Nomura, among the top-tier investment banks in Japan, has reportedly set up a venture capital division focusing on making investments in firms associated mainly with crypto and blockchain.

Specifically, Nomura reportedly disclosed that the business, going by the name “Laser Digital”, will “provide new value in the area of digital assets” for clients under the Switzerland-headquartered holding firm Laser Digital Holdings AG. 

The investment bank reportedly shared that its decision for Switzerland is dependent on its “robust regulatory regime for digital assets and blockchain projects”, apart from potentially recruiting talent.

“Staying at the forefront of digital innovation is a key priority for Nomura,” said president and group CEO of Nomura Holdings Kentaro Okuda.

Laser Digital’s venture capital product, Laser Venture Capital, will concentrate on investments including centralized finance, decentralized finance, Web3 and blockchain infrastructure. 

Laser Digital reportedly has plans down its pipeline to disclose details of extra offerings and services “over the coming months” targeting secondary trading and investor products.

As one of the most Japan-based major banks, Nomura Holdings clocked in a reported $454.8 billion in gross assets under management as of June this year, at the current exchange rate with a historically weak yen. 

Previously in May, Nomura was working on its project to release a crypto subsidiary focusing on investments in crypto and nonfungible tokens that would be based outside of Japan with a board of directors staffed by Japanese transplants until it could acquire local talent.