Crypto Giant Laser Ends Japan’s Four-Year Licensing Drought

Key Takeaways

• It marks Japan’s first new exchange registration since 2022, per Laser Digital and Reuters records.
• Operations will begin by supplying liquidity to domestic crypto businesses rather than opening a retail order book.
• The Financial Services Agency (FSA) continues to prioritize rigorous cybersecurity compliance over rapid industry expansion.

Laser Digital Japan announced on August 21 that it completed its registration as a crypto-asset exchange service provider under the Payment Services Act, securing registration number 00032 from the Kanto Local Finance Bureau. Rather than chasing retail volume, the firm’s initial mandate focuses squarely on supplying wholesale liquidity to domestic crypto companies. Direct trading access for institutional investors remains under evaluation for a later phase.

That rollout strategy highlights Tokyo’s calculated pace. Regulators are welcoming a ma...