Nomura Holdings, Japan’s largest brokerage, is exploring a sale of its crypto unit, Laser Digital. The move follows losses that hurt the bank’s European business last year.

Despite the market volatility, traditional banks have been expanding deeper into digital assets and custody in 2026. So, Nomura’s potential U-turn from the industry would be a surprise.

Why Nomura Is Considering Selling Laser Digital

Laser Digital is Nomura’s Zurich-based digital asset subsidiary. It offers crypto trading, asset management, and on-chain credit services to institutional clients. Nomura launched Laser Digital in 2022, during a deep…