Japan’s Untapped IP Gets a Blockchain Makeover

Animoca Brands, in collaboration with Antler’s Ibex Japan, has launched a dedicated Web3 entertainment investment fund aimed at bringing Japan’s anime and manga intellectual property (IP) onchain. The initiative was announced during the WebX conference in Tokyo, as reported by CoinPost. Animoca’s co-founder and chairman, Yat Siu, along with senior adviser Keyvan Peymani and Ibex Japan partner Sandeep Casi, outlined the project. The fund seeks to license underutilized Japanese IP and support the creation of new Web3 products and services, leveraging Antler’s global reach, which includes 22 cities and $1.2 billion in assets under management [1].

The fund plans to expand the global reach of Japanese IP beyond traditional domains such as gaming and entertainment. Casi noted that approximately 90% to 99% of Japan’s IP remains unused, despite its potential value. Animoca is already established in Japan through its subsidiary, ABKK, and aims to use this partnership to enhance international exposure for Japanese IP. The effort will also explore applications in fintech, healthcare, and medtech, signaling a broader vision for the utility of onchain IP [1].

The timing of the initiative aligns with a resurgence in the non-fungible token (NFT) market. According to NFT Price Floor data, the overall NFT market capitalization reached $9.3 billion on August 13, a 40% increase from July’s $6.6 billion. This market recovery reinforces the viability of leveraging IP in the blockchain space. Animoca sees the potential for NFTs to represent digital artworks, collectibles, and even licensing rights, with smart contracts enabling new ownership models and decentralized IP management [4].

Japan’s IP ecosystem is uniquely suited to tokenization, according to Animoca. The country’s rich catalog of characters and stories offers natural opportunities for remixing, licensing, and fan-driven expansion. Unlike Western media giants, which often treat NFTs as digital collectibles, Japanese studios have extensive archives of IP that can be adapted and commercialized in innovative ways. This shift to blockchain-based IP management could reduce legal costs and streamline the licensing process, opening up new opportunities for collaboration and revenue generation [4].

The partnership between Animoca and Ibex Japan is part of a broader trend of institutional interest in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. For instance, Japan’s Gates Inc. recently announced a $75 million real estate tokenization project on the Oasys blockchain. Similarly, global financial institutions like Citadel Securities and Ondo Finance are exploring tokenized equity and securities, signaling growing recognition of blockchain’s role in modernizing asset management [2]. These developments highlight the expanding scope of tokenization across industries, with Animoca’s focus on IP representing a strategic entry into the Web3 entertainment sector.

Source: [1] Animoca, Antler's Ibex Launch Fund to Tokenize Japan's IP (https://cointelegraph.com/news/animoca-antler-japan-web3-anime-manga-ip-fund) [2] RWA (https://cointelegraph.com/tags/rwa) [4] Animoca Brands Eyes Anime and Manga for On-Chain IP (https://www.ccn.com/news/business/animoca-brands-japanese-anime-manga/)