Laser Digital Japan, the local subsidiary of Nomura's digital asset arm, announced on August 21st its registration as a Cryptocurrency Asset Exchange Service Provider.
This is the first company to pass Japan's licensing examinations in the last four years. Institutional investors in the country will now gain access to a Nomura-backed platform for trading digital assets.
Nomura's Laser Digital Ends Four-Year License Hiatus
The company operates in accordance with the Payment Services Act. It is registered with the Kanto Local Finance Bureau under registration number 00032.
The company has also become a member of the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), the self-regulatory organization for licensed operators.
On July 15th, Japan's parliament passed legislation to transfer cryptocurrency regulation from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
The change stipulates that relevant cryptocurrency income will be taxed at a rate of 20%, a reduction from the current maximum of 55%. These tax provisions are expected to take effect from January 1, 2028.
Nomura Unit to First Service Liquidity Desks, Then Institutional Investors
Laser Digital stated that it will initially focus on providing liquidity for domestic Virtual Asset Service Providers, with trading access for institutional investors to follow later.
Laser Digital opened its Tokyo office in October 2025 under the leadership of Hideaki Kudo, a former Nomura executive, and stated at the time that it was in preliminary consultations with the Financial Services Agency.
Kudo, now Representative and Head of Laser Digital Japan, stated that successfully passing the screening procedure marks an "important milestone in our strategy to serve the Japanese market."
A 2026 survey of institutional investors, jointly published by Nomura and Laser Digital, showed that 65% view crypto assets as a means to diversify their portfolios.
Approximately 79% stated their intention to invest within the next three years.
"Experienced investors are increasingly seeking access to necessary resources and quality infrastructure," said Steve Ashley, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Laser Digital.
Nomura spun off Laser Digital as a separate entity in 2022. The Zurich-based company has now received regulatory approval in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where in August 2025 it became the first firm licensed to offer over-the-counter cryptocurrency options.
As reported by Cryptopolitan, in May 2026 the company received conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter license, which would be a first for a subsidiary of a Japanese financial institution.
Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Jez Mohideen stated: "Japan's digital asset market is entering a new phase of maturity."
