Due to launch later this year, the new venture will provide clients and investors with products and services linked to cryptocurrencies, stable coins, decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other tokens.

Steve Ashley, chair of the new company and head of Nomura's wholesale division, says: “This is a major step forward as we look to scale-up our digital asset related businesses and investments. The new company will enable us to build an edge in providing institutional clients with access to a wide range of new products and services and contribute meaningfully towards responsible innovation in the digital asset ecosystem.”

Operating as a wholly owned segregated entity of NHI, the unit will have its own dedicated capital and will be staffed by digital asset specialists from Nomura and external hires.

“Establishing this new company is a critical foundation for us and key to building an end-to-end digital asset offering,” says Jez Mohideen, the unit’s newly appointed CEO. “The company will have top talent and business agility along with access to Nomura’s global network to build a top tier institutional digital asset franchise.”

News of the venutre follows the establishment of Nomura’s Digital Company in April this year. The Digital Company was formed following a reorganisation of the japanese bank's Future Innovation Company, with the strategic intention of building its presence in the digital asset space.

Nomura already has a presence in the digital asset economy thorugh Komainu, a crypto custodian joint venture with CoinShares, and Ledger, which launched in June 2020. In March last year Komainu closed a $25 million Series A fundraise after growing assets under management to over $3 billion.