US EditionNomura's Laser Digital Applies to Open U.S. National Trust Bank for Crypto Custody
Laser Digital seeks OCC charter to offer federally regulated custody, spot trading, and staking for institutional clients, joining five firms approved last year, amid rising charter demand.
- Tuesday, Nomura's Laser Digital filed an application with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to open a federally regulated national trust bank serving institutional clients with crypto custody and spot trading.
- The charter route would remove the need for Laser Digital to obtain state custody licenses, adding to a surge after 18 de novo OCC applications in 2025 and five firms conditionally approved in December.
- Laser Digital, Nomura's digital-assets arm, is Zurich-based, licensed in the United Arab Emirates, spun off in 2022, and will not offer deposit accounts or securities trading at launch.
- The move signals greater institutionalization of digital-asset markets under national oversight, as Laser Digital seeks to join federally regulated crypto-native institutions under OCC supervision.
- Advisers see this as part of a broader rush of filings following recent approvals, with Michele Alt estimating 25 novel charter applications in 2026, while fintech-native banks remain a tiny part of roughly 4,000 established banks.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Nomura’s Laser Digital Seeks U.S. Trust Bank License
Laser Digital wants a U.S. trust bank charter for crypto custody The move targets institutional demand for regulated digital asset services Traditional finance firms deepen their role in crypto infrastructure Nomura’s digital asset arm, Laser Digital, has applied for a U.S. national trust bank charter as it pushes deeper into regulated crypto custody. The move signals strong institutional appetite for compliant digital asset infrastructure in th…
Laser Digital Applies for U.S. National Trust Bank
Laser Digital announced that Laser Digital Americas Group Holdings Inc., has filed a de novo application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to form Laser Digital National Trust Bank (LDNTB), a proposed National Trust Bank focused on digital assets, offering custody and spot trading services. If approved, the charter will position LDNTB to serve institutional customers across the U.S., offering custody of digital assets, inte…
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