Laser Digital Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Nomura’s digital assets arm, announced it had completed registration as a Crypto Asset Exchange Service Provider under Japan’s Payment Services Act. This marks the first new registration of its kind in approximately four years.
This approval shows that big players in Japan are getting more interested in crypto, especially as the country’s rules continue to evolve.
What Laser Digital will offer
Per its communication, Laser Digital Japan will initially focus on providing liquidity services to domestic virtual asset service providers, or VASPs. The company is looking to open up trading for big institutional investors down the road, though they haven’t shared the exact details or dates just yet.
The firm is also making sure they stick to top-tier global standards for risk and governance.
This really tracks with how big institutions are warming up to crypto in Japan. A 2026 survey from Nomura and Laser Digital shows that 65 percent of respondents see crypto as a smart way to diversify their portfolios, and 79 percent are already planning to jump into the market over the next three years.
A new crypto regulatory framework in the land of the rising sun
The registration comes just one month after Japan reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial products, shifting oversight from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
This structural change establishes the legal groundwork for potential crypto exchange-traded funds and a separate tax regime for crypto gains, currently at 20 percent compared to the top marginal rate of 55 percent, with new regulations expected to take effect from 2027.
“Japan’s digital assets market is entering a new phase of maturity, making this an important moment for our registration approval,” said Dr. Jez Mohideen, Co-founder & CEO of Laser Digital.
Steve Ashley, Executive Chairman, added that sophisticated investors are increasingly demanding access to institutional-grade infrastructure.
Finally, Hideaki Kudo, Representative Director and 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.”
Laser Digital’s global footprint: Why Japan matters
The Japanese registration is the latest piece in Laser Digital’s global expansion strategy. The firm already holds regulatory approvals in the UK, as an appointed representative, the United Arab Emirates with its Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority license, and Switzerland.
Japan represents its first Asian foothold and a strategic bet on a market that’s home to over 5,000 registered crypto investors and a rapidly modernizing regulatory environment.
This approval also gives Nomura a boost in the digital asset space, putting the Japanese banking giant in a great spot to handle more institutional business as Japan moves toward its new crypto framework by 2027.
