Japan’s Largest Brokerage Could Sell Its Entire Crypto Unit
Not investment advice. Muhabbit scores how much a story may matter, not which way to trade.
Nomura Holdings is exploring a sale of its crypto unit, Laser Digital, following losses that weighed on the Japanese brokerage’s European business last year. The potential exit would mark a reversal for Japan’s largest brokerage, which had joined a wave of traditional banks pushing deeper into digital assets and custody in 2026. No valuation or buyer has been disclosed, leaving the unit’s roughly 200 staff and its licensed Abu Dhabi and Swiss operations in limbo. The move matters because it tests whether bulge-bracket banks can stomach crypto’s volatility while rivals such as Standard Chartered and Deutsche Bank expand their digital-asset offerings. Watch for a formal sale process, potential bidders among crypto-native firms and exchanges, and whether Nomura retains any residual custody or trading partnership with Laser Digital.
Muhabbit's AI wrote this summary in its own words from BeInCrypto's report. It can get details wrong, so check the source.
Named in this story
Laser Digital, Nomura Holdings, Japan