Key Takeaways
- • Nomura's Laser Digital has made a strategic investment in ZIGChain, a UAE-based Layer 1 blockchain, with the investment valued in the single-digit millions to support onchain private credit infrastructure in the Gulf States.
- • The partnership targets tokenization of private credit markets across Gulf States with Sharia-compliant offerings, positioning the collaboration to create "one of the largest on-chain products the Gulf countries have ever seen," according to ZIGChain co-founder Abdul Rafay Gadit.
- • Laser Digital will deliver comprehensive risk framework design and governance across a pipeline of institutional onchain vault products, leveraging both firms' Dubai presence and proximity to operationalize the initiative.
- • The investment reflects Nomura's continued commitment to digital assets despite February 2026 market pressures that forced the parent company to tighten risk limits at Laser Digital; the move signals a strategic pivot toward conservative but deliberate crypto expansion in regulated markets.
- • ZIGChain operates in partnership with Apex Group, a cryptocurrency-friendly fund servicing platform, enabling institutional-grade infrastructure for tokenized credit products targeting emerging Gulf market opportunities.
Summary
Nomura's Laser Digital, the Japanese financial services group's digital assets division, has invested in ZIGChain, a UAE-based Layer 1 blockchain platform, to develop institutional-grade onchain private credit infrastructure across the Gulf States. The investment, disclosed on August 5, 2026, is understood to be in the single-digit millions, though the exact figure was not disclosed. The partnership represents a significant strategic alignment between two Dubai-based entities positioned to capture growing demand for tokenized financial products in the region.
The strategic partnership aims to streamline private credit markets across Gulf States while incorporating Sharia-compliant offerings, addressing both institutional and religious compliance requirements. The collaboration will deliver a comprehensive risk framework design and governance structure across a pipeline of institutional onchain vault products. According to ZIGChain co-founder Abdul Rafay Gadit, the initiative represents one of the largest onchain products developed for the Gulf region to date. Gadit emphasized the practical advantages of the partnership, noting that both Laser Digital and ZIGChain operate from Dubai offices located approximately one kilometer apart, facilitating seamless operational integration and shared vision alignment around financial accessibility through crypto and tokenization.
This investment marks a notable statement from Nomura about its continued presence in digital assets, particularly given recent market headwinds. In February 2026, Nomura tightened risk limits at Laser Digital following cryptocurrency losses that impacted the parent company's quarterly profit. Market observers interpreted the move as a strategic retreat, though Nomura signaled its intention to maintain a presence in crypto with a more conservative operational approach. The ZIGChain partnership demonstrates that conservative posture—characterized by focused institutional partnerships in regulated jurisdictions rather than broad-based market exposure. ZIGChain operates alongside Apex Group, a cryptocurrency-friendly fund servicing provider, strengthening the institutional infrastructure underpinning the onchain private credit initiative.
The strategic partnership aims to streamline private credit markets across Gulf States while incorporating Sharia-compliant offerings, addressing both institutional and religious compliance requirements. The collaboration will deliver a comprehensive risk framework design and governance structure across a pipeline of institutional onchain vault products. According to ZIGChain co-founder Abdul Rafay Gadit, the initiative represents one of the largest onchain products developed for the Gulf region to date. Gadit emphasized the practical advantages of the partnership, noting that both Laser Digital and ZIGChain operate from Dubai offices located approximately one kilometer apart, facilitating seamless operational integration and shared vision alignment around financial accessibility through crypto and tokenization.
This investment marks a notable statement from Nomura about its continued presence in digital assets, particularly given recent market headwinds. In February 2026, Nomura tightened risk limits at Laser Digital following cryptocurrency losses that impacted the parent company's quarterly profit. Market observers interpreted the move as a strategic retreat, though Nomura signaled its intention to maintain a presence in crypto with a more conservative operational approach. The ZIGChain partnership demonstrates that conservative posture—characterized by focused institutional partnerships in regulated jurisdictions rather than broad-based market exposure. ZIGChain operates alongside Apex Group, a cryptocurrency-friendly fund servicing provider, strengthening the institutional infrastructure underpinning the onchain private credit initiative.
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