US-based investment bank Morgan Stanley is setting its sights on expanding its offerings in the digital assets sector. The financial giant announced plans to launch its own cryptocurrency custody and trading platform in the near future. Initially, clients will be able to buy and sell spot cryptocurrencies via the firm’s E*Trade platform, which operates under the Morgan Stanley umbrella.
Plans for an Integrated Custody and Settlement Platform
Leading Morgan Stanley’s digital asset strategy, Amy Oldenburg revealed that the bank aims to roll out a fully integrated custody and settlement solution starting next year. With this infrastructure, digital assets can be stored directly under Morgan Stanley’s supervision, bolstering both security and control. At the same time, the bank acknowledges that some clients—particularly those dealing with Bitcoin—may still prefer to keep their assets in self-custody arrangements.
Spot Cryptocurrency Trading Launches via E*Trade
Morgan Stanley’s E*Trade platform will soon enable clients to engage in spot cryptocurrency transactions. This new capability complements the bank’s recent efforts to offer spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), indicating a shift towards facilitating direct digital asset trading. The rollout is designed to meet growing customer demand and instill greater institutional confidence in the handling and security of digital assets.
Beyond custody and trading, Morgan Stanley’s roadmap for digital asset services includes yield-generating and lending products based on crypto assets. Oldenburg describes these offerings as a natural progression in the institution’s broader growth strategy for digital finance.
A Morgan Stanley executive emphasized that the bank must move beyond licensing technology, insisting on the need to develop proprietary solutions. She highlighted the trust placed in the Morgan Stanley brand and stressed that there is no room for error in such critical services.
Morgan Stanley’s global digital asset strategy has been shaped by its cross-continental experiences. With over 26 years at the company, Amy Oldenburg noted seeing rapid adoption of Bitcoin and other crypto technologies in emerging markets. Under Oldenburg’s leadership, the bank has identified a move toward institutionalization of digital assets worldwide.
Currently, Morgan Stanley oversees the management of $8 trillion in assets on its platform. However, Oldenburg shared that a significant share of clients have yet to transfer their crypto holdings into the bank’s infrastructure. As the digital platform evolves, it is anticipated that more clients will migrate these assets to Morgan Stanley, gaining access to enhanced custody and trading features.
Although the bank has not disclosed a definitive launch date for its yield and lending products, it is expected these solutions will follow the introduction of the new custody and settlement platform. The phased rollout underlines Morgan Stanley’s cautious yet ambitious approach to expanding their digital asset suite.
