Quick Breakdown
- Nomura’s Laser Digital seeks Japan crypto trading license amid $230B market surge.
- Japan’s on-chain value jumps 120% as Nomura expands digital asset services.
- Laser Digital targets broker-dealer approval to serve institutions and crypto exchanges.
Nomura Holdings is preparing to expand its footprint in Japan’s digital asset sector as trading activity accelerates. Its wholly owned unit, Laser Digital Holdings, is seeking regulatory approval to operate as a broker-dealer for institutional clients.
Laser, headquartered in Switzerland, is currently in pre-consultation talks with Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA), CEO Jez Mohideen confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg. The move signals Nomura’s confidence in Japan’s evolving digital asset framework and its role as a fast-growing hub for crypto finance.
Japan’s crypto trading surges
Japan’s digital asset market has seen explosive growth in 2025. Data from the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association shows transaction volumes doubled to ¥33.7 trillion ($230 billion) in the first seven months of the year. Analysts attribute the surge to rising institutional interest, supportive reforms, and growing participation from younger investors.
Regulatory adjustments, including easing tax burdens and classifying more tokens as investment instruments, have further strengthened the sector. Japan has also licensed its first yen-backed stablecoin issuer, boosting liquidity and local adoption. In the 12 months to June 2025, the country posted a 120% increase in on-chain value received — outpacing South Korea, India, and Vietnam.
Nomura’s global expansion push
Laser Digital, launched by Nomura in 2022, was created to provide services ranging from asset management to venture investments. The firm secured a full crypto business license in Dubai in 2023 and established a Japanese subsidiary the same year.
If approved by the FSA, Laser will provide broker-dealer services to both traditional financial institutions and crypto-native firms, including exchanges. This would place Nomura among a small group of global financial players bridging traditional markets and digital assets in Asia.
With transaction volumes rising and reforms underway, Japan is fast positioning itself as one of the most active digital asset markets worldwide and Nomura’s Laser unit is aiming to be at the center of it.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato has recently signaled support for the sector, acknowledging cryptocurrencies as a growing component of modern portfolios despite their volatility.
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