‘Shocker’: Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin and Solana ETF filings signal deep institutional commitment to crypto

Morgan Stanley, the sixth-largest U.S. bank by assets, has filed registration statements with the SEC for both a Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust and a Morgan Stanley Solana Trust. This move surprised analysts, such as James Seyffart, who noted that major firms are rapidly embracing crypto despite previous skepticism. This filing suggests a deep institutional commitment to digital assets, especially since Morgan Stanley previously restricted advisors from buying crypto ETFs for clients, only recently allowing allocations up to 4% in aggressive portfolios. Analysts like Nate Geraci believe the move reflects significant client demand, while Eric Balchunas suggested it allows Morgan Stanley to leverage its 'bring your own assets' (BYOA) strategy to direct client capital into proprietary products. This development follows a strong start for spot Bitcoin ETFs, which saw substantial inflows early in the year.

(Source：The Block)