Nomura

High-Level Overview

Nomura Holdings, Inc. is Japan's largest investment bank and brokerage group, operating as a global financial services firm that connects Eastern and Western markets.[1][3] It serves individuals, institutions, corporates, and governments through four core divisions: Wealth Management, Investment Management, Wholesale (including Global Markets and Investment Banking), and Banking, with a workforce of approximately 26,000 employees worldwide and net assets under management exceeding 101 trillion yen as of September 2025.[1][4]

Nomura's mission centers on client-centric solutions, leveraging its integrated global network—particularly strong in Japan (15,100 employees, managing 162 trillion yen in wealth assets and 15% of securities accounts), Asia ex-Japan (7,100 employees), EMEA (3,100 employees), and Americas (2,400 employees)—to provide unparalleled access to Asia-focused opportunities.[1][4] While not a traditional venture capital firm focused on startups, its merchant banking and investment management arms support high-yield investments and ecosystem growth in high-potential regions like Asia, where it is expanding retail and asset management amid long-term economic trends.[1][2]

Origin Story

Founded on December 25, 1925, in Osaka by Tokushichi Nomura II—a wealthy Japanese businessman and investor who earlier established Osaka Nomura Bank in 1918—Nomura began as Japan's oldest brokerage firm, initially modeled after the Mitsui zaibatsu conglomerate with ¥10 million in capital.[3] It gained stock trading authority in 1938 and went public in 1961, evolving from Osaka roots to a Tokyo-headquartered powerhouse.[1][3]

Key milestones include its 1927 New York office opening, marking early global expansion, and the pivotal 2008 acquisition of Lehman Brothers' Asian and European operations, which boosted assets under management to ¥20,300 billion and shifted focus toward global investment banking.[2][3] By 2009, it relocated its investment banking headquarters to London, appointing leaders like Josh Tokley (later replaced), solidifying its transition from Japan-centric to a worldwide player with regional hubs in Hong Kong, London, and New York.[3]

Core Differentiators

• Integrated Global Network Bridging East and West: Nomura's unique strength lies in its ability to deliver Asia-centric insights to global clients, with specialized operations like a U.S. boutique for high-yield investments and EMEA's 60+ years of cross-market expertise across 13-17 countries.[1][2][4]
• Scale in Japan with Global Reach: As Japan's top asset manager by AUM (101.2 trillion yen), it holds 15-22% of securities accounts and 104 retail branches, while Wholesale services the largest global investment banking fee pools via 15 Americas locations.[1][4]
• Proven Track Record in M&A and Expansion: The Lehman acquisition exemplifies its opportunistic deal-making; today, it maintains strong credit ratings (Fitch A-, Moody’s Baa1, S&P BBB+) and covers global economic indicators through dedicated research.[3][4]
• Client-Centric Operating Support: With 26,000 employees driving tailored solutions in sales, trading, underwriting, advisory, and asset management, Nomura emphasizes disciplined entrepreneurship and thought leadership, as seen in subsidiaries like Nomura Securities International and Instinet.[1][2][3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Nomura rides the wave of Asia's long-term economic growth, particularly in tech-enabled finance, by expanding wealth, retail, and asset management across 15 Asian cities outside Japan, positioning itself at the intersection of traditional banking and emerging digital markets.[1][4] Its timing aligns with post-2008 globalization and rising demand for cross-border investment banking in high-growth sectors like fintech and high-yield tech assets, bolstered by market forces such as Asia's digital transformation and the largest global IB fee pools in the Americas.[2][3]

Nomura influences the tech ecosystem through merchant banking and Global Markets divisions, facilitating funding and trading for tech firms via underwriting, advisory, and Asia-Western linkages—evident in its Lehman-integrated equities platform—while its research and 86% global indicator coverage inform tech investment trends.[1][3] This bridges traditional finance with tech innovation, supporting startups indirectly through institutional capital flows.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Nomura is poised to deepen Asia-Pacific dominance, targeting retail and wealth management growth amid regional economic tailwinds, while leveraging its Wholesale scale for tech-adjacent deals in global markets.[1][4] Trends like digital asset management, AI-driven trading, and sustainable finance will shape its path, potentially amplifying influence via boutique high-yield strategies and EMEA/Americas expansion.[2][3]

As the bridge between East and West financial worlds, Nomura's client-first evolution—from Osaka brokerage to global powerhouse—positions it to thrive in interconnected tech-finance landscapes, sustaining its role as Japan's investment vanguard.