Japan registers Nomuras Laser Digital as first new crypto entrant in four years
Nomura-backed Laser Digital has become Japans first newly registered crypto asset exchange service provider in about four years, securing approval as the country prepares to move digital assets under a financial-instruments framework. According to Laser Digital, its Japanese subsidiary has completed registration as a crypto asset exchange service provider and will initially supply liquidity to domestic virtual-asset service providers before considering trading services for institutional investors. The company has not disclosed when the institutional offering will launch or the full range of services it intends to provide. The registration, however, gives Laser Digital a regulated route into a market where institutional demand has been rising, according to research conducted by Nomura and the digital-asset firm. A 2026 survey by Nomura and Laser Digital found that 79% of respondents planned to invest in crypto assets within the next three years. Laser Digital said the findings support its decision to build services designed for professional investors in Japan. Laser Digital gains Japan entry after a four-year registration gap The approval follows months of regulatory work by the Nomura subsidiary, which had been preparing to establish a regulated trading operation for institutional clients. In October 2025, crypto.news reported Laser Digital plans to seek a Japanese crypto trading license after









