Nomura-backed Laser Digital applies for US national trust bank charter to offer regulated crypto custody and spot trading

Nomura-backed crypto unit Laser Digital has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter to provide federally regulated crypto custody and spot trading services. A federal charter would let Laser Digital operate under a unified nationwide framework and avoid state-by-state licensing. The filing is part of a broader wave of OCC applications — 14 were filed in 2025 — reflecting a more permissive stance under Comptroller Jonathan Gould. Other applicants include World Liberty Financial and Revolut (which abandoned a US bank acquisition); non-crypto companies such as Ford, GM and an Anduril-backed bank have also advanced with regulators. The OCC process includes an initial review of roughly four months, with final approval contingent on capital, compliance and operational readiness and potentially taking over a year. The shift follows stricter standards under the prior administration that led many applicants to withdraw. Laser Digital’s move comes amid stalled federal crypto legislation (the Clarity Act) and debate over stablecoin yield rules, which banks warn could spur deposit outflows if token yields outpace bank rates. For traders: approval would expand regulated onshore custody and spot trading infrastructure, reduce fragmentation from state licensing, and could increase institutional flows into custody-sensitive assets; timelines remain uncertain and approval is not guaranteed.