Nomura’s Crypto Custody Dream: Will It Outshine Your Tinder Matches?

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Finance

What’s the Big Deal? (Because You’re Clearly Dying to Know)

  • Laser Digital (yes, that’s Nomura’s cool crypto cousin) is begging the OCC for a trust bank license. Because who doesn’t want to be a crypto babysitter these days?
  • Their grand plan? Custody, trading, and staking. Basically, everything your grandma still doesn’t understand about crypto.
  • Joining the cool kids’ club with Ripple and Circle. Because FOMO is real, even for banks.

So, Laser Digital (Nomura’s digital assets arm, if you’re not already obsessed) has decided it’s time to play grown-up and filed an application with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Why? To open a federally regulated national trust bank, of course. Because nothing says “we’re serious” like asking the government to watch over your crypto stash.

The proposed Laser Digital National Trust Bank (catchy, right?) will be based in the U.S. and cater to institutional clients. Think custody for cryptocurrencies and U.S. government securities (because even crypto needs a safety blanket). They’ll also throw in spot trading for crypto and fiat currencies, plus staking services. Basically, it’s a one-stop shop for all your institutional crypto needs, minus the deposit accounts and securities trading. Sorry, no piggy banks here.

If approved, Laser Digital will join the elite club of federally regulated crypto institutions. You know, the ones who get to say, “We’re supervised by a national regulator,” at parties. This comes hot on the heels of Ripple, Circle, BitGo, Fidelity, and Paxos getting their trust bank nods. Talk about keeping up with the Joneses.

“Institutional clients are increasingly looking for ways to engage with digital assets within structures that are familiar, well governed, and regulator supervised,” said Purvi Maniar, Laser Digital’s chief legal officer and proposed bank president. Translation: “We’re here to make crypto less scary for the big boys.”

Laser Digital, already licensed in the UAE and based in Zurich (fancy!), offers crypto funds, over-the-counter trading, and treasury management tools. Oh, and they just launched a tokenized bitcoin yield-bearing fund. Because why not add another layer of complexity to your life?

But don’t get too excited-the proposed bank won’t offer deposit accounts or securities trading at launch. So, no, you can’t stash your spare change there. Yet.

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2026-01-28 13:49