Morgan Stanley to Launch Digital Asset Wallet and Crypto ETFs by 2026

According to Cointelegraph, Morgan Stanley is set to introduce a digital asset wallet in 2026, marking a significant expansion of its crypto investment offerings. The financial services giant aims to support cryptocurrencies and real-world tokenized assets (RWAs) such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, with plans to include more assets over time. This development follows the company's announcement in September that users of its E*Trade brokerage platform will be able to trade cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Solana (SOL), and Ether (ETH), starting in 2026. The move underscores the growing acceptance of crypto and blockchain technology among established financial institutions. Morgan Stanley has also filed several crypto-related applications with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including for spot Bitcoin and Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These ETFs are designed to be passive investment funds that track the spot price of these cryptocurrencies by holding them. Additionally, the company has filed for a staked Ether ETF, which will hold spot ETH and stake a portion of the fund’s ETH to earn staking income. Staking involves pledging or locking up tokens to secure proof-of-stake blockchain networks, either directly as a validator processing transactions or through third-party delegation with a staking services provider. Participants in staking are rewarded in the token of the blockchain they are securing. Initially, Morgan Stanley offered crypto investment products to wealthy clients with at least $1.5 million in investible assets. However, in October, the company expanded its offerings to all clients, recommending conservative crypto allocations. Analysts suggested up to a 4% allocation for higher-risk portfolios focused on growth and a 2% allocation for balanced risk portfolios.