First Crypto License in Japan in Four Years: Nomura-Backed Laser Digital Secures Approval

As the first new crypto company enters the sector in Japan in four years, Nomura-backed Laser Digital is set to benefit from the country’s changing financial instrument regulations.

According to information reported by CoinDesk, Laser Digital’s subsidiary in Japan has registered as a crypto asset exchange service provider. This development marks the first new entry into the crypto sector in the country in four years. The company’s registration is noteworthy as Japan prepares to incorporate digital assets into its financial instrument framework.

Laser Digital will first begin its operations by providing liquidity to local virtual asset service providers. The company later plans to provide digital asset trading services to institutional investors. However, it has not yet been announced when these services will begin or how their scope will be defined.

A new era in Japan’s crypto market

Laser Digital’s move into Japan, backed by Nomura, coincides with a period of growing institutional interest in digital assets. 79 percent of respondents to a survey conducted by Nomura and Laser Digital in 2026 stated that they plan to invest in crypto assets within the next three years.

Laser Digital CEO Jez Mohideen said that the digital asset sector in Japan has entered a new stage of maturity. Mohideen stated that as institutional investor interest grows, the need for reliable counterparties and infrastructure suited to institutional needs is also increasing.

About a month ago, Japan reclassified crypto assets as financial instruments. The new rules, expected to come into effect in 2027, prepare the legal groundwork for the creation of crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and the implementation of separate taxation for digital assets in the country.