Nomura-backed Laser Digital obtains Japan's first crypto license in four years

PANews, August 21 - According to CoinDesk, the Japanese subsidiary of Laser Digital, backed by Nomura Securities, has been registered as a crypto asset trading service provider, becoming the first newly approved entity in Japan in four years. Laser Digital will initially provide liquidity to local virtual asset service providers, and plans to launch digital asset trading services for institutional investors later. The report mentioned that Japan reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial products last month, laying a legal framework for potential crypto ETFs and a separate tax system for crypto assets starting from 2027. A survey jointly released by Nomura and Laser Digital in 2026 showed that 79% of surveyed institutions plan to allocate crypto assets within three years.