- Morgan Stanley filed with the SEC to launch its own Bitcoin and Solana spot ETFs, a rare move that puts the firm’s primary brand name on a crypto product.
- The filing follows a policy shift allowing its wealth management advisors to allocate up to 4% of client portfolios to crypto assets.
- Analysts suggest these proprietary funds will help the bank capture internal fees as spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded over $1.2 billion in inflows during early 2026.
Interesting things are happening in the world, but not more interesting than Morgan Stanley filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday to launch two spot crypto exchange-traded funds: a Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust and a Morgan Stanley Solana Trust.
That’s right, the once Bitcoin detractor now wants a piece of the action with two new BTC and SOL ETFs. It also stands out because Morgan Stanley is one of the largest US wealth managers and rarely puts its own name on ETF products.
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Morgan Stanley Dives Into Crypto ETFs
Keep in mind the firm runs roughly 20 ETFs across brands such as Calvert and Eaton Vance, but only two currently use the Morgan Stanley name, making the decision to brand new crypto funds more notable than a typical product launch.
The move follows a recent shift in how the bank treats crypto exposure for clients. Until last year, Morgan Stanley advisors were reportedly barred from buying crypto ETFs for customers. That changed in October, when the firm began allowing allocations and suggested a cap of up to 4% in its most aggressive portfolios, putting it closer to the approach taken by large asset managers already active in the segment.
Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyffart said he was surprised by the filings, while Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas suggested Morgan Stanley could use in-house products to support “bring your own assets” strategies, where firms steer client money into proprietary funds.
The filings also land as spot Bitcoin ETFs start 2026 with strong demand, with over US$1.2 billion (AU$1.8 billion) of inflows over the first two trading days of the year, as per SoSo Value data, including US$697 million (AU$1.06 billion) on Monday.
Read more: XRP Breaks $2 as ETF Inflows Fuel Early-2026 Rally
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