While traditional Wall Street firms have largely kept their distance from crypto, Morgan Stanley is diving headfirst into digital assets. The financial giant plans to roll out cryptocurrency trading on its E*Trade brokerage platform by 2026, making digital assets as easy to buy as stocks. To ensure maximum security, the platform will require users to enable two-factor authentication setup before trading.
And they’re not messing around – discussions kicked off in 2024, with plans already in motion for a new trading platform launch in June 2025.
Bitcoin’s sitting pretty above $96,000, and Morgan Stanley clearly wants a piece of the action. The timing’s interesting, coming right as spot Bitcoin ETFs are raking in serious cash. With over 5 million users, E*Trade’s crypto integration could significantly impact the digital asset market.
With Bitcoin soaring past $96k, Morgan Stanley’s crypto push couldn’t come at a better time as spot ETFs attract major investment flows.
But Morgan Stanley’s not content just watching from the sidelines with their existing Bitcoin ETF offerings from BlackRock and Fidelity. They’re going all in.
The upgraded E*Trade platform is getting a serious facelift, with about 120 trading tools spread across desktop, web, and mobile apps. It’s like they’re building a crypto playground for mainstream investors who’ve been watching the crypto party from outside the velvet rope.
And here’s the kicker – they’re doing it by the book, working closely with regulators to keep everything above board. The bank is actively exploring partnerships with crypto firms to ensure smooth service integration.
CEO Ted Pick is playing it smart, emphasizing safety while building out these crypto services. They’re not just throwing caution to the wind – they’re carefully selecting crypto partnerships and following regulatory guidelines.
The whole thing’s been made possible by the increasingly crypto-friendly regulatory environment under the Trump administration.
When this goes live, millions of E*Trade users will have direct access to popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum right from their regular trading accounts.
No more jumping through hoops or dealing with sketchy exchanges. This isn’t just another Wall Street firm dipping its toes in the crypto waters – it’s a full-on cannonball into the deep end.
And with Morgan Stanley’s reputation on the line, you can bet they’re going to make sure this works.
