USDNomura-Backed Laser Digital Launches Tokenized Bitcoin Yield Fund Targeting Over 5% Excess Returns
Laser Digital Introduces Cayman-Domiciled, On-Chain Bitcoin Income Vehicle for Institutions
TL;DR
- Nomura-owned Laser Digital launched a tokenized Bitcoin yield fund on Jan. 22, 2026, targeting more than 5% excess net returns versus BTC over rolling 12-month periods.
- The Cayman-domiciled fund combines long-only Bitcoin exposure with arbitrage, lending, and options strategies, using KAIO for tokenization and Komainu for custody.
- The product is aimed at institutional and accredited investors seeking income alongside Bitcoin exposure, without relying solely on crypto price appreciation.
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Laser Digital, the digital-asset subsidiary of Nomura, announced on Jan. 22, 2026, the launch of a tokenized, yield-bearing Bitcoin fund designed to pair directional BTC exposure with income-generating strategies, expanding its institutional product lineup beyond long-only offerings.
The vehicle, named the Laser Digital Bitcoin Diversified Yield Fund SP, is domiciled in the Cayman Islands and structured as a natively tokenized fund, with on-chain share classes issued at the main fund level to align blockchain settlement with traditional fund governance and controls.
Laser Digital stated that the fund aims to generate more than approximately 5% excess net returns compared with Bitcoin performance over rolling 12-month periods, depending on market conditions, by combining long-only BTC exposure with arbitrage, lending, and options strategies.
The firm described the product as the world’s first natively tokenized Cayman-domiciled Bitcoin yield fund, positioning it as a response to institutional demand for income-producing strategies tied to Bitcoin rather than exposure dependent solely on crypto price movements or changes in the broader crypto price index.
Tokenization for the fund is provided by KAIO, while regulated digital-asset custodian Komainu is responsible for safeguarding the underlying Bitcoin, enabling in-kind subscriptions, atomic settlement, and on-chain administration designed for large institutional allocations.
Laser Digital said the fund is intended for institutional and accredited investors, including long-term Bitcoin holders such as digital-asset treasuries and traditional financial institutions seeking yield without exiting core BTC positions or increasing exposure to coin market cap volatility.
Jez Mohideen, co-founder and chief executive officer of Laser Digital, said recent market conditions have shifted investor preferences, stating that “yield-bearing, market-neutral funds built on calculated DeFi strategies are the natural evolution of crypto asset management.”
Sebastien Guglietta, head of Laser Digital Asset Management, said the structure addresses a long-standing limitation of Bitcoin portfolios, adding that the fund is designed to provide income on an asset “traditionally viewed as a store of value without inherent yield,” while maintaining exposure to Bitcoin itself.
The fund is managed by Laser Digital Middle East FZE, which operates under Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority framework, a regulatory structure the firm said is intended to meet institutional compliance, reporting, and risk-management requirements.
Laser Digital previously launched the Bitcoin Adoption Fund on Sept. 19, 2023, offering long-only Bitcoin exposure using Komainu for custody, and has since expanded its lineup with products such as the Laser Digital Carry Fund and a multi-strategy fund, as Nomura continues to broaden its institutional digital-asset offerings tied to crypto price benchmarks and diversified return profiles.
This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.
