Laser Digital Launches NEAR Adoption Fund Targeting Institutional Adoption of the AI-Focused Blockchain

Laser Digital, the digital assets subsidiary of Japanese financial services giant Nomura, has launched a new investment fund targeting institutional adoption of NEAR.

Japanese financial services giant Nomura has launched a new investment fund through its digital assets subsidiary, Laser Digital. The fund will target institutional adoption of NEAR (NEAR).

The Laser Digital NEAR Adoption Fund will offer long-term exposure to NEAR, the native token of the artificial intelligence (AI)-focused blockchain NEAR Protocol.

Laser launched a Bitcoin (BTC) adoption fund in September.

According to Laser Digital, the new fund will be powered by TruStake, an institutional-grade staking solution developed by crypto platform TruFin. The fund will enable ecosystem participants to engage in blockchain consensus and earn rewards from staking.

Jez Mohideen, CEO of Laser Digital, said:

“The Fund offers investors a seamless way to gain exposure to digital assets through a long orientated exposure to the NEAR protocol that combines two major investment themes of digital assets and AI, alongside a carry overlay via the staking.”

The initiative will provide institutional investors with an opportunity to leverage NEAR Protocol for economic returns while contributing to its growth and adoption.

With NEAR emerging as a top AI token and considering the growing interest in the intersection of AI and crypto, the fund could play a role in shaping the future of decentralized AI.

Growth in AI and Web3 has seen the rise of AI agents, and NEAR is positioned at this intersection with crypto and blockchain. The fund's strategy aligns with NEAR Protocol's key features, such as user-owned AI, Chain Abstraction, sharded blockchain and intents — a new transaction model also supported by the Ethereum Foundation.

According to Laser Digital, the NEAR Adoption Fund will be available to eligible institutional and professional investors in selected jurisdictions, excluding the U.S.

Laser Digital and TruFin will offer the fund in both traditional formats and through wealth management platforms.