Nomura Survey With Laser Digital Finds 65% Of Institutions See Crypto As Diversifier

A new Nomura survey with Laser Digital points to a broadening institutional embrace of crypto, tying the change to “regulation and diversification.”

“Nomura study says 65% of institutional investors see crypto as a vital portfolio diversifier A new survey from Nomura and Laser Digital shows improving sentiment among institutional investors, as regulatory clarity and new products drive deeper engagement with digital assets”

@coindesk

CoinDesk reports that “65% of institutional investors see crypto as a vital portfolio diversifier,” while the same study found “31% of institutional investors now have a positive outlook on crypto, up from 25% in 2024.”

@coindesk

The survey also says “79% of those considering crypto plan to invest within three years,” and that most expect “allocating 2%–5% of portfolios.”

CoinDesk adds that interest is expanding beyond “spot exposure into staking, lending, derivatives and tokenized assets,” with “More than 60% of respondents” expressing interest in those categories.

It further reports that “Stablecoins are also gaining traction,” with “63% of respondents identifying potential use cases ranging from treasury management to cross-border payments and investment in tokenized securities.”

The study’s framing is that institutions are moving from debating whether to invest toward focusing on “how to do so,” as the asset class matures.

CoinDesk links the survey’s improved sentiment to a changing policy environment, describing Japan as a key driver of institutional comfort.

It says “In Japan, policymakers have spent the past year refining crypto frameworks,” including “discussions around classification, taxation and investor protections.”

CoinDesk

The article also points to global rulemaking in “major markets,” stating that “clearer rules in major markets — alongside the approval and expansion of crypto investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and tokenized assets — have reduced some of the uncertainty that previously kept institutions on the sidelines.”

Even with that progress, CoinDesk emphasizes that “Regulatory uncertainty, while improving, has not fully disappeared,” and it pairs that with ongoing concerns about market structure.

The survey highlights “Concerns around volatility, counterparty risk and the lack of established valuation frameworks” as barriers that “continue to weigh on adoption.”

In the same report, the emphasis is that institutions are increasingly focused on implementation details rather than the basic question of whether crypto belongs in portfolios.

While CoinDesk describes sentiment and intended allocations, DiarioBitcoin reports a concrete product launch tied to Nomura’s crypto unit Laser Digital.

“Laser Digital, la subsidiaria de activos digitales del banco japonés Nomura, lanzó un fondo tokenizado que ofrece rendimientos en Bitcoin, diseñado para grandes inversores de la criptomonedas a largo plazo”

DiarioBitcoin

It says “Laser Digital, la subsidiaria de activos digitales del banco japonés Nomura, lanzó un fondo tokenizado que ofrece rendimientos en Bitcoin,” and identifies the vehicle as “el 'Bitcoin Diversified Yield Fund SP'.”

DiarioBitcoin describes it as “El primer vehículo de rendimiento en Bitcoin nativamente tokenizado,” and says it is “Dirigido a inversores acreditados, con una suscripción mínima de USD $250,000.”

The article adds that the fund is “establecido bajo la jurisdicción de las Islas Caimán,” and that its structure uses “la tecnología de tokenización proporcionada por KAIO.”

It also says custody is handled by “Komainu, una empresa conjunta entre Nomura, CoinShares y Ledger,” and it describes the fund’s strategy as “un enfoque activo que incluye arbitrajes neutrales al mercado, préstamos y estrategias con opciones.”

DiarioBitcoin further states that the fund’s objective is “entregar un retorno neto excedente superior al 5% anual por encima del desempeño de Bitcoin, medido en periodos rodantes de 12 meses.”

DiarioBitcoin attributes the product’s rationale to Laser Digital leadership, quoting Jez Mohideen as he connects the launch to the market’s volatility and to “DeFi” strategies.

It says Mohideen, “cofundador y CEO de Laser Digital,” highlighted the relevance of the launch, and it quotes him directly: “La volatilidad reciente ha demostrado que los fondos de rendimiento neutrales al mercado, construidos sobre estrategias calculadas de DeFi, representan la evolución natural de la gestión de activos cripto.”

@coindesk

The article then adds that Mohideen said the initiative “permite a la firma mantener su liderazgo y capitalizar la próxima fase de las finanzas descentralizadas,” while also “atendiendo tanto a los poseedores de Bitcoin como a inversores institucionales nuevos y existentes.”

CoinDesk, meanwhile, includes a separate quoted perspective from Paxos Labs cofounder Chunda McCain, stating that “Firms using stablecoins can reshape margins by cutting costs, unlock credit and earn yield, but not every company needs to issue a token.”

In the same CoinDesk piece, it frames stablecoins as entering “a new phase” in which companies focus less on “basic infrastructure” and more on “concrete business uses, such as yield and credit,” quoting McCain again: “Stablecoins are entering a new phase in which companies focus less on basic infrastructure and more on concrete business uses, such as yield and credit.”

Taken together, the two articles present a consistent theme: institutions and firms are seeking yield-oriented structures, whether through tokenized Bitcoin funds or stablecoin business applications.

The sources diverge in what they emphasize, even when they point to the same broader direction: institutional engagement and productization.

“Nomura study says 65% of institutional investors see crypto as a vital portfolio diversifier A new survey from Nomura and Laser Digital shows improving sentiment among institutional investors, as regulatory clarity and new products drive deeper engagement with digital assets”

CoinDesk

CoinDesk’s survey story is quantitative and forward-looking, highlighting that “31% of respondents now hold a positive outlook on crypto over the next year, up from 25% in 2024,” and that “Most expect relatively modest allocations — typically between 2% and 5%.”

CoinDesk

It also stresses that “Still, barriers remain,” listing “Concerns around volatility, counterparty risk and the lack of established valuation frameworks” and noting that “Regulatory uncertainty, while improving, has not fully disappeared.”

DiarioBitcoin’s framing is more product-centric and operational, describing a specific tokenized fund with a “suscripción mínima de USD $250,000,” a “jurisdicción de las Islas Caimán,” and a custody setup involving “Komainu, una empresa conjunta entre Nomura, CoinShares y Ledger.”

It also states a performance target of “un retorno neto excedente superior al 5% anual por encima del desempeño de Bitcoin,” measured over “periodos rodantes de 12 meses,” and it specifies that the fund is “disponible exclusivamente para inversores acreditados en jurisdicciones elegibles fuera de Estados Unidos.”

Taken together, the next steps implied by the reporting are clear in each source: CoinDesk suggests institutions are shifting toward “how to do so,” while DiarioBitcoin shows that Laser Digital is packaging Bitcoin exposure with yield strategies and tokenization infrastructure.