- Laser Digital Japan will initially focus on providing liquidity to local crypto firms, with institutional trading services planned as demand for digital assets continues to increase.
- Laser Digital has become the first new player to enter Japan’s crypto market in four years after its domestic subsidiary received approval to register as a crypto asset exchange service provider.
- The regulatory approval comes as Japan prepares to incorporate cryptocurrencies into its financial-instruments framework, signaling a major evolution in the country’s approach to digital assets.
- The company said its first service will provide liquidity to domestic virtual-asset service providers. Laser Digital also plans to expand into digital-asset trading for institutional investors, although it has not yet set a launch date or detailed the planned products.
- Laser Digital announced its intention to broaden its Japanese crypto business late last year.
- The company is backed by Nomura, Japan’s largest investment bank, and is entering the market as institutional appetite for digital assets grows. A 2026 survey conducted by Nomura and Laser Digital found that 79% of respondents expected to invest in crypto within the next three years.
- Jez Mohideen, co-founder and CEO of Laser Digital, said Japan’s digital-asset market is reaching a more mature stage. He said the rise in institutional interest is increasing demand for dependable counterparties and infrastructure designed for professional investors.
- Japan classified cryptocurrencies as financial instruments last month, creating the legal foundation for potential crypto ETFs and a separate taxation system for digital assets. The new framework is expected to take effect in 2027.
- Steve Ashley, co-founder and executive chairman of Laser Digital, said the expansion reflects a broader international shift, with sophisticated investors increasingly seeking both access to digital assets and institutional-grade infrastructure to support their participation.
Laser Digital Wins Landmark Japan Crypto License After Four-Year Regulatory Gap
