Japan · CoinDesk
Nomura-backed Laser Digital lands Japan's first crypto approval in four years
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Laser Digital became the first new entrant into Japan's crypto industry in four years after its local subsidiary secured registration as a crypto asset exchange service provider as the country prepares to bring crypto under a financial-instruments framework.
Key facts
- A 2026 survey by Nomura and Laser Digital found that 79% of respondents planned to invest in crypto assets within the next three years
- Japan's digital assets market is entering a new phase of maturity," said Jez Mohideen, co-founder and CEO of Laser Digital
- Steve Ashley, co-founder and executive chairman of Laser Digital, said the timing reflected a broader global shift
- Laser Digital is backed by Nomura, Japan's largest investment bank
Summary
Laser Digital, backed by Nomura, became the first new crypto asset exchange service provider registered in Japan in four years, marking its entry into the country’s digital-asset market. The firm will initially provide liquidity services to domestic virtual-asset service providers and plans to expand into digital-asset trading for institutional investors at a later date. Japan recently reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial instruments, paving the way for potential crypto ETFs and new tax treatment from 2027, as institutional demand for digital assets continues to grow. The firm will initially offer liquidity services to domestic virtual-asset service providers, the company said Friday.