Nomura-backed Laser Digital Japan has included Shiba Inu among just six digital assets it will support after completing its registration with the country's Financial Services Agency.
The FSA approved Laser Digital Japan's registration on Aug 21. The move ends a four-year stretch in which Japanese regulators issued no new crypto exchange licenses.
Clearing Tokyo's demanding compliance standards is rare, making the approval significant for the local industry.
Laser Digital Japan will launch with a tightly limited lineup. Alongside Shiba Inu, the platform will handle Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin.
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The inclusion of the popular meme token stands out on a list otherwise dominated by long-established large-cap assets.
SHIB's place on the roster was helped by its earlier addition to the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association's "Green List."
Tokens on that list can be offered through a simplified process once an exchange is licensed.
Laser Digital Japan is positioned to serve institutional rather than purely retail clients at the outset. The firm plans to provide wholesale liquidity to existing local platforms before expanding access to corporations and investment funds.
For SHIB, the step moves the token beyond pure retail meme status and into a regulated institutional channel in a major Asian market.
The official Shiba Inu account described the development as a new milestone and another step in the token's global reach.
Japan has already seen growing retail interest in SHIB through earlier integrations with large domestic platforms. The latest regulatory clearance adds a more formal institutional pathway.
In a market known for cautious and rigorous oversight, the decision places Shiba Inu in rare company.
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This story was originally published by TheStreet on Aug 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.