Investment Managers in Japan Show Growing Interest in Crypto Assets
Japan’s Nomura Holdings and Laser Digital Survey Shows Growing Interest in Crypto Investments
In a recent survey conducted by Japan’s largest brokerage platform Nomura Holdings and its digital asset wing Laser Digital, nearly 50% of investment managers expressed their interest in investing in crypto assets over the next three years. The survey, which was conducted in April with almost 500 investment managers in Japan, revealed that a majority of investors are looking to diversify their portfolios and hedge against inflation by investing in cryptocurrencies.
According to the survey, 54% of investors are considering investing in crypto assets in order to stabilize their portfolios and reduce risks through diversification. Additionally, nearly 25% of respondents held a positive view of crypto, particularly Bitcoin and Ethereum, while 62% saw crypto assets as a diversification opportunity.
The survey comes on the heels of the Japanese cabinet’s approval of a proposal in February to include cryptocurrency in the list of assets that local investment limited partnerships can acquire or hold. Nomura expects the revision to the Limited Partnerships Act to take place later this year.
Investors who are already investing in or planning to invest in crypto assets are driven by the development of various crypto investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), staking, lending, investment trusts, and other financial instruments.
Japan is actively working to develop its Web3 industry as part of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s “new capitalism” economic policy. In December, the government approved a tax regime revision that exempts corporations from paying taxes on unrealized crypto gains if they hold the assets for the long term.
In a move to further strengthen its position in the crypto industry, Nomura announced last month that it plans to launch USD and Yen-backed stablecoins. The partnership with internet infrastructure company GMO Internet aims to introduce stablecoin-as-a-service solutions for customers in the Japanese market, allowing companies to issue their own stablecoins with regulatory compliance management and blockchain technology integration.
With the growing interest in crypto investments and the development of stablecoin solutions, Japan’s crypto industry is maturing rapidly, supported by a strong regulatory framework and the participation of traditional market players like Nomura Holdings.
