Nomura’s Crypto Tango: Cutting Risks While Trying Not to Step on Toes!

by

Key Highlights

  • Nomura decides to tiptoe back from the crypto dance floor, yet dreams of a grand performance in the future.
  • As Japan tightens its crypto corset, exchanges must mind their manners, leaving firms like Nomura to juggle caution and ambition.
  • Despite the market’s dramatic dips and geopolitical soap operas, Nomura holds onto a glimmer of hope, planning a U.S. crypto shindig.

In the land of the rising sun, where cherry blossoms bloom amidst the chaos of capitalism, Nomura-Japan’s largest wealth manager-is taking a step back from the wild world of cryptocurrencies. After watching its European arm take a nosedive in the third quarter of 2025, the firm, which manages a staggering ¥153 trillion in client assets, seems to have realized that sometimes it’s best not to ride the rollercoaster with your eyes closed.

According to a cheerful proclamation from Bloomberg Japan, Chief Financial Officer Hiroyuki Moriuchi confirmed they’ve decided to cut their crypto positions, not out of fear but rather in pursuit of a more stable profit landscape. “We’re just keeping our heads above water,” he might as well have said, while secretly plotting to expand their digital empire at a measured pace.

This risk-slicing strategy has particularly impacted Nomura’s European offspring, Laser Digital Holdings, the proud guardian of trading and custody services. “We’ve tightened our belts,” Moriuchi quipped, balancing the fine line between playing it safe and daring to dream big.

Laser Digital was birthed in Switzerland in September 2022, with lofty aspirations of surfing the cryptocurrency wave. However, after losing around ¥10.6 billion (or $70-75 million) in the tumultuous Q3 of 2025, it seems this baby’s been rocked by the proverbial waves.

Reducing risk amid volatility

As the markets wobble like a three-legged stool, Nomura is wisely backing away from the crypto buffet. Japanese firms, with their eyes glistening at the prospect of Bitcoin and its digital cousins, are now facing the sobering reality that this financial feast can quickly turn into a food fight.

By pulling back, Nomura is not just protecting its own bottom line; it’s also playing by the new rules of engagement, ensuring client funds don’t become collateral damage amid the market’s tantrums.

In a strategic move, Laser Digital has thrown its hat in the ring for a U.S. federal banking license. This would allow them to offer crypto custody and trading services across the land of the free, showing that Nomura still believes in the American dream, albeit with a cautious twist. With this license, they could reel in U.S. clients while maintaining a steady grip on their operations.

Broader market drawdown

Nomura’s withdrawal from the crypto fray echoes the broader market slump witnessed in late 2025. After Bitcoin and its friends threw a raucous party in October, the last two months turned into a rather dull affair, with prices slumping faster than a bad stand-up comedian.

As of now, Bitcoin hovers near $76,510-40% lower than its dizzying peak of $126,198 reached on October 27, 2025. The entire crypto market cap has shed nearly $1.5 trillion since its high, reinforcing that Nomura’s decision to cut back was, in hindsight, a brilliantly tactical retreat.

Regulatory shifts in Japan

As Nomura adjusts its sails, Japan is tightening the reins on crypto trading. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) is determined to make trading safer, demanding exchanges respect the new order of things. They want to ensure that those who play with fire have suitable safety gear, closing loopholes that could turn a minor spark into a raging inferno.

With many third-party providers flitting about like unregulated fireflies, these changes will make sure exchanges are held accountable, even when they outsource their essential tasks. Hence, risk management is becoming the name of the game, and Nomura seems to be leading the way, one cautious step at a time.

Read More

2026-02-02 11:09