0
0
News

Japan's Laser Digital Applies for U.S. Banking License: FT

Nomura's Laser Digital crypto subsidiary has applied for a U.S. national trust bank charter.
0
0
Jan 27, 2026 • 1 min read

Laser Digital, the digital assets subsidiary of Japanese financial conglomerate Nomura, has applied for a U.S. national trust bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

What's the Scoop?

  • Bank Application: According to the Financial Times, Laser Digital (a digital asset-focused company which spun out of Nomura in 2022) has filed with the OCC for a national trust bank charter. Charter holders can offer nationwide asset custody without needing to secure individual licenses at the state level.
  • Exchange Ambitions: Although Laser Digital declined to comment, according to the report, one person familiar with Laser Digital’s position indicated that the group intends to offer spot trading for digital assets.
  • Recent Approvals: The OCC previously granted national trust bank charters to five crypto banks associated with BitGo, Circle, Fidelity Digital Assets, Paxos, and Ripple in December.

Not financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This newsletter is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.

Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here.

Published in Bankless

There’s a revolution in the world of money. Ethereum, Bitcoin, crypto, open finance, DeFi—a bankless revolution. And you want part of it.