The post Animoca Brands Acquires Somo as NFT Market Rebounds in 2026 appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Animoca Brands has acquired gaming and digital collectiblesThe post Animoca Brands Acquires Somo as NFT Market Rebounds in 2026 appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Animoca Brands has acquired gaming and digital collectibles

Animoca Brands Acquires Somo as NFT Market Rebounds in 2026

Animoca Brands has acquired gaming and digital collectibles company Somo, adding Somo’s playable and tradable collectibles to its broader portfolio of blockchain-based projects.

The company said on Wednesday it plans to integrate Somo into its existing ecosystem, using shared infrastructure and partner relationships. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Animoca framed the acquisition as a strategic fit with its existing collectibles and gaming investments.

“SOMO is building the cultural operating system for collectibles, which complements our existing portfolio,” said Animoca Brands co-founder and executive chairman Yat Siu.

“By bringing SOMO into the Animoca Brands ecosystem, we aim to connect it to our global network of games, communities, and partners,” he added.

NFT market cap climbs 20% in the first two weeks of 2026

The deal comes as the non-fungible token (NFT) market recorded a short-term uptick early in 2026, with market capitalization rising about 20% in the first two weeks of the year.

Total NFT market cap in the last 14 days. Source: CoinGecko

The global NFT market cap rose about 20% in the first two weeks of 2026, climbing from $2.5 billion on Jan. 1 to over $3 billion by Wednesday, according to data from CoinGecko. 

The move marks a sharp short-term recovery after a prolonged slump that weighed on NFT prices and activity throughout 2025.

24-hour NFT heatmap. Source: CoinGecko

CoinGecko shows that a sharp jump between Tuesday and Wednesday accounted for a significant portion of the gains. 

On Tuesday, the NFT market cap hovered a little below $2.7 billion before surging to $3 billion in just 24 hours, recording a $300 million gain. This was accompanied by an 18.7% increase in 24-hour trading volume, according to CoinGecko. 

A community member attributed the jump to activity in blue-chip NFTs, higher-value sales and token airdrops, though it remains unclear whether the move reflects sustained demand or short-term speculation.

Related: What the NFT Paris cancellation says about the current state of the NFT market

NFTs are still down 59% year-on-year

Despite its recent gains, the NFT sector remains far below its previous cycle highs, underscoring how compressed valuations have become. 

On Jan. 14, 2025, the NFT market cap stood at $7.3 billion, which means that despite the recent bounce, the sector is still down by 59% year-on-year. 

Magazine: Digital art will ‘age like fine wine’: Inside Flamingo DAO’s 9-figure NFT collection

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/animoca-brands-acquires-somo-nft-market-rebound-2026?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

Market Opportunity
AINFT Logo
AINFT Price(NFT)
$0.0000003351
$0.0000003351$0.0000003351
-0.88%
USD
AINFT (NFT) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact [email protected] for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Cashing In On University Patents Means Giving Up On Our Innovation Future

Cashing In On University Patents Means Giving Up On Our Innovation Future

The post Cashing In On University Patents Means Giving Up On Our Innovation Future appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. “It’s a raid on American innovation that would deliver pennies to the Treasury while kneecapping the very engine of our economic and medical progress,” writes Pipes. Getty Images Washington is addicted to taxing success. Now, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is floating a plan to skim half the patent earnings from inventions developed at universities with federal funding. It’s being sold as a way to shore up programs like Social Security. In reality, it’s a raid on American innovation that would deliver pennies to the Treasury while kneecapping the very engine of our economic and medical progress. Yes, taxpayer dollars support early-stage research. But the real payoff comes later—in the jobs created, cures discovered, and industries launched when universities and private industry turn those discoveries into real products. By comparison, the sums at stake in patent licensing are trivial. Universities collectively earn only about $3.6 billion annually in patent income—less than the federal government spends on Social Security in a single day. Even confiscating half would barely register against a $6 trillion federal budget. And yet the damage from such a policy would be anything but trivial. The true return on taxpayer investment isn’t in licensing checks sent to Washington, but in the downstream economic activity that federally supported research unleashes. Thanks to the bipartisan Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, universities and private industry have powerful incentives to translate early-stage discoveries into real-world products. Before Bayh-Dole, the government hoarded patents from federally funded research, and fewer than 5% were ever licensed. Once universities could own and license their own inventions, innovation exploded. The result has been one of the best returns on investment in government history. Since 1996, university research has added nearly $2 trillion to U.S. industrial output, supported 6.5 million jobs, and launched more than 19,000 startups. Those companies pay…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 03:26
Silver Price Crash Is Over “For Real This Time,” Analyst Predicts a Surge Back Above $90

Silver Price Crash Is Over “For Real This Time,” Analyst Predicts a Surge Back Above $90

Silver has been taking a beating lately, and the Silver price hasn’t exactly been acting like a safe haven. After running up into the highs, the whole move reversed
Share
Captainaltcoin2026/02/07 03:15
Citi Caps Year-End at $4,300, But ETF outflows Challenge Outlook

Citi Caps Year-End at $4,300, But ETF outflows Challenge Outlook

The post Citi Caps Year-End at $4,300, But ETF outflows Challenge Outlook appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Ethereum Price Prediction: Citi Caps Year-End at $4,300, But ETF outflows Challenge Outlook Disclaimer: The information found on NewsBTC is for educational purposes only. It does not represent the opinions of NewsBTC on whether to buy, sell or hold any investments and naturally investing carries risks. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use information provided on this website entirely at your own risk. Related News © 2025 NewsBTC. All Rights Reserved. This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy Center or Cookie Policy. I Agree Source: https://www.newsbtc.com/news/ethereum/ethereum-price-prediction-citi-caps-year-end-at-4300-but-etf-outflows-challenge-outlook/
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 14:30