Nomura launches Bitcoin adoption fund for institutional investors

Nomura, Japan’s largest investment bank, announced that its subsidiary Laser Digital Asset Management has introduced a Bitcoin Adoption Fund aimed at providing institutional investors with direct exposure to Bitcoin.

Targeting institutional investors, this move is part of a larger plan by Nomura, which is positioning the fund as “the first in a range of digital adoption investment solutions that the firm plans to introduce.”

The Bitcoin Adoption Fund offers “long-only exposure to Bitcoin (BTC)” and is a segment of Laser Digital Funds Segregated Portfolio Company. Remarkably, it has been registered as a mutual fund under the Cayman Islands Regulatory Authority. To ensure regulated custody, Nomura has selected Komainu as its partner.

Sebastien Guglietta, head of Laser Digital Asset Management, voiced the bank’s long-term perspective, stating, “Bitcoin is one of the enablers of this long-lasting transformational change, and long-term exposure to Bitcoin offers a solution for investors to capture this macro trend.”

Nomura’s engagement in the digital asset ecosystem is not new. In September 2022, the bank initiated its digital asset venture capital arm, signaling its intent to remain at the “forefront of digital innovation.” Adding to its accolades, Laser Digital secured a license from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) to operate in the UAE as of August this year.

The timing of the launch goes hand-in-hand with increased conversations around regulated Bitcoin investment products, not only in Japan but around the world.

For instance, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently approved two Bitcoin-based futures exchange-traded funds. Additionally, both Canada and Europe have given the nod to several Bitcoin-focused investment products in recent years.

Nomura’s Bitcoin Adoption Fund is a noteworthy development in the realm of institutional crypto investments, especially for a traditional financial powerhouse. It highlights the growing acceptance and potential normalization of digital assets within mainstream financial institutions.