Laser Digital Japan Wins Crypto Exchange Registration, First New Operator Since 2022

Point of Focus

• Nomura-backed Laser Digital Japan became the country’s first newly registered crypto exchange.
• The company will initially provide liquidity to licensed domestic crypto firms.
• Nearly 79% of surveyed Japanese institutions plan to invest in digital assets.

Laser Digital Japan, the digital asset subsidiary backed by financial services giant Nomura, has secured regulatory approval to operate as a crypto asset exchange service provider in Japan.

The registration represents the first approval of a new crypto exchange operator in the country in four years, signaling a potential reopening of one of the world’s most tightly regulated digital asset markets.

Laser Digital Japan completed its registration under Japan’s Payment Services Act. The company will initially provide liquidity to locally licensed crypto businesses before expanding its offering to institutional investors.

The approval arrives as Japan updates its approach to digital assets and major financial institutions show growing interest in gaining regulated crypto exposure.

Laser digital targets institutional crypto market

Laser Digital Japan will initially focus on supplying liquidity to domestic virtual asset service providers. This could help licensed platforms execute larger trades with lower slippage and access deeper markets.

The company eventually plans to launch trading services for institutional investors, although it has not provided a timeline for the expansion.

Laser Digital Japan is now registered under Japan’s Payment Services Act, the country’s first new Crypto Asset Exchange Service Provider registration in four yearshttps://t.co/v4Ha0VWZr0

— Laser Digital (@LaserDigital_) August 21, 2026

Laser Digital said compliance, risk management and institutional-grade infrastructure would remain central to its Japanese operations. It expects to disclose additional details about its services at a later date.

Backing from Nomura, one of Japan’s largest financial groups, could give the business credibility among institutions that have remained cautious about entering cryptocurrency markets through unregulated platforms.

Survey shows growing institutional demand

The registration comes amid evidence that Japanese professional investors are becoming more receptive to digital assets.

A 2026 survey published by Nomura and Laser Digital found that 65% of respondents viewed crypto as a portfolio diversification opportunity. Nearly 79% of the institutions surveyed said they intended to invest in digital assets within the following three years.

JUST IN: Nomura's Laser Digital completes registration as a Crypto Asset Exchange Service Provider in Japan under the Payment Services Act.

Registration No. 00032. $XRP is on the approved asset list alongside BTC and ETH https://t.co/uIm881mjKY pic.twitter.com/7QKmIxw3Xp

— 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸XRP (@BankXRP) August 23, 2026

Those findings suggest demand could expand rapidly if investors receive access to regulated trading, custody and liquidity services that satisfy their compliance requirements.

Laser Digital’s approval provides another institutional route into the market without requiring firms to rely exclusively on overseas platforms.

Japan moves toward new crypto framework

Japan has historically imposed strict requirements on crypto exchanges following several high-profile industry collapses and security breaches. The four-year gap in new registrations reflected the difficulty of meeting its operational and consumer-protection standards.

However, policymakers have recently pursued broader reforms, including stablecoin rules and proposals to treat crypto assets more like conventional financial products. The shift could eventually support changes to digital asset taxation and create a clearer route for crypto exchange-traded funds.

Laser Digital Japan’s approval does not guarantee that regulators will rapidly authorize more operators. Nevertheless, the decision suggests that new entrants can secure registration if they demonstrate strong governance and risk controls.

For Japan’s crypto sector, the arrival of a Nomura-backed provider could deepen liquidity, strengthen institutional infrastructure and encourage more traditional financial companies to enter the market.