Nomura Launches Bitcoin Adoption Fund for Institutional Investors

Quick take:

• Nomura has launched a Bitcoin adoption fund for institutional investors.
• This is the second part of the Japanese investment banking giant’s strategy for its subsidiary Laser Digital Asset Management.
• Its first part focuses on Web3 startups, especially DeFi, while its third vertical will target digital asset trading.

Japan’s largest bank Nomura has launched the Bitcoin adoption fund for institutional investors. The new fund forms the second part (Asset Management) of its subsidiary Laser Digital Asset Management’s strategy.

Laser Digital launched in September 2022 with a venture capital fund for Web3 startups, which forms the first part of its strategy. The company had signalled plans for a digital asset management unit in May last year, with plans to invest in NFTs, DeFi and other digital assets.

The third part will focus on digital asset trading according to the announcement on Tuesday.

Commenting on the announcement, Sebastien Guglietta, Head of Laser Digital Asset Management said: “Technology is a key driver of global economic growth and is transforming a large part of the economy from analogue to digital. Bitcoin is one of the enablers of this long-lasting transformational change.”

This announcement also comes at a time when multiple banks around the world are looking to leverage crypto to improve global financial transactions. HSBC, the UK’s Standard Chartered, Germany’s DZ Bank AG, and Paris-based BNP Securities Services have all leaned to crypto to launch crypto custody services, which allow institutions to securely invest in digital assets like Bitcoin.

The announcement also comes timely following Europe’s ground-breaking Bitcoin Spot ETF, which Jacobi Asset Management listed on the Euronext Amsterdam on Monday.

BlackRock, Fidelity and Invesco have also submitted applications to sell US “spot” exchange-traded funds tied directly to Bitcoin holdings, while Grayscale won an Aug. 29 court ruling in its push to turn its Bitcoin trust into an ETF.

Laser Digital’s launch of the Bitcoin adoption fund comes at a time when mainstream financial institutions are pushing for investments tied to crypto and this delights Fiona King, the head of digital distribution at Laser Digital.

“We’re delighted to now launch our Bitcoin adoption fund, which allows institutional investors a secure path into digital asset investment that is backed by established finance, with the highest levels of risk management and compliance,” said King.

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