Japanese investment bank Nomura, in collaboration with cryptocurrency security solution provider Ledger and Global Advisors – the parent company of CoinShares, has announced a new venture aimed at overcoming barriers to institutional investment in digital assets.

The founding members aim to explore building a secure digital asset custody solution. The new venture, dubbed “Komainu,” will provide the necessary infrastructure and operational framework to “enable investors to embed or implement a consistent set of best practice standards within their businesses.”

Institutional interest in cryptocurrencies is growing rapidly and they are increasingly exploring ways to tap into this emerging asset class. Recent surveys suggest that one in five finance firms are considering launching digital asset trading and investment businesses in the coming year.

“Global investment managers have long been held back from full participation in digital asset markets, limited by operational and regulatory risk,” Jez Mohideen, Global Chief Digital Officer, Wholesale at Nomura, said.

“Our new partnership will set the required standards that will bring peace of mind to digital asset investors, and provide tools and products to enable better integration with more traditional investment vehicles such as mutual funds.”