Nomura Subsidiary Becomes First Company in Four Years to Receive Cryptocurrency Exchange Management License in Japan
Nomura's subsidiary, Laser Digital Japan, has become the first company in four years to obtain a license to operate a cryptocurrency exchange in Japan, as announced on August 21. The firm, part of Nomura's digital asset business, is now registered with Japan's Kanto Financial Bureau.
The license marks a significant regulatory milestone, ending a four-year drought in new crypto exchange approvals in Japan. This enables institutional investors in the country to access a Nomura-backed platform for digital asset trading. The company has also joined the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA).
This development follows recent legislative changes where Japan's parliament voted to move crypto regulation from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, including a planned reduction in the maximum crypto tax rate from 55% to 20%, effective from January 2028.
Laser Digital Japan, led by former Nomura executive Hideaki Kudo, will initially focus on providing liquidity to domestic crypto service providers, with institutional trading access to follow. A 2026 survey by Nomura and Laser Digital indicated strong institutional interest, with 65% of respondents viewing crypto as a portfolio diversification tool and 79% planning to invest within three years.
Laser Digital, established as a separate entity by Nomura in 2022, has also gained regulatory approvals in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and received conditional approval for a U.S. national trust bank license from the OCC in May 2026.
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