Nomura’s Crypto Arm Laser Digital Eyes US Bank Charter: Report

Wall Street's old guard just placed another bet on crypto's future—and this one could rewrite the rulebook.

Laser Digital, the digital assets division of Japanese financial giant Nomura, is reportedly pursuing a U.S. bank charter. That's right—the same institution that's been navigating Japan's stringent Financial Services Agency (FSA) regulations now wants a seat at the American table. It's a power move that signals a seismic shift from cautious experimentation to full-throttle institutional adoption.

The Charter Play: More Than Just Permission

This isn't about getting a fancy license to hang on the wall. A bank charter is the ultimate skeleton key. It unlocks direct access to the Federal Reserve's payment system, simplifies custody, and provides a regulatory moat that pure-play crypto firms can only dream of. For Laser Digital, it's a bridge between TradFi's deep liquidity pools and crypto's frontier markets. Think of it as building a regulated highway right into the heart of DeFi.

Why This Changes the Game

For years, crypto's relationship with traditional banking has been a tense dance—all sidelong glances and arm's-length partnerships. A major global bank like Nomura planting its flag directly in the U.S. regulatory landscape cuts through the noise. It bypasses the patchwork of state-level money transmitter licenses and offers clients one-stop-shop legitimacy. Suddenly, asset allocation into Bitcoin or Ethereum looks less like a speculative punt and more like a strategic portfolio decision—just ask any pension fund manager now quietly re-running their models.

The Institutional Floodgates Are Creaking Open

Laser's maneuver isn't happening in a vacuum. It's part of a calculated, multi-year institutional land grab. They're not chasing retail hype; they're building infrastructure for the next wave of capital. This charter quest follows their successful launch of a Bitcoin adoption fund in Europe and relentless product expansion. It's a classic institutional play: secure the plumbing first, then open the taps.

One cynical finance jab? Watching traditional banks finally embrace crypto is like watching a gourmet restaurant start selling burgers—only after the food truck down the street has already made a fortune and changed everyone's palate.

The bottom line: When a firm with Nomura's pedigree seeks the ultimate stamp of U.S. banking approval, it's not just news. It's a declaration that the future of finance is being built—and they intend to own a cornerstone.

OCC Bank Charter Process Can Stretch Beyond A Year

An OCC charter typically runs in two stages, starting with conditional approval, then moving to final sign-off after the applicant shows it has the capital and operational readiness to run a bank, a process that can stretch well beyond a year.

The backdrop has changed from the previous administration, when applicants often struggled to clear the initial bar, and some withdrew rather than wait out a long review.

Laser Digital is not the only firm lining up. Trump-linked World Liberty Financial said earlier this month that its subsidiary applied for an OCC national trust bank charter tied to stablecoin operations.

In Europe, Revolut has also shifted gears, dropping plans to buy a US lender and instead preparing a bid for a standalone US banking licence.

FDIC Clears Path For New Corporate-Owned Banks

Even outside fintech, the push is spreading. The FDIC recently approved deposit insurance applications from Ford and General Motors, clearing a path for the automakers to set up industrial banks in Utah.

The OCC itself has a new leadership team in place, with Jonathan V. Gould sworn in as Comptroller of the Currency in July 2025.

The numbers show how quickly interest has picked up. Freshfields reported that the OCC received 14 de novo charter applications in 2025 for limited purpose national trust banks, nearly matching the total from the prior four years combined.