Nomura Group’s digital asset subsidiary, Laser Digital, announced the launch of the Bitcoin Adoption Fund on Tuesday, September 19th.
Their Bitcoin Adoption Investment Fund will provide institutional investors with an easy way to access the world of digital assets.
Nomura Group initially entered the digital asset business through Laser Digital in May 2022. Headquartered in Switzerland, Laser Digital boasts a blend of precision, best practices, and expertise from the global investment banking sector combined with the experience of a crypto-native team.
Nomura Asset Management, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a global asset manager with approximately $504 billion in assets under management (AUM) as of June 2023. Nomura Asset Management is a part of the Nomura Group.
Offering Long-Term Exposure to Bitcoin
The Bitcoin Adoption Fund is said to be the first in a series of crypto adoption investment solutions that Laser Digital Asset Management will offer to the market.
Laser Digital’s Bitcoin Adoption Fund is designed to provide long-term exposure to Bitcoin, making it one of the most cost-effective and secure investment solutions available.
This investment fund is a separate part of the Laser Digital Funds SPC portfolio, registered as a mutual fund under the regulations of the Cayman Islands.
To secure their fund assets, Laser Digital will utilize the digital asset storage solution Komainu, established by Nomura in collaboration with Ledger and Coinshares in 2018. Komainu is recognized for providing a regulated custody solution for institutional digital asset investors.
Both Laser Digital and Komainu have received operational licenses from digital asset regulators in Dubai. This enables them to offer various crypto trading services and investment products.
Calling Bitcoin a “Transformational Change Catalyst”
Sebastian Guglietta leads Laser Digital Asset Management, having previously served as Chief Scientist Officer at Nomura. Prior to that, he held Portfolio Manager and Senior Scientist roles at Brevan Howard.
With over 25 years of experience in systematic investment strategy, derivatives, and macro trading, the leader of Laser Digital Asset Management, Sebastien Guglietta, emphasized that technology is the primary driver of global economic growth, transitioning most economies from analog to digital.
“Bitcoin is one of the long-term transformational change catalysts. Our long-term exposure to Bitcoin offers a solution for investors to capture this macro trend,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Fiona King, Head of Distribution at Laser Digital Asset Management, expressed her delight in launching the Bitcoin Adoption Fund. It allows institutional investors to have a secure path to digital asset investment backed by established financial industry players, with high levels of risk management and compliance.
Laser Digital’s Three Core Areas
When introducing Laser Digital in September 2022, Kentaro Okuda, President and Group CEO of Nomura Holdings, stated that remaining at the forefront of digital innovation was a top priority for the Nomura Group.
At that time, it was explained that Laser Digital would focus on three core areas: asset management, crypto trading, and venture capital (VC).
Regarding Laser Venture Capital, this entity will invest in various companies within the digital ecosystem, with a focus on decentralized finance (DeFi), centralized finance (CeFi), web3, and blockchain infrastructure.
