ZetaChain, the pioneering universal blockchain, has announced that Animoca Brands, a leader in advancing digital property rights for gaming and the open metaverse, has joined as a validator. This strategic partnership aims to bring the industry closer to achieving seamless multi-chain connectivity and widespread digital asset adoption, according to Animoca Brands.

Strengthening Blockchain Networks

The collaboration between Animoca Brands and ZetaChain combines the strengths of both entities. Animoca Brands brings its extensive experience in securing blockchain networks, while ZetaChain contributes its innovative ZRC-20 token standard for Omnichain Smart Contracts. This partnership aims to foster a secure and trustless environment that accelerates the development of omnichain decentralized applications (dApps). These dApps will be capable of managing native assets and data across different blockchains without requiring users to switch networks.

Technological Advancements

ZetaChain, ranked among the top ten blockchains by active users, recently introduced its 2.0 upgrade and Universal Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) for chain abstraction. These advancements are centered around the Chain Abstraction Framework (CAF), developed by the decentralized ZetaChain community. CAF simplifies multi-chain interoperability for developers, unlocking numerous prospective use cases for unified liquidity and data. The implementation of the Universal EVM enables Universal Apps and Universal Proof of Stake, allowing developers and users to manage complex interactions, applications, and assets seamlessly across external chains.

Expanding Opportunities

Ankur Nandwani, Core Contributor of ZetaChain, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We’re excited about our collaboration with Animoca Brands to further secure and scale adoption for Universal Apps that work for all of crypto. Over 540 Web3 companies in the Animoca Brands investment portfolio now have the opportunity to leverage ZetaChain to future-proof their apps and access users on any chain including native Bitcoin.”

ZetaChain is also offering Animoca Brands portfolio companies access to over 3.5 million unique wallets on its platform. The ZetaChain Ecosystem Growth Program commits 5% of the total ZETA token supply to support impactful Universal Apps through grants, incentives, and community campaigns. This initiative particularly focuses on growing ownership, usage, and adoption of Bitcoin.

Animoca Brands’ Role

Animoca Brands is a global leader in gamification and blockchain, focused on advancing digital property rights and decentralized projects to help build the open metaverse. The company has been operating validator nodes across various blockchains, supporting ecosystem development and unbiased on-chain governance. Additionally, Animoca Brands provides digital asset advisory solutions to help companies and brands expand into and thrive in Web3.

Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, commented, “We are excited to partner with ZetaChain and become a validator of this first universal blockchain, helping make multi-chain connectivity more seamless. This collaboration furthers our mission to drive innovation and decentralization across the broader Web3 ecosystem.”

ZetaChain aims to serve as the foundational layer of the decentralized internet, providing a platform for global access, simplicity, and utility across any blockchain. Its Omnichain Smart Contracts on the Universal EVM are designed for general chain abstraction, enabling unified liquidity, user experience, and data management from a single platform.

Image source: Shutterstock