HashKey Exchange, the licensed virtual asset exchange in Hong Kong, and Animoca Brands, the company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse, have on Tuesday forged a partnership to elevate digital entertainment and Web3 ecosystem in Asia.

The duo announced in a statement the execution of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the strategic partnership.

According to the statement, they will collaborate to establish cooperative opportunities and strategic developments on virtual assets, including providing public education activities about Web3 and potential listing of certain virtual assets on HashKey Exchange.

As part of the strategic partnership, Animoca Brands will open an account on HashKey Exchange, emphasizing a mutual commitment to compliant virtual asset trading.

It is noted that HashKey Group, the parent company of HashKey Exchange, aims to become a key builder of infrastructure in the Asian Web3 digital entertainment ecosystem, contributing to network security and operational efficiency.

Animoca Brands and HashKey Group will also closely monitor the cutting-edge trends in the digital entertainment economy.

At the same time, both parties will leverage innovative technologies such as smart contracts and zero-knowledge proofs to provide technical support for the operation of blockchain infrastructure, promoting the integration of blockchain technology in the digital entertainment sector.

“We are excited to partner with Animoca Brands, a pioneer in blockchain and digital property rights,

“This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to providing diverse and innovative offerings to our users. The goal of this partnership is to stimulate the growth and innovation of the digital entertainment industry,” said Livio Weng, HashKey Group Chief Operating Officer and HashKey Exchange Chief Executive Officer.

Yat Siu, Co-Founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, said the partnering with HashKey Exchange aligns with the firm’s mission to make blockchain technology and true digital ownership more accessible to a global audience.

“We look forward to contributing to the vibrant community at HashKey and providing engaging educational content through HashKey Academy,” he added.

According to the statement, this partnership underscores HashKey Exchange’s commitment to expanding its digital asset offerings and aligns with Animoca Brands’ vision of mainstream adoption of blockchain gaming and other products and fostering a more inclusive digital economy.

On a mission to set the bar for virtual asset exchanges in compliance, safety, and security, HashKey Exchange has been granted as the first batch of licensed virtual asset exchanges to offer retail services in Hong kong.

HashKey Exchange has recently received approval from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong to operate a virtual asset trading platform under Type 1 (Dealing in securities) license and Type 7 (Providing automated trading services) license.

As HashKey Group’s exchange business, HashKey Exchange provides all-in-one trading services for both professional investors (PI) and retail investors.

HashKey Exchange has also obtained ISO 27001 (Information Security) and ISO 27701 (Data Privacy) management system certifications.

Animoca Brands is a Web3 leader that leverages blockchain to deliver digital property rights to consumers around the world to help to establish the open metaverse.

The company develops and publishes a broad portfolio of products including original games such as The Sandbox, PHANTOM GALAXIES™, Life Beyond, and Crazy Defense Heroes, and products utilizing popular intellectual properties from the worlds of sports and entertainment, such as The Walking Dead, Power Rangers, MotoGP™, and Formula E.

It has multiple subsidiaries, including The Sandbox, Blowfish Studios, Quidd, GAMEE, nWay, Pixowl, Forj, Lympo, Animoca Brands Japan, Grease Monkey Games, Eden Games, Darewise Entertainment, Notre Game, TinyTap, Be., PIXELYNX, WePlay Media, Gryfyn, and Azarus.

Animoca Brands is one of the most active investors in Web3, with a portfolio of over 400 Web3 investments, both directly and through Animoca Ventures, including Yuga Labs, Axie Infinity, Polygon, Consensys, Fireblocks, OpenSea, Dapper Labs, Yield Guild Games, and many more.

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