Summary:
Morgan Stanley files for bitcoin and solana ETFs
Applications submitted to the U.S. SEC
Bitcoin ETFs now manage over $120bn in assets
Non-bitcoin crypto ETFs have seen weaker inflows
Move highlights growing institutional adoption
Earlier:
- MSCI delays crypto treasury index shake-up , supportive for BTC and other crypto
- Bitcoin rises as PwC leans into crypto on US regulatory shift
Morgan Stanley is preparing to deepen its push into digital assets, filing applications to launch exchange-traded funds that would hold Bitcoin and Solana, underscoring the continued integration of cryptocurrencies into mainstream finance.
Info, ICYMI, via the Wall Street Journal (gated).
Regulatory filings submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show the investment bank plans to offer separate ETFs providing direct exposure to the two digital tokens. If approved, the products would place Morgan Stanley alongside a growing list of major financial institutions seeking to capitalise on investor demand for regulated crypto investment vehicles.
The move follows the rapid expansion of U.S.-listed bitcoin ETFs since their launch in 2024. A group of 11 spot bitcoin ETFs, including products from BlackRock and Fidelity Investments, has attracted substantial inflows, with combined assets under management now exceeding $120 billion, according to data cited by JPMorgan. The success of these funds has helped cement bitcoin’s status as the dominant institutional entry point into the crypto market.
Momentum outside bitcoin has been more uneven. Asset managers have also rolled out ETFs and exchange-traded products tracking other cryptocurrencies such as ether and solana, but these offerings have generally seen more modest inflows. That divergence reflects investors’ continued preference for bitcoin as a perceived store of value, compared with alternative tokens that are often viewed as higher risk and more sensitive to shifts in market sentiment.
Market pricing reflects that volatility. Bitcoin was trading near $92,000 on Tuesday after rebounding from recent lows, but remains roughly 27% below its early-October peak above $126,000. Solana hovered around $137, well off its record high of about $294, highlighting the sharper drawdowns seen across the broader crypto complex.
A Morgan Stanley spokesperson declined to comment beyond the details disclosed in the filings. Still, the applications signal growing confidence among large financial institutions that regulatory pathways for crypto ETFs are becoming clearer, even as price volatility and uneven investor appetite persist.
