Nomura’s Laser Digital backs ZIGChain for onchain private credit push in UAE

FinanceNomura’s Laser Digital backs ZIGChain for onchain private credit push in UAELaser’s investment in ZIGChain is understood to be in the single-digit millions.By Ian Allison|Edited by Cheyenne LigonUpdated Aug 5, 2026, 2:09 p.m. Published Aug 5, 2026, 1:25 p.m. 2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on SummaryShowThe strategic partnership aims to streamline the private credit markets across the Gulf States, which will include Sharia-compliant offerings.The partnership delivers a comprehensive risk framework design and governance across a pipeline of institutional onchain vault productsLaser Digital, the digital assets arm of the Japanese financial services firm Nomura Group, has made a strategic investment in ZIGChain, a UAE-based Layer1 blockchain that also works with cryptocurrency-friendly fund servicing giant Apex Group.The exact size of Laser’s investment was not revealed, but it’s understood to be in the single-digit millions.The strategic partnership, which aims to streamline private credit markets across the Gulf States, including Sharia-compliant offerings, is equally important, said ZIGChain co-founder Abdul Rafay Gadit.After an initial meeting with Laser Digital CEO Jez Mohideen, Rafay Gadit said a shared vision emerged about the need for accessibility to financial services and the role crypto and tokenization can play – all of which was facilitated by the two firms’ Dubai connection.“Laser is creating with us one of the largest on-chain products the Gulf countries have ever seen,” Rafay Gadit said in an interview. “It helps that we are based in Dubai and Laser is also in Dubai, and our offices are literally one kilometer apart.”Crypto is in a tough spot right now, and the effects of a down market are being felt across the industry. In February of this year, Nomura tightened risk limits at Laser Digital after crypto losses dragged down quarterly profit. This was read by the m…

Nomura’s Laser Digital backs ZIGChain for onchain private credit push in UAE

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