Nomura’s digital asset subsidiary, Laser Digital, has made a strategic investment in ZIGChain, a UAE-based Layer‑1 blockchain focused on private credit markets, as reported by CoinDesk. The partnership aims to bring onchain efficiency and increased accessibility to private credit across the Gulf States, including Sharia‑compliant structures.
The move resonates with a broader surge in institutional tokenization across the region, exemplified by Mubadala Capital Tokenizes Private Market Fund on Solana, Base, and Sui as Coinbase Takes Stake, where traditional private market funds are being migrated to blockchain rails. ZIGChain’s collaboration with Apex Group, a major fund servicing firm with deep crypto-friendly operations, further anchors this initiative in the core infrastructure of institutional finance.
Laser Digital’s Strategic Investment in ZIGChain
The exact size of Laser Digital’s investment was not disclosed, but sources close to the matter indicate a figure in the single‑digit millions. ZIGChain co‑founder Abdul Rafay Gadit described the alignment with Laser Digital CEO Jez Mohideen as a shared vision to modernize financial services through blockchain. The connection was facilitated by both firms’ strong presence in Dubai, a city rapidly emerging as a global crypto hub.
Beyond the capital infusion, the partnership is designed to deliver a comprehensive risk‑management framework and governance layer for a pipeline of institutional onchain vault products. These products will allow accredited investors to access private credit opportunities with the transparency and efficiency of blockchain technology, while maintaining the compliance standards expected in traditional finance.
Sharia-Compliant Private Credit and Institutional Vaults
A standout feature of the initiative is its inclusion of Sharia‑compliant offerings, which address a significant demand within Gulf markets. By leveraging a Layer‑1 blockchain purpose‑built for private credit, ZIGChain and Laser Digital aim to reduce the friction commonly associated with manual settlement, legal overhead, and fragmented investor access.
The institutional vaults are being designed to attract both family offices and sovereign wealth funds seeking yield without sacrificing regulatory clarity. This development reinforces the trend of major financial institutions moving beyond proof‑of‑concept and into production‑grade onchain products, with the UAE positioning itself as a nexus of that transformation.
