Animoca Brands Japan, a strategic subsidiary of Animoca Brands Corporation Ltd, and KDDI Corporation (KDDI) have signed an MoU to explore a strategic alliance to accelerate Web3 adoption.
This would include collaboration between Mocaverse — the marquee growth network with an interoperable infrastructure layer of Account, Identity, Reputation and PointFi systems seeded by Animoca Brands — and αU (Alpha U) — the metaverse and Web3 service by KDDI.
The objective is for Animoca Brands and KDDI to provide a more seamless and interoperable experience for the Web3-curious to enjoy Web3 games, culture and entertainment globally.
This MoU is an initiative to explore the integration of Mocaverse’s on-chain decentralised identifier (DID) Moca ID with αU wallet, enabling customers of αU wallet to seamlessly access Web3 content such as games, entertainment and culture within the Mocaverse ecosystem.
The MoU will also promote collaboration between the intellectual property (IP) and Web3 content of Animoca Brands and αU, including offering sales of NFTs for the Web3 game Phantom Galaxies™ on the NFT marketplace αU market.
KDDI Corp’s Shunpei Tatebayashi said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Animoca Brands, a global leading Web3 company with a diverse portfolio of prominent Web3 projects.
"We believe that content plays a crucial role for Web3 mass adoption and we aim to develop new experiences while increasing access to Web3 through this collaboration with Animoca Brands. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration and embarking on new challenges together”.
Animoca Brands Japan COO Kensuke Amo said: "I am delighted that we have entered into an MoU to accelerate Web3 adoption with KDDI Corporation, allowing us to explore various initiatives.
"This collaboration is expected to serve as a bridge between Japan and the global Web3 community. Furthermore, this collaboration will be the initial step toward a society that leverages Web3, where individuals can seamlessly connect with various blockchain applications on a personal level.
“Animoca Brands Japan is committed to actively contributing to the mass adoption of Web3 by leveraging Animoca Brands' network, which includes over 400 portfolio companies, as well as our expertise in the business and regulatory landscape of Japan's Web3 industry."
Mocaverse project lead Kenneth Shek said: “We are incredibly excited to partner with KDDI, one of the largest telecommunication providers with over 31 million of users in Japan, and explore opportunities to onboard millions of retail users to Web3 cultural and entertainment experiences through our interoperable on-chain identity Moca ID and point system.
"Not only does Japan have a strong culture of IP and gaming, but Japanese users are well accustomed to using point systems.”
Benjamin Lee, the co-founder and managing director of Blowfish Studios, said: "We are thrilled at the opportunity to introduce the captivating world of Phantom Galaxies™ to KDDI customers, revolutionizing player ownership.
"Together, we can reshape gaming experiences and lead innovation in the digital realm, offering players seamless access to Web3 content as we pioneer the future of entertainment and culture."
Animoca Brands: a leading Web3 company
Animoca Brands is a leading Web3 company that both invests in various areas including blockchain games, metaverses, DeFi and wallets, and also builds its own Web3 ecosystem. Animoca Brands Japan is a strategic subsidiary of Animoca Brands that supports the global expansion of Japanese IP and content holders in the Web3 domain.
Mocaverse started as Animoca Brands’ first official membership NFT project and has evolved into the growth network with an interoperable infrastructure layer of Account, Identity, Reputation and PointFi systems seeded by Animoca Brands, dedicated to build the largest on-chain cultural economy.
Since the launch of Moca ID in November 2023, more than 750,000 on-chain users have minted their unique.moca name and engaged in the broader Mocaverse ecosystem.
KDDI: anyone can become a creator
KDDI launched the metaverse and Web3 service αU in March 2023 to realise a world where anyone can become a creator and to support the new generation of users who effortlessly move between the real and virtual worlds.
αU provides various products, including the αU wallet for managing NFTs and cryptocurrencies, the user-friendly NFT marketplace αU market, αU metaverse for entertainment and socialising, αU live for high-quality 360-degree music concerts through cloud rendering, and αU place for virtual shopping experiences replicating real-world stores.