Laser Digital, the digital assets subsidiary of Nomura, is pursuing a U.S. banking charter, underscoring a broader push by crypto firms to obtain federal oversight and integrate digital assets into the mainstream financial system.
Why a federal charter matters
A federal banking charter can provide uniform national supervision, clearer compliance standards, and a more direct path to serving institutional clients. For crypto-focused firms, it can enable regulated custody, settlement, and tokenization services under the oversight of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), while subjecting operations to stringent capital, risk management, and anti–money laundering requirements.
Regulatory backdrop
In recent years, select digital asset companies have pursued national trust bank charters or similar federal pathways to move beyond state-by-state licensing. Anchorage Digital Bank, for example, operates under an OCC national trust bank charter, while others have pursued state charters such as Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI) framework. Federal approvals remain demanding, with heightened scrutiny on custody controls, liquidity, and governance.
Industry implications
If approved, Laser Digital’s charter would add to a small but growing cohort of federally supervised crypto institutions, potentially accelerating institutional adoption of tokenized assets and regulated custody. The effort highlights continued interest from established financial firms in building compliant infrastructure for digital assets within the U.S. banking system.