Nomura-Backed Firm Secures Registration as Japan's First New Crypto Player
Nomura-backed Laser Digital has secured registration as Japan's first new crypto asset exchange service provider in four years. The approval comes after a roughly ten-month regulatory journey and marks the culmination of efforts to establish the firm as a trusted counterparty for institutional investors.
The company will initially offer liquidity services to domestic virtual-asset service providers, with plans to expand into digital-asset trading for institutional investors at a later date. A launch date has not been announced.
Japan reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial instruments in July, establishing the legal framework for potential crypto exchange-traded funds and separate taxation of crypto assets. The new rules are expected to take effect in 2027.