- Morgan Stanley plans to offer crypto trading on E*Trade by 2026, expanding access for everyday investors.
- CEO Ted Pick says crypto services will be developed in close collaboration with regulators for safety.
Morgan Stanley doesn’t seem to want to miss the crypto bandwagon. The giant US investment bank is preparing a digital asset trading feature on its ETrade platform, with a target launch in 2026, according to Financial Times. In line with rules, they have begun looking at working with crypto businesses to create a competent trading infrastructure.
If this works, it means that millions of retail investors will be able to buy and sell Bitcoin or Ethereum directly from their E*Trade accounts. Simply put, buying crypto will be as easy as buying Tesla shares.
The 2024 Green Light That Set the Stage for 2026
However, signs of Morgan Stanley’s interest in crypto have actually been visible for quite some time. Back in August 2024, they gave the green light to thousands of financial advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs from BlackRock and Fidelity to clients with high-risk appetites.
That signaled a tipping point in institutional adoption of cryptocurrency. There was no direct trading function then. But it was obvious: customer demand for digital assets was no longer a passing wind.
Morgan Stanley Takes a Cautious, Regulated Path to Crypto
Furthermore, on January 23, 2025, Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick spoke about the future direction of his bank at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He said that Morgan Stanley’s involvement in crypto will not be haphazard. They will work closely with regulators, including the Treasury Department, to ensure that their approach remains safe.
Pick claims that molding public opinion of digital assets depends much on time. He even acknowledged that other nations, such as Switzerland and Germany, have already allowed crypto access to the larger population. Morgan Stanley, on the other hand, is still laying the groundwork before really welcoming ordinary investors via E*Trade.
On the other hand, the trend of big banks entering blockchain technology is increasingly felt. Recently, Citigroup launched the “Citi Token Services” service that allows institutional clients to move funds between branches using blockchain and smart contracts. It’s all about simplifying cash management and trade financing.
Ryan Rugg from Citi even called this service an efficient solution for the institutional world. Meanwhile, JPMorgan is also launching a new expansion through its Kinexys blockchain platform, which is now used by eight major banks in the Middle East and North Africa for cross-border transactions.
Looking at this movement map, Morgan Stanley clearly doesn’t want to just stand by and watch from the sidelines. With the infrastructure being worked on and previous experience in offering crypto ETFs, they seem to be building a two-way street between the traditional and digital financial worlds.
Imagine, in the next two years, an E*Trade user who usually only monitors stocks and bonds, can suddenly click the buy Bitcoin button—without having to switch applications. Not only is it practical, but it is also safe because it is under the supervision of a large financial institution.
