According to reports, Nomura's chief operating officer, Takumi Shibata, said this week that the firm was expecting to hire 300 additional staff in the U.S. by the end of March.

Last January the firm's U.S. operations took shape with about 600 employees and it was announced in October that the firm would beef up to around 1,200 by March but now that number has grown to 1,600.

Shibata has said the U.S. hires would include bankers, traders and support staff among its equities, fixed income and investment banking units.

The firm is planning to spend about half of the $4.8 billion raised in October on its headcount additions as well as building out its trading infrastructure and technology.