Nomura Holdings, the financial holding arm of Japan’s largest investment bank Nomura Group, has announced its plans to expand in the country’s digital asset space through its subsidiary Laser Digital. The move comes as cryptocurrency trading in Japan is soaring, largely due to recent shifts in regulatory development and a surge in investor interest.
According to a report by Bloomberg, Jez Mohideen, the CEO of Laser Digital, said that the company is in the process of getting a license to offer crypto trading services to institutional clients in Japan. The subsidiary in Switzerland is currently talking with Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) before the official consultation process begins.
Laser Digital is in between discussions to get the go-ahead from the FSA for its planned operations. If successful, the firm will be able to offer broker-dealer services to both traditional financial institutions and crypto companies, such as exchanges for digital assets.
“Our entry into Japan reflects our optimism in the Japanese digital-asset ecosystem,” Mohideen said. Launched in 2022, Laser Digital offers a variety of digital asset services, including assets management and investing in venture capital. In 2023, the company got a full crypto business license in Dubai and opened a Japanese unit.
Rising adoption in Japan
Japan has been witnessing an increased popularity in the adoption of and interest in cryptocurrencies. Earlier in August, Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, while addressing the digital assets forum WebX2025 in Tokyo, said that cryptocurrencies can be part of a diversified investment portfolio despite their high volatility. He also said the Finance Ministry will focus on creating a crypto‑friendly environment.
Further, Metaplanet is highlighting Japan’s role in the Bitcoin treasury landscape, taking its total holdings to 30,823, worth approximately $3.7 billion. Their aggressive Bitcoin acquisitions has also earned it the nickname ‘Japan’s Microstrategy’, and it ranks fourth among top Bitcoin treasury companies, as per BitcoinTreasuries data.
All these developments are happening alongside strict regulations. In September, FSA proposed to tighten rules for cryptocurrencies. It stated that it aims to shift crypto regulation from the Payment Services Act to the more stringent Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA).