Nomura-Backed Laser Digital Secures Japan’s First New Crypto Exchange Registration in Four Years

Add to Google Preferred Sources
Laser Digital Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Nomura’s digital asset arm Laser Digital, has obtained registration as a digital asset exchange operator from Japan’s financial regulator. This marks the first new cryptocurrency asset exchange service provider registration in Japan in four years. The company plans to initially provide liquidity supply services to domestic virtual asset service providers, then expand into digital asset trading services for institutional investors. The registration comes just one month after Japan reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial products, with new regulations set to take effect in 2027. According to a joint survey by Nomura and Laser Digital, 79% of respondents said they plan to invest in cryptocurrency assets within the next three years.

Key Elements

Laser Digital, the digital asset firm under Japan’s largest investment bank Nomura, has obtained digital asset business registration in Japan. This marks the first new cryptocurrency asset exchange service provider registration in the country in four years.

Laser Digital Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Laser Digital, announced on the 21st that it has received digital asset exchange operator registration from Japan’s financial regulator. The company has been pursuing the licensing process for entry into the Japanese market since October of last year.

Laser Digital Japan will initially provide liquidity supply services to virtual asset service providers in Japan. The company plans to subsequently expand into digital asset trading services targeting institutional investors, though specific launch timelines and service scope have not yet been disclosed.

Jez Mohideen, co-founder and CEO of Laser Digital, said, “Japan’s digital asset market is entering a new phase of maturity,” adding, “As institutional investor interest grows, there is a need for trusted counterparties and infrastructure tailored to their requirements.”

Steve Ashley, co-founder and chairman, noted that the timing of this registration reflects broader global trends. “Sophisticated investors are increasingly demanding accessibility and the quality of the infrastructure behind it,” he said.

Institutional investor demand in Japan is indeed on the rise. According to a joint survey conducted by Nomura and Laser Digital in 2026, 79% of respondents said they plan to invest in cryptocurrency assets within the next three years.

The registration comes just one month after Japan reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial products. This structural shift has laid the legal groundwork for potential cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and separate taxation, with new regulations set to take effect from 2027.

Laser Digital is a digital asset specialist firm backed by Nomura, positioning the Japanese market as a key hub for institutional-grade digital asset services. With this registration, the company has secured the legal standing to provide digital asset-related services within Japan.

Once added, BigGo Finance appears first in Google Search Top Stories, so you get the broadest, most up-to-the-minute, and most comprehensive global financial news first.

Source: finance.biggo.com