Nomura’s digital asset subsidiary Laser Digital has confirmed that it has applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a US national trust bank charter as Laser Digital National Trust Bank. The goal is to provide institutional customers with digital asset custody, staking and spot crypto and fiat currency trading. While it aims to provide custody of US government securities, at this stage it is not planning other securities activities.
“For several years we have invested in building infrastructure that meets the standards of the world’s most demanding institutions,” said Steve Walsh, Chairman of Laser Digital. “The U.S. is the most important financial market globally, and we believe the next chapter of digital finance will be written by firms that are prepared to operate at that level of scrutiny and permanence.”
Current Laser Digital activities include crypto trading, crypto asset management and venture investment but not custody. A key part of its venture portfolio is Komainu, one of the first institutional digital asset custody firms that was co-founded by Nomura. While the new US entity will focus on the American market, there’s operational overlap with Komainu, which is currently active outside of the United States with a presence in Jersey, the UK, Italy, Singapore and the UAE under VARA regulation.
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