Noumura’s Laser Digital backs ZIGChain for onchain private credit push in UAE
Nomura’s crypto subsidiary, Laser Digital, has invested in ZIGChain to develop on-chain private credit products tailored for the Middle Eastern market. The partnership aims to democratize access to private credit by leveraging blockchain technology to bridge the gap between regional capital providers and borrowers.
Why it matters
This move signals a continued institutional push into real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, specifically targeting the integration of Sharia-compliant financial products into decentralized finance frameworks.
The exact size of Laser’s investment was not revealed, but it’s understood to be in the high 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.”
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