Yat Siu to Become Animoca Brands CEO to Lead AI and Institutional Strategy
Founder Yat Siu takes direct control of daily operations
Yat Siu, the co-founder of Animoca Brands, will become the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) on December 1, 2026. He will keep his current role as executive chairman while taking over daily operations to lead the firm's focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and institutional finance.
The company, which builds and invests in Web3 projects, plans to use this leadership change to scale its core businesses. Web3 refers to a new version of the internet built on blockchain technology that allows users to own their digital data and assets.
Key details of the leadership transition
- Yat Siu officially starts as CEO on December 1, 2026.
- Current group president Evan Auyang will move into a senior advisory role.
- The company currently holds a portfolio of more than 600 companies and digital assets.
- Robby Yung will serve as the CEO of investments and the CEO of The Sandbox.
New strategy focuses on AI agents and institutional tools
Animoca Brands is organizing its future strategy around three main pillars. This includes Minds, a platform for personal AI agents, and the Moca Network, which provides the digital identity and permissions needed for these agents to work securely.
The goal is to create AI agents that can follow instructions in plain language. This would allow users to complete tasks without having to manually manage digital wallets—software used to store crypto—or handle technical steps like transaction fees and bridging between different networks.
Official goals for institutional growth
The company is also expanding its work with large financial institutions. According to an official announcement, Animoca is developing products like NUVA, a marketplace for tokenized real-world assets. Tokenization is the process of turning rights to an asset, such as property or gold, into a digital token on a blockchain.
Animoca is also collaborating with investment firm Franklin Templeton. These initiatives are designed to make tokenized investments more accessible to a wider range of investors and create sustainable revenue for the company.
What happens next for the company
The leadership shift will be finalized at the start of December. Once in the CEO role, Siu plans to focus on operational discipline and capital efficiency across the company’s many projects. The long-term goal is to build an ecosystem where AI agents can safely manage investments and move money for users based on their requests.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.