According to an official announcement dated January 27, 2026, Animoca Brands Corporation Limited (hereinafter referred to as “Animoca Brands Japan”) has signed a basic agreement with RootstockLabs Ltd. (“Rootstock”) for a strategic business partnership targeting the Japanese market.
Under this agreement, the two companies will explore the localized deployment of Bitcoin Finance (BTCfi) and Rootstock’s institutional-grade decentralized finance program, “Rootstock Institutional,” tailored for Japanese institutional investors and enterprises.
In recent years, Bitcoin-based decentralized finance (BTCfi) has rapidly evolved within the blockchain ecosystem.
In Japan in particular, an increasing number of enterprises are incorporating digital assets into their treasury strategies, prompting demand for secure and compliance-aligned environments to manage digital asset treasuries (DAT).
Rootstock is a Bitcoin-native DeFi layer that combines the high security of Bitcoin's proof-of-work mechanism with smart contract functionality compatible with Ethereum. This hybrid approach enables financial operations such as borrowing stablecoins collateralized by Bitcoin and earning on-chain yields.
The Rootstock Institutional program is specifically designed for institutional investors and enterprises seeking to tap into Bitcoin-native DeFi opportunities. It is managed by a multidisciplinary team with expertise across finance and blockchain.
Together, Animoca Brands Japan and Rootstock aim to adapt Rootstock’s BTCfi infrastructure and institutional solutions to meet Japan’s regulatory requirements. The collaboration will involve joint efforts in strategic planning, compliance alignment, and marketing to facilitate the domestic rollout of digital asset management services tailored for institutional investors.
The two companies also plan to explore business opportunities related to digital asset treasury (DAT) optimization in Japan. This includes discussions around liquidity infrastructure expansion—such as the potential listing of Rootstock tokens like RBTC and RIF on local exchanges.
Through this initiative, Animoca Brands Japan envisions a comprehensive offering within its digital asset treasury management business. The company aims to support corporate clients in optimizing their treasury strategy and transitioning to Web3.0, based on their financial goals and risk tolerance—from holding digital assets to building sustainable, revenue-generating business models.
On February 27, 2026, Animoca Brands Japan will host a closed-door event titled “Institutions × Bitcoin Finance (BTC-Fi)”.
The event will convene stakeholders across institutional investment, traditional finance (TradFi), custodians, clearing service providers (CEX), and treasury officers from publicly listed and private companies. The agenda will focus on sharing the latest insights and fostering new networks in the realm of Bitcoin-based treasury and DeFi strategy.
This strategic partnership marks a new phase in which corporations are no longer merely holding Bitcoin as a static asset but are actively seeking to deploy it in financial operations. The move is expected to accelerate Bitcoin's integration into corporate finance and signal the beginning of a new era of institutional digital asset management.
Towards a new form of capitalism: An interview with Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu
