on tokenising assets such as minerals, variable renewable energy and artificial intelligence data centres, while also developing settlement systems and liquidity networks tied to digital and real-world assets.
Animoca Brands brings an extensive network of digital asset investments and partnerships and has been active in projects aimed at linking established financial services with blockchain-based markets. Under the agreement, it will support AWARP in asset issuance, product and application development, user growth and potential regulated stablecoin use cases.
The tie-up reflects growing interest in parts of Asia in tokenising real-world assets, including financial claims or ownership interests linked to physical or conventional assets. Stablecoins have also become a focus for groups seeking to build payment and settlement systems that can operate across borders with fewer intermediaries.
AWARP's emphasis is on what it describes as sovereign financial infrastructure for frontier and emerging markets. Its approach is intended to create a framework that national or quasi-national entities can use to connect domestic systems with on-chain finance.
Laos role
Laos has emerged as an early testing ground for that approach. According to the companies, LADT was established under AWARP's leadership and operates under guidance from the Lao Ministry of Technology and Communication and the Bank of Laos.
One of LADT's subsidiaries, NewPay, has more than 1.3 million users, and transaction volume in the fourth quarter of 2025 exceeded USD $180 million. That gives AWARP a domestic payments footprint as it looks to expand into asset tokenisation and broader regional settlement flows.
AWARP expects the investment to raise the profile of both AWARP and LADT with institutions and the wider market. It believes the backing will help both entities execute strategies in regional trade, digital payments, real-world assets and cross-border clearing.
For Animoca Brands, the transaction expands its exposure to financial infrastructure beyond consumer-facing digital assets. The company is widely known for its investments across blockchain and Web3 businesses and has increasingly highlighted work related to tokenisation, digital ownership and financial services.
This broader market context matters because policymakers, banks and technology groups have been examining how regulated stablecoins might fit into payment systems without relying on more volatile cryptoassets. Projects tied to specific jurisdictions or regulated structures have drawn attention as potential bridges between existing financial regulation and blockchain-based settlement.
AWARP said regulated stablecoins will sit at the centre of its settlement model, arguing that this will allow smoother integration across issuance, clearing and payments, particularly in regions where cross-border transactions can be slow or expensive.
Richard Ma commented on the significance of the transaction for AWARP's regional plans. “The strategic investment from Animoca Brands is a key development for AWARP. We are building financial infrastructure for emerging markets, and Animoca Brands' global network and its expertise in regulated stablecoin frameworks are essential to our growth. This collaboration will help us scale the tokenization of real-world assets and improve payment systems across ASEAN,” said Ma, Chief Executive Officer of AWARP.
Animoca Brands framed the deal around the role of stablecoins in linking conventional finance with blockchain-based systems. “Regulated stablecoins are the bridge between traditional and on-chain financial systems. In particular, AWARP's work in Laos and ASEAN shows how on-chain systems can integrate with real-world economies. We are thrilled to invest in AWARP as it advances financial infrastructure and modernizes financial services in emerging markets,” said Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands.