Laser Digital Gains First US OCC Crypto Trust Charter

– $250M Zurich-based subsidiary of Nomura receives conditional OCC approval for US trust bank charter, marking the first Japanese bank entry into US crypto banking. – The charter enables Laser Digital to manage custody of both traditional and digital assets, excluding deposits and lending.

On May 30, 2026, Cryptopolitan reported that Laser Digital, a subsidiary of Nomura, became the first Japanese financial institution’s arm to secure conditional US OCC approval for a federal trust bank charter. This move positions Laser Digital National Trust Bank to manage custody and administration of traditional, tokenized, and digital assets in the United States under federal oversight. The new US arm can facilitate cross-border payments, oversee fund flows among fiat, stablecoins, and cryptocurrencies, and support collateral operations. The charter does not authorize deposit-taking or lending services.

Laser Digital now joins a roster of crypto-focused companies with similar OCC conditional approvals, alongside Circle, Ripple, BitGo, Paxos, Fidelity Digital Assets, Bridge (a Stripe subsidiary), and Crypto.com. The OCC has accelerated its regulatory process for digital asset firms, with Laser Digital among fifteen companies applying for OCC charters since early 2025.

The subsidiary must still meet all OCC requirements and satisfy capital levels set on a case-by-case basis before receiving full approval. Only then can Laser Digital compete with established US crypto custodians. Some traditional banking advocates have criticized the OCC’s approach, warning that these approvals could blur the lines between federally chartered banks and crypto-centered companies.

Laser Digital already holds regulatory approvals in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Japan. The conditional US charter is set to further solidify its role in the American digital asset sector, pending final OCC sign-off.