Laser Digital & NEAR Protocol Launch AI-Focused Adoption Fund

Laser Digital, a subsidiary of Nomura focused on digital assets, has joined forces with NEAR Protocol, an AI-focused blockchain, to launch the Laser Digital NEAR Adoption Fund. The fund, announced on February 20, aims to boost institutional adoption of the NEAR token and provide long-term exposure to investors in eligible regions.

The fund offers a staking option, allowing institutional investors to participate in the NEAR blockchain's consensus mechanism and earn rewards while supporting its growth. To ensure seamless exposure to the NEAR token, the new project will leverage TruStake, an institutional-grade liquid staking solution provided by TruFin.

Laser Digital chose to integrate with NEAR due to its forward-thinking approach and core technologies that effectively link Artificial Intelligence and Web3. Jez Mohideen, the head of Laser Digital, highlighted NEAR's intentional positioning at the forefront of the AI-first future. He stated that the fund offers investors a seamless way to gain exposure to digital assets through a long-oriented exposure to the NEAR protocol, combining two major investment themes of digital assets and AI, alongside a carry overlay via the staking.

Staking is gaining traction among institutional clients across various blockchains. Grayscale, an investment asset management firm, is pushing to provide staking services to its institutional clients. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has submitted a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on behalf of Grayscale, seeking approval to incorporate staking into its spot Ethereum ETFs. If approved, Grayscale's Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE) and Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH) would be able to generate additional yield from staked Ether. This development comes a few weeks after Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin noted that staked Ether ETFs could soon gain regulatory approval.