Author: Felix, PANews
At the beginning of the new year, Morgan Stanley has been particularly active in the cryptocurrency space. It has not only filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch spot crypto trust products, but also plans to introduce a digital wallet and support tokenized assets.
As one of the world's largest wealth management firms and the sixth-largest bank in the U.S. by assets under management, Morgan Stanley's approach to the crypto space has gradually shifted from cautious observation to active embrace in recent years. Compared to other banks like JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, which have been more proactive in their cryptocurrency布局, Morgan Stanley seems to be quickly "catching up" to the crypto wave.
Initially Cautious Towards Cryptocurrency
Morgan Stanley was initially cautious towards cryptocurrency, participating indirectly primarily through custody services and distributing third-party products. In 2024, after the U.S. SEC approved the first batch of spot Bitcoin ETFs, crypto assets began to mainstream, but Morgan Stanley still restricted crypto investments. Only high-net-worth clients (assets of at least $1.5 million) with an "aggressive" risk tolerance could invest in Bitcoin or Ethereum funds through taxable brokerage accounts.
In 2025, with the loosening of U.S. regulations and the rising asset scale of crypto ETFs, Morgan Stanley adjusted its strategy accordingly. In September 2025, it announced a partnership with crypto infrastructure provider Zerohash, planning to offer crypto trading to retail clients through its E-Trade platform in 2026.
In October 2025, Morgan Stanley fully lifted its restrictions on crypto investments, allowing all clients (including retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s) to invest in spot Bitcoin ETFs and other products through recommendations from their wealth management advisors.
Submits Three Crypto ETF Applications in 24 Hours
Entering 2026, Morgan Stanley accelerated its actions in cryptocurrency. On January 6, according to information published by the U.S. SEC, the Wall Street firm, which oversees approximately $6.4 trillion in assets, filed S-1 forms for a Bitcoin Trust and a Solana Trust, with the Solana Trust also including staking functionality.
On January 7, Morgan Stanley further expanded its布局 in the crypto product space. It filed an application with the U.S. SEC to launch a spot Ethereum ETF. The trust will hold Ethereum and seek to track its price performance, while also generating yield by staking a portion of the fund's holdings. The filing stated that the trust will reflect these earnings through its net asset value, rather than distributing staking rewards directly to shareholders.
Morgan Stanley is not a top-tier issuer in the ETF space, managing about 20 ETFs, but currently only two are issued under the Morgan Stanley name. The application for the Ethereum Trust means Morgan Stanley submitted three crypto ETF applications within just 24 hours, underscoring the firm's重视 for the crypto领域.
Plans to Launch Digital Wallet in the Second Half of the Year
In addition to planning to launch BTC, ETH, and SOL ETF trading on its E-Trade platform, Morgan Stanley also plans to introduce its own digital wallet.
On January 8, Morgan Stanley outlined its plans for digital assets, corporate office business, and private market investments. Among them, it mentioned that it will launch a self-developed digital wallet later this year, supporting cryptocurrency holding and management, while also focusing on tokenized assets. This includes blockchain representations of traditional securities (such as stocks, bonds), private equity, and real estate, aiming to deeply integrate cryptocurrency and real-world asset tokenization into traditional financial services.
Jed Finn, Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, said: "This really signals an impending change in how financial services infrastructure operates. Over time, as our infrastructure evolves, we will be better able to blend the traditional financial (TradFi) and decentralized financial (DeFi) ecosystems."
It's not just Morgan Stanley; other U.S. banks that were previously less present in the crypto space, like Bank of America and Citibank, have also increased their布局 in 2026. For example, starting January 2026, Citibank allows wealth advisors to recommend a 1-4% crypto allocation to all clients. Citibank plans to launch crypto custody services in 2026 (developed over 2-3 years), including holding native crypto tokens.
From cautious attitudes to easing restrictions, to active embrace, Morgan Stanley's shift in stance may be an example for many traditional financial institutions in the process of cryptocurrency integrating into mainstream society. In the future, with the approval of ETFs and the full launch of the digital wallet, cryptocurrency could bring long-term competitive advantages to Morgan Stanley and accelerate the global digital transformation of finance.
Related reading: Morgan Stanley Files for Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, Marking a New Stage of Institutional Participation
