Laser Digital Japan Receives Regulatory Approval

• Laser Digital Japan’s approved registration of comes after a four-year hiatus in new approvals in the country’s digital asset sector
• The registration comes in time as Japanese institutional investors’ views on digital assets and capital allocation are changing, as highlighted in the 2026 Institutional Investor Survey, jointly published by Nomura and Laser Digital earlier this year.

Laser Digital Japan Co., Ltd. (LDJ), the Japanese entity of Nomura’s digital assets subsidiary, Laser Digital, announced that it has completed its registration. The company is now authorized to operate as a Crypto Asset Exchange Service Provider under Japan’s Payment Services Act.

Laser Digital Japan is committed to regulatory compliance and maintains strong risk management and governance frameworks that meet global standards. The company will initially serve to enhance liquidity across the domestic market for local VASPs. Future services will include offering institutional investors trading opportunities for digital assets. Details regarding the launch date and scope of services will be announced later.

Commenting on the license registration, Steve Ashley, Co-founder & Executive Chairman of Laser Digital, and Chairman of Laser Digital Japan, said, “As institutional appetite for digital assets grows across global markets, sophisticated investors are increasingly looking for access and the necessary quality of infrastructure behind it. This registration reflects our ability to meet regulatory requirements in Japan, building on the track record we have established in other markets. We are fully committed to serving the Japanese market and clients with the same high standards of service we have set in other markets and look forward to actively contributing to the development of the country’s digital assets ecosystem.”

Dr. Jez Mohideen, Co-founder & CEO of Laser Digital, said, “Japan’s digital assets market is entering a new phase of maturity, making this an important moment for our registration approval. As institutional investors increase their interest in this asset class, there remains a need for trusted counterparties and infrastructure designed specifically for their requirements. Through our registration, we look forward to bringing Laser Digital’s global capabilities and high standards of service to the Japanese market.”

Hideaki Kudo, Representative Director & Head of Laser Digital Japan, added, “Completing the rigorous regulatory review process marks an important milestone in our roadmap to serve the Japanese market. We are committed to operating within a strong compliance and investor protection framework, while supporting the long-term growth of Japan’s digital assets industry.”

LDJ’s registration marks the newest entry into Japan’s crypto asset industry since 2022. Over the past four years, Japan has introduced major regulatory reforms, including around stablecoins, and institutional investors have increasingly come to view digital assets as an important diversification tool.

The 2026 Institutional Investor Survey, which was recently published by Nomura and Laser Digital, showed stronger sentiment and growing interest in digital assets as an investment asset class among Japanese institutional investors. The survey also found that investors’ concerns are shifting toward more practical issues around investing in digital assets. Furthermore, 65% of respondents said they view crypto assets as an opportunity to diversify their portfolios. Nearly 79% of those respondents said they plan to invest over the next three years.

Source: Nomura