Nomura’s Laser Digital Expands Crypto Venture Capital Arm with New Partner

Animoca Brands’ Japanese market expansion via strategic partnershipAnimoca Brands Japan, in collaboration with Animoca’s subsidiary KLKTN, a digital experience label, has unveiled a strategic partnership with Cool Cats Group, marking a significant move into the Japanese anime market within the Web3 space.Photo by Yu Kato on UnsplashConquering the Japanese anime marketAs part of this strategic venture which was announced on Tuesday, Animoca Brands Japan has acquired equity shares in Cool Cats Group. Cool Cats is a U.S.-headquartered global character brand. It entails Cool Cats and Cool Pets NFT collections, notable for their distinctive and colorful cat designs.In addition to this, Animoca’s digital experience label, KLKTN, has acquired NFTs from all three of Cool Cats’ collections on the secondary market. Notably, this NFT purchase took place through San FranTokyo, KLKTN’s virtual “decentralized city,” which is known for its focus on licensed anime and Web3 intellectual property.Daisuke Iwase, CEO of Animoca Brands Japan, highlighted that the partnership goes beyond business growth. According to Iwase, it is about cultural exchange, understanding and delving into what makes Japan’s digital and artistic realm globally appealing. He emphasized their commitment to creating more opportunities for the Cool Cats IP’s growth through Animoca Brands Japan and San FranTokyo.Accessing Web3 intellectual propertyRobby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, telling The Block that it revolves around building Web3 intellectual property. He emphasized the company’s excitement about collaborating with an iconic Web3 IP holder like Cool Cats to explore the potential of Web3 products and traditional Japanese media products, including manga, to engage the community.The partnership also introduced several strategic initiatives that are set to roll out. One of the key initiatives is the creation of a “Cool Cats Manga,” which will blend the world of Cool Cats with Japan’s renowned manga tradition. This manga will be crafted by a Japanese manga artist, promising a unique fusion of creative elements.Japanese Cool Cats brand expansionAnother significant aspect of the partnership involves expanding the Cool Cats brand within Japan. Animoca Japan and San FranTokyo will work collaboratively to promote the Cool Cats IP through various channels. They are also committed to establishing new connections for Cool Cats with prominent organizations in the Japanese entertainment and intellectual property sectors, enhancing the brand’s presence in the country.The narrative of the Cool Cats IP will be seamlessly integrated into the virtual city of San FranTokyo. This initiative will encompass interactive e-figurine drops and align with the marketing efforts of other iconic Japanese IPs, creating a vibrant digital ecosystem within the city.David Taing, Co-Chief Operating Officer of KLKTN, expressed their dedication to Japanese and Web3 IP, emphasizing the importance of forging a path forward in the Web3 space. They are committed to bringing together diverse worlds, styles, ideas, industries and technology to drive collaboration to new heights, shaping the future of web3.The strategic partnership between Animoca Brands Japan, KLKTN and Cool Cats Group represents a significant step toward embracing Web3 in the Japanese anime market, not just in terms of focusing on business growth but also in aiming to bridge cultures, bringing together the rich traditions of Japanese manga and the innovation of Web3.

MARBLEX Token to Be Listed on Japanese Crypto Exchange Zaif Next WeekMARBLEX, the blockchain subsidiary of South Korean game developer Netmarble, has announced the upcoming listing of its governance token, MBX, on the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Zaif next Wednesday (local time).Photo by Chris Barbalis on UnsplashPenetrating the Japanese marketThe token had previously gained whitelist approval in the Japanese crypto market in July following a thorough assessment by the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA), making it the first token from a Korean blockchain gaming project to be whitelisted in Japan. MARBLEX highlighted that it would focus on subsequently expanding the token’s utility in order to establish a sustainable and secure gaming and tokenomics ecosystem.Opening detailsTo celebrate the listing, MARBLEX plans to hold an opening event from tomorrow to next Tuesday, during which it will offer the first 550 Zaif account holders who buy MBX tokens and file applications an additional batch of MBX tokens that amount to 10% of the total number of tokens that they buy. This applies to users who complete their Zaif account registration by tomorrow, and the winners will be announced separately next Tuesday, the company said.The purchase price for MBX coins will be calculated based on the average closing price of MBX on CoinMarketCap from this coming Saturday to Monday. The minimum order quantity per person is 10,000 yen, and the maximum is 500,000 yen.

p0x Labs Secures $25M Funding to Propel Manta Network Into Asiap0x Labs, the development team behind Manta Network, has successfully raised $25 million in a Series A funding round that will see the project expand into the Asian market.Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash$500 million valuationThe funding round, led by Polychain Capital and Shanghai-headquartered Qiming Venture Partners, has resulted in a valuation of $500 million for p0x Labs, according to a blog post published by the project on Wednesday. This equity-based investment demonstrates a growing interest in not only the project’s token but also the team behind it.Manta Network aims to leverage zero-knowledge (ZK) technology to address the scalability challenges and privacy concerns prevalent on the Ethereum network. By harnessing zero-knowledge proofs, Manta enables users to verify the authenticity of information without disclosing the underlying data.This approach provides individuals with complete control over their identities while mitigating the risks of surveillance. Consequently, Manta Network is seeking to attract users who have reservations about utilizing DeFi protocols due to the transparent nature of transactions on public blockchain networks.At the recent EthCC event held in Paris, the project unveiled the testnet for its Layer 2 network, known as Manta Pacific. This testnet operates in an environment with low gas fees, fostering cost-effective transactions for users. Manta Pacific is designed to complement the existing Layer 1 solution, Manta Atlantic, which focuses on achieving compliant on-chain privacy.VC supportLuke Pearson, an investor at Polychain Capital, expressed his enthusiasm for Manta Network’s expansion within the Ethereum ecosystem and confirmed Polychain’s continued support through this Series A funding round. Meanwhile, Yi Tang, Principal at Qiming Venture Partners, believes that their contribution will not only help Manta Network penetrate the Asian market but also attract the attention of Web2 brands.With the additional funding, p0x Labs aims to establish a global presence for Manta Network. Kenny Li, a core contributor at Manta Network, emphasized the significance of partnering with one of China’s largest investors to gain a stronger foothold in Asia, particularly China. The team is enthusiastic about the opportunities this collaboration will bring.Industry partnershipsManta Network has already witnessed substantial demand for its offerings, with partnerships with projects such as Arbitrum and Linea resulting in the creation of over 300,000 zero-knowledge soulbound tokens. These tokens enable the verification of on-chain identities without compromising data confidentiality. Additionally, the native Manta Wallet has garnered more than 200,000 installations, and innovative features like email-based notifications have contributed to a collective user base exceeding 1.5 million users.Looking ahead, the newly launched testnet with its plug-and-play functionality is expected to streamline the development process for Manta Network’s ecosystem. Developers will be able to allocate their time and resources more efficiently toward building their core products, driving innovation within the zero-knowledge space.The successful funding round and the launch of the Layer 2 testnet mark significant milestones for Manta Network and p0x Labs. With continued support from prominent investors, Manta Network appears to be setting itself up to unlock the true potential of zero-knowledge technology and drive adoption across various industries.