Nomura explores sale of crypto unit Laser Digital

The signal here is less about crypto demand than about a large bank rethinking where a non-core digital-asset bet fits inside a struggling regional franchise. A sale exploration by a mainstream institution is a notable reversal in posture for bank-owned crypto ventures, and it matters for the unit's staff and clients, who would face an ownership transition, and for peers weighing similar builds versus exits. No buyer, valuation or timeline is disclosed, so whether this becomes a transaction or stays an internal review is the open question.