Nomura Holdings, Japan’s largest brokerage and investment banking group, is preparing to strengthen its presence in the crypto market. Its digital asset arm, Laser Digital, has started early talks with Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) to secure a crypto trading license,
If the license is granted, Nomura will be able to expand its influence beyond traditional finance and give institutional investors in Japan direct access to regulated crypto trading.
Laser Digital’s chief executive officer, Jez Mohideen, confirmed that the company plans to offer trading services for Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and other altcoins. The services will be made for big investors like banks, asset managers, and large funds.
Mohideen also said that the license would let the company work as a broker for both traditional finance firms and crypto businesses, including exchanges in Japan.
This comes at a time when crypto trading in the country has doubled, hitting 33.7 trillion yen, equivalent to $230 billion, in just the first seven months of this year.
Meanwhile, Nomura is not new to digital assets; it has already been building its track record in the space.
Through Laser Digital, the firm has already launched crypto derivatives in Dubai, while also expanding operations in Singapore. Back in 2018, Nomura partnered with Ledger and CoinShares to establish Komainu, one of the first regulated custody services for cryptocurrencies.
In 2023, Laser Digital launched the Bitcoin Adoption Fund to give institutional investors an easier way to gain exposure to Bitcoin. At that time, Nomura said it aimed to make Laser Digital profitable within two years.
Today, it competes with big global players like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, who are also growing their presence in digital assets. This steady growth shows Nomura’s strong belief that digital assets will be a key part of the financial system in the future.
Japan’s regulators are making digital assets easier to handle by setting clearer rules. The FSA recently changed tax laws so that crypto gains are taxed at a flat 20%, the same as stocks and bonds. This has encouraged big players like Nomura to step deeper into the crypto market.
Crypto use in Japan is growing. Tax reforms and partnerships, like Ripple teaming up with SBI Holdings, have added momentum. The growing crypto adoption in Japan is also visible through companies like Metaplanet, which recently became the fourth-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.
At the same time, the flagship crypto remains strong. It has stayed above $120,000 in the past 24 hours, and some expect it could reach $2301,000 next year. Even though Bitcoin’s trading activity has slowed a little, demand and bullish sentiment from large investors remain firm.
