🇯🇵 Crypto Samurai: Nomura’s Bold Gamble in the Land of the Rising Blockchain 🗡️💰

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In the shadow of Mount Fuji, where the ancient gods whisper secrets of greed and ambition, Nomura Holdings, that venerable titan of finance, prepares to cast its net wider into the turbulent waters of Japan’s crypto market. As the land of the rising sun awakens to the siren call of digital yen, Nomura’s Swiss-born offspring, Laser Digital Holdings, kneels at the altar of the Financial Services Agency, begging for permission to dance with institutional clients. Ah, the irony! A samurai seeking approval from the shogun. 🏯

Laser’s CEO, Jez Mohideen-a name that rolls off the tongue like a poorly translated haiku-proclaimed to Bloomberg that this move is a testament to their faith in Japan’s digital asset scene. Faith, you say? Or is it desperation cloaked in the silk of optimism? After all, Laser, born in 2022, already boasts a crypto license from Dubai, a city where even the sand is gilded. Yet, here they are, bowing to Tokyo’s bureaucrats. 🧑‍💼🙇‍♂️

Nomura Holdings plans to expand in Japan’s digital-asset market through a subsidiary, as crypto trading in the country heats up

– Bloomberg (@business) October 3, 2025

If the gods of regulation smile upon them, Laser dreams of becoming a broker-dealer for banks, pension managers, and crypto firms-a middleman in a world that despises intermediaries. Ah, the sweet delusion of relevance! 🏦💼

A Tale of Ambition and Fumbling Steps

Nomura birthed Laser to conquer asset management, venture investments, and trading services for digital assets. Yet, like a novice archer, Laser’s arrows have missed the mark. Earlier this year, Nomura confessed to a quarterly loss in Europe, partly thanks to Laser’s misadventures. CFO Hiroyuki Moriuchi, with the candor of a man watching his ship sink, described the results as “not very good.” A masterpiece of understatement! 🚢💸

Mohideen, ever the optimist, once predicted Laser would break even within two years. But hope, like a poorly coded smart contract, often fails. He later admitted profits might take longer-a revelation as shocking as rain in Tokyo. 🌧️

Trading Volumes Double

Meanwhile, Japan’s crypto market booms like a taiko drum. The Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association reports transactions soared to ¥33.7 trillion ($230 billion) in the first seven months of the year-double the previous pace. On-chain value received jumped 120% in the 12 months to June 2025, outpacing even the frenzied markets of South Korea, India, and Vietnam. Ah, the smell of freshly minted yen! 💹📈

Policy steps, including tax cuts and new rules for crypto funds, lure both young retail investors and institutional whales. Even Daiwa Securities now allows clients to use Bitcoin and Ether as collateral for yen loans-a move as bold as it is baffling. Who knew crypto could be a pawn in the game of traditional finance? 🏦🔗

A yen-backed stablecoin issuer has also gained a license, adding another tool to the trader’s arsenal. Yet, amidst this frenzy, the question lingers: Can newcomers like Laser turn a profit, or will they be swallowed by the digital leviathan? Laser’s early losses and delayed expectations suggest the latter. 🦈💸

Nomura’s expansion is a long-term gamble, a bet that institutional flows will grow and regulators will play nice. But in the land of the rising blockchain, nothing is certain-except perhaps the inevitability of human folly. 🃏🎰

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2025-10-03 19:24