Nomura's Laser Digital Gets Japan Crypto License

Nomura’s digital asset subsidiary Laser Digital has secured regulatory approval to operate in Japan, marking the country’s first new crypto asset exchange service provider registration in approximately four years. The approval, granted to Laser Digital Japan, allows the firm to begin building a regulated crypto business focused on institutional clients as Japan overhauls its financial rules for digital assets.

Laser Digital, established by Nomura in 2022, will initially provide liquidity services to domestic virtual asset service providers across the nation. The company has indicated plans to expand into institutional digital asset trading, although it has not announced a launch date or detailed the full range of future services. The registration grants Laser Digital a regulated entry point into a market where demand from professional investors is growing. A 2026 survey conducted by Nomura and Laser Digital found that 79% of respondents intended to invest in crypto assets within the next three years, with 65% viewing crypto as a tool for portfolio diversification.

“As institutional investors increase their interest in this asset class, there remains a need for trusted...