Morgan Stanley Files For Bank Charter To Offer Crypto Custody And Staking Services — Report

bitcoinistPublished on 2026-02-28Last updated on 2026-02-28

Abstract

Morgan Stanley has filed an application for a national bank charter to offer crypto custody, trading, and staking services through its subsidiary, Morgan Stanley Digital Trust. This move, reported on February 27th, follows the firm's recent strategic push into digital assets, including filing for Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana ETFs and appointing a head of digital asset strategy. The bank aims to provide these services across the U.S., with its main office in New York. This development reflects a broader trend of Wall Street firms expanding into crypto amid growing regulatory support. Meanwhile, the global crypto market cap has declined over 2% to $2.34 trillion.

In a significant move, Morgan Stanley has submitted an application for a new national bank charter that will enable it to offer crypto custody and staking services. This report comes days after the recently appointed head of digital asset strategy, Amy Oldenburg, confirmed the financial services giant’s digital asset push.

Morgan Stanley Continues To Bet On Digital Asset Industry With Fresh OCC Filing

According to a Bloomberg report on Friday, February 27th, Morgan Stanley filed for a de novo national trust bank charter to allow it custody digital assets. The Wall Street behemoth said in its application that the charter will also be used to conduct crypto trading and staking for its investment clients.

Bloomberg reported that the application, through Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, was filed on February 18th, according to the website of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The firm will offer its digital asset management services throughout the United States, with its main office in Purchase, New York, the filing showed.

This move reinforces Morgan Stanley’s strategic push for crypto and the broader digital asset industry. Earlier in January, the financial services giant filed for Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States, while also forging a new head of digital-asset strategy role for Oldenburg.

As reported by Bitcoinist, Oldenburg revealed that Morgan Stanley’s near-term goal is to enable E*Trade clients to buy and sell spot crypto, initially via a partnership before possibly moving to a native custody and exchange solution.

Oldenburg said about crypto custody:

It’s a totally different environment to know that you are custodying your assets,” Oldenburg continued. “You have legal custody with Morgan Stanley, and Morgan Stanley is overseeing those assets for you. There’s always those that are going to want to self-custody. That’s a natural part of this space, especially in the Bitcoin space.

Morgan Stanley’s recent moves highlight a growing trend since the start of President Donald Trump’s latest administration, especially among Wall Street firms, as they soften their crypto stance and venture into the digital asset industry. The United States president has been a vocal supporter of the crypto industry, while pushing for regulatory clarity in the space.

Crypto Market Capitalization Takes A Tumble

As of this writing, the global cryptocurrency market capitalization stands at $2.34 trillion, reflecting an over 2% decline in the past 24 hours.

The crypto total market cap on the daily timeframe | Source: TOTAL chart on TradingView

Microsoft CEO: In the AI Era, How Do You Define a Company's Moat?

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella argues that in the AI era, a company's true competitive edge, or "moat," is not determined by choosing the single most powerful model, but by its ability to build a continuous "learning loop." This system integrates and evolves by connecting human workflows, domain expertise, organizational judgment, and employee experience. He posits that future companies will accumulate two types of capital: Human Capital (employee knowledge, judgment, creativity) and "Token Capital" (a firm's own built and owned AI capabilities). Importantly, AI amplifies rather than devalues human capital. Human direction is essential to guide progress, as computational power alone is aimless. The core opportunity lies in creating a closed-loop system where human and token capital reinforce each other in a compound, self-improving cycle. A company must be able to preserve its unique institutional knowledge—its "company veteran" expertise—even if it switches underlying general-purpose AI models. This requires private evaluation benchmarks, reinforcement learning environments based on internal data, and queryable knowledge bases. Nadella warns against a future where economic value is concentrated by a few dominant models that commoditize entire industries' knowledge. Instead, the priority should be building a broad "frontier ecosystem" where every company, industry, and nation can own its learning loop. This allows organizations to retain control of their intellectual property, amplify employee capabilities, and ensure the economic value created by AI is captured within their own businesses and communities. True corporate sovereignty in the AI age comes from turning organizational knowledge into a compounding system that creates enduring, defensible value.

marsbit16m ago

Microsoft CEO: In the AI Era, How Do You Define a Company's Moat?

marsbit16m ago

ETFs Are Just the Ticket: The True Institutionalization of Bitcoin Is Happening Where You Can't See It

Beyond the Bitcoin ETF spotlight, a deeper institutionalization is underway, leveraging Bitcoin as a foundational financial primitive. Institutions are using Bitcoin for purposes long reserved for assets like U.S. Treasuries and gold: as collateral for loans, insurance reserves, and the backbone of rated bonds. Examples include a Barbados-based insurer capitalizing with $40M in Bitcoin reserves and Ledn's $188M securitization of Bitcoin-backed loans, which received the first-ever investment-grade rating (BBB-) from S&P for a digital asset-backed security. This structure was stress-tested during a 27% price drop in early 2026, triggering automatic liquidations that functioned as designed but revealed the systemic risk of synchronized selling across leveraged positions. Infrastructure is evolving to support this, with platforms like Anchorage Digital's Atlas network enabling secure, institutional-grade settlement and collateral management. Strategies like basis trades and corporate treasuries (exemplified by companies like MicroStrategy issuing billions in equity and debt to fund Bitcoin acquisitions) further integrate Bitcoin into financial mechanics. While ETFs solved "how to own" Bitcoin, these developments answer "what to do with it," embedding the asset into the working machinery of finance—as collateral upon which loans, derivatives, and structured products are built. The real, enduring institutional shift is happening in these largely invisible plumbing and financing systems.

marsbit23m ago

ETFs Are Just the Ticket: The True Institutionalization of Bitcoin Is Happening Where You Can't See It

marsbit23m ago

ZEC Co-Founder Responds to Orchard Vulnerability: No Signs of Theft, Orchard Pool to Be Sealed

ZEC Co-Founder Addresses Orchard Vulnerability: No Signs of Theft, Plans to Sunset Orchard Pool A security vulnerability was recently discovered in Zcash's Orchard shielded pool, raising key concerns. The primary questions are whether the flaw was exploited, if user funds are safe, whether users can verify the total ZEC supply, and if other similar vulnerabilities exist. Analysis suggests the vulnerability was likely not exploited prior to its discovery. It was found proactively by a researcher using specialized tools, not due to an active breach. The development team and mining pools acted quickly to contain the issue. Typical financially-motivated attacks would likely have left visible on-chain evidence, which has not been observed. User funds in Orchard are considered safe and should be recoverable, assuming no prior exploitation. If the flaw was never used, all legitimate funds can be withdrawn. The article outlines risks associated with moving funds to transparent addresses or other pools, but concludes that leaving assets in place is a reasonable option. Currently, users cannot independently verify that the total ZEC supply hasn't been inflated due to this bug. However, the planned Ironwood network upgrade is designed to resolve this. It will permanently close the Orchard pool to new deposits and internal transfers, allowing only withdrawals. This mechanism will cap total withdrawals at the amount of legitimately deposited funds, enabling anyone to cryptographically verify the supply post-upgrade. Multiple teams, including Shielded Labs, have conducted extensive audits focused on counterfeiting vulnerabilities, assisted by advanced AI tools. No additional flaws of this type have been found so far, increasing confidence that no other similar undisclosed vulnerabilities exist. In summary, evidence indicates the Orchard bug was probably not used, user funds are secure, and no other counterfeiting flaws are currently known. The upcoming Ironwood upgrade will restore users' ability to independently verify the total ZEC supply, closing this chapter.

Foresight News27m ago

ZEC Co-Founder Responds to Orchard Vulnerability: No Signs of Theft, Orchard Pool to Be Sealed

Foresight News27m ago

Japan's Central Bank on the Verge of Raising Rates, Can the AI Bull Market Still Hold?

TL;DR: The impending Bank of Japan (BOJ) interest rate hike is shifting global market focus this week, raising questions about its potential impact on the AI-driven bull market and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. For years, the yen has served as a cheap global "funding currency," enabling carry trades where investors borrowed yen at low rates to buy higher-yielding assets. This dynamic amplified liquidity and risk appetite in global markets, benefiting high-beta assets like AI tech stocks and crypto. The BOJ's expected move to raise rates from 0.75% to 1.0% signals a shift away from this era of ultra-low-cost funding. The core concern isn't the 1% rate itself, but the direction of change and its potential to reduce global leverage and risk tolerance. An unwinding of yen carry trades could force investors to sell global assets to buy back yen for repayment, potentially triggering synchronized volatility in overvalued sectors. While AI fundamentals and crypto-specific drivers remain intact, the market impact will depend on whether the BOJ signals a faster-than-expected pace of normalization. Post-decision, watch for correlations between a strengthening yen, rising Japanese bond yields, and simultaneous pressure on tech stocks and cryptocurrencies to gauge if the market is pricing in a broader tightening of cheap global liquidity.

marsbit36m ago

Japan's Central Bank on the Verge of Raising Rates, Can the AI Bull Market Still Hold?

marsbit36m ago

Microsoft Announces Commercial-Grade Quantum Computer to be Completed in Three Years: Will the Boots Land?

Microsoft announces plans to build a commercially viable quantum computer by 2029, a significant acceleration from the previous industry consensus of a decade. The breakthrough is fueled by their new Majorana 2 quantum chip, which boasts a record-breaking average qubit lifetime of 20 seconds—a 1,000-fold reliability improvement over its predecessor. This leap was achieved by leveraging topological qubits, a theoretically more stable technology using Majorana zero modes, and switching the core superconducting material from aluminum to lead. Crucially, Microsoft's "Discovery" agentic AI platform accelerated the R&D process. AI agents autonomously analyzed vast experimental data, optimized manufacturing parameters (like the lead alloy composition), and solved issues like "ghost noise," dramatically speeding up experimentation. While the 20-second coherence time is a landmark, challenges remain: scaling from 12 qubits to the millions needed for practical applications, managing compilation costs, and verifying quantum results. Skeptics call for peer-reviewed data, and questions persist about whether even 20 seconds is sufficient for complex algorithms like breaking RSA encryption. The race is on with other approaches (superconducting, trapped ions), but Microsoft's confidence in its topological roadmap signals a potential shortcut to a scalable quantum future.

marsbit46m ago

Microsoft Announces Commercial-Grade Quantum Computer to be Completed in Three Years: Will the Boots Land?

marsbit46m ago

Trading

Spot

Futures

Hot Articles

What is $BANK

Bank AI: A Revolutionary Step in the Future of Banking Introduction In an era marked by rapid advancements in technology, Bank AI stands at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and banking services. This innovative project seeks to redefine the financial landscape, enhancing operational efficiency, security measures, and customer experiences through the power of AI. As we embark on this exploration of Bank AI, we will delve into what the project entails, its operational dynamics, its historical context, and significant milestones. What is Bank AI? At its core, Bank AI represents a transformative initiative aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into various banking operations. This project harnesses the capabilities of AI to automate processes, improve risk management protocols, and enhance customer interaction through personalised services. The primary objectives of Bank AI include: Automation of Banking Functions: By leveraging AI technologies, Bank AI aims to automate routine tasks, reducing the burden on human resources and enhancing efficiency. Enhanced Risk Management: The project utilises AI algorithms to predict and identify risks, thereby fortifying security measures against fraud and other threats. Personalisation of Banking Services: Bank AI focuses on offering tailored financial products and services by analysing customer data and behaviours. Improving Customer Experience: The implementation of AI-driven solutions, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, aims to provide users with more human-like interactions, revolutionising the way customers engage with banks. With these goals, Bank AI positions itself as a crucial player in rendering banking more efficient, secure, and user-centric. Who is the Creator of Bank AI? Details regarding the creator of Bank AI remain unknown. As such, no specific individual or organisation has been identified in the available information. The anonymity surrounding the project's inception raises questions but does not detract from its ambitious vision and objectives. Who are the Investors of Bank AI? Similar to the project's creator, specific information regarding the investors or supporting organisations of Bank AI has not been disclosed. Without this information, it is challenging to outline the financial backing and institutional support that might be propelling the project forward. Nevertheless, the importance of having a robust investment foundation is pivotal for sustaining development in such an innovative field. How Does Bank AI Work? Bank AI operates on several innovative fronts, focusing on unique factors that differentiate it from traditional banking frameworks. Below are key operational features: Automation: By applying machine learning algorithms, Bank AI automates various manual processes within banks. This results in reduced operational costs and allows human workers to redirect their efforts towards more strategic activities. Advanced Risk Management: The integration of AI into risk management practices equips banks with tools to accurately predict potential threats such as fraud, ensuring that customer information and assets remain secure. Tailored Financial Recommendations: Through continuous learning from customer interactions, the AI systems develop a nuanced understanding of user needs, enabling them to offer tailored advice on financial decisions. Enhanced Customer Interactions: Utilizing chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI, Bank AI enables a more engaging customer experience, allowing users to have their queries resolved quickly, thus reducing wait times and improving satisfaction levels. Together, these operational features position Bank AI as a pioneer in the banking sector, establishing new benchmarks for service delivery and operational excellence. Timeline of Bank AI Understanding the trajectory of Bank AI requires a look at its historical context. Below is a timeline highlighting important milestones and developments: Early 2010s: The conceptualisation of AI integration into banking services began to gain attention as banking institutions recognised the potential benefits. 2018: A marked increase in the implementation of AI technologies occurred when banks started using AI tools like chatbots for basic customer service and risk management systems for improved security handling. 2023: The sophistication of AI continued to advance, with generative AI being introduced for more complex tasks such as document processing and real-time investment analysis. This year marked a significant leap in the capabilities afforded to banks by AI technology. 2024-Current Status: As of this year, Bank AI is on an upward trajectory, with ongoing research and developments poised to further enhance capabilities in banking operations. Continued exploration of AI applications hints at exciting developments yet to come. Key Points About Bank AI Integration of AI in Banking: Bank AI focuses on adopting artificial intelligence to streamline banking processes and improve user experiences. Automation and Risk Management Focus: The project strongly emphasises these areas, aiming to shift the burden of routine tasks while enhancing security frameworks through predictive analytics. Personalised Banking Solutions: By harnessing customer data, Bank AI enables tailored banking services that cater to individual user needs. Commitment to Development: Bank AI remains committed to ongoing research and development efforts, ensuring its adaptability and ongoing relevance as technology continues to evolve. Conclusion In summary, Bank AI exemplifies a crucial step forward in the banking industry, leveraging artificial intelligence to reshape operational paradigms, enhance security, and promote customer satisfaction. Despite gaps in information surrounding the creator and investors, the clear objectives and functional mechanisms of Bank AI provide a strong foundation for its ongoing evolution. As AI technology continues to advance and merge with the banking sector, Bank AI is well-positioned to significantly impact the future of financial services, enhancing the way we understand and interact with banking.

152 Total ViewsPublished 2024.04.06Updated 2024.12.03

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of BANK (BANK) are presented below.