Nomura's digital asset arm deepens its push into tokenized SME lending through a regulated blockchain partnership in DubaiNomura’s digital asset subsidiary Laser Digital has thrown its institutional weight behind ZIGChain, a Layer 1 blockchain built specifically for regulated real-world asset tokenization. ZIGChain’s pitch is infrastructure for tokenized private credit, with a specific focus on SME lending in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Laser Digital CEO Dr. Jez Mohideen laid out the strategic rationale at the ZIGChain Summit 2026, held in Dubai on April 28. Beehive, a UAE-based SME lending platform, and ABHI, a fintech operating in the embedded finance space, are both part of the ecosystem. The UAE more broadly has been aggressively positioning itself as the jurisdiction of choice for tokenized finance.