Gastric　cancer　(GC)　is　a　highly　malignant　cancer　with　poor　prognosis.　Long　non-coding　RNA　(LncRNA)　may　play　an　important　role　in　tumor　progression.　Our　present　study　aimed　to　explore　the　effect　of　LncRNA　SOX2OT　on　GC　progression.　We　observed　that　SOX2OT　was　overexpressed　in　GC　tissues　and　cell　lines.　Overexpressed　SOX2OT　promoted　cell　proliferation　and　metastasis　of　GC　cells　(SGC-7901,　TMK-1)　and　the　phosphorylation　of　AKT2　as　well,　while　knockdown　of　SOX2OT　reversed　these　effects.　Besides　that,　miR-194-5p　was　predicted　to　be　a　target　of　SOX2OT　and　decreased　expression　of　miR-194-5p　was　observed　in　GC　tissues　and　cell　lines.　Overexpressed　miR-194-5p　counteracted　the　promoting　role　of　SOX2OT　on　cell　proliferation　and　invasion　of　GC　cells.　Moreover,　AKT2　was　predicted　to　be　a　target　of　miR-194-5p.　The　expression　of　AKT2　was　negatively　regulated　by　miR-194-5p　while　positively　regulated　by　SOX2OT.　Overexpressed　AKT2　also　promoted　GC　cell　proliferation　and　invasion.　Our　in　vitro　experiments　suggested　that　SOX2OT　promoted　cell　proliferation　and　metastasis　of　GC　cells　via　sponging　miR-194-5p　from　AKT2.　Finally,　our　in　vivo　experiments　indicated　that　overexpressed　SOX2OT　promoted　GC　tumor　growth　and　metastasis　in　nude　mice.　Taken　together,　our　present　study　suggested　that　SOX2OT　contributed　to　GC　progression　via　sponging　miR-194-5p　from　AKT2　both　in　vitro　and　in　vivo.　The　SOX2OT-miR-194-5p-AKT2　axis　may　provide　a　new　perspective　for　treatment　of　GC.