Key Highlights
- E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley has completed the rollout of crypto spot trading.
- Eligible users can now trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana through a linked Zero Hash account.
- Crypto holdings can be viewed alongside traditional investment portfolios on E*TRADE.
Asset manager Morgan Stanley has completed the rollout of spot cryptocurrency trading on its E*TRADE platform, allowing eligible clients to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL) alongside their traditional investments.
According to the announcement on Wednesday, the launch expands Morgan Stanley’s presence in digital assets as it continues integrating crypto into one of the largest retail brokerage platforms in the United States.
The service is being offered through a partnership with digital asset infrastructure provider Zero Hash. Customers can access crypto trading through linked accounts while viewing their digital assets alongside stocks, ETFs, and other investments.
How crypto fits into E*TRADE
Rather than launching a standalone crypto platform, Morgan Stanley has embedded digital asset trading into E*TRADE’s existing investing ecosystem. Eligible users can trade the three supported cryptocurrencies at a 50-basis-point fee, while maintaining a unified portfolio view across both traditional and digital assets.
The company also confirmed that crypto transfer functionality is expected to launch later this year. According to Chad Turner, Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Platforms, the rollout represents another step in the firm’s digital asset strategy.
“It’s an exciting time for ETRADE clients with all we are delivering to enhance our product offering and turbocharge the client experience,” he added.
More than just crypto trading
The crypto rollout is part of a broader upgrade to the ETRADE platform. Morgan Stanley has introduced several new features, including fractional share trading, an enhanced retirement planning experience powered by its Goals Planning System, an upgraded IPO Center, and new functionality for the Power ETRADE Pro desktop platform aimed at active traders.
The firm said the updates are designed to support investors across different stages of their financial journey, from first-time users to experienced traders and retirement-focused clients. Morgan Stanley also pointed to findings from its latest Wealth Management Pulse Survey, which suggest trust remains a key factor for crypto investors.
According to the survey, 32% of respondents said they preferred trading through an established financial institution, while 26% valued viewing crypto alongside traditional investments. Another 25% cited transaction costs as a priority, and 23% pointed to cryptocurrency pricing. The results indicate that established financial firms may have an advantage as digital asset investing becomes more mainstream.
Morgan Stanley builds on earlier moves
Morgan Stanley’s latest rollout is part of a broader strategy to deepen its presence in digital assets across different customer segments.
Last month, the bank partnered with Galaxy Digital to launch a crypto-backed lending solution that enables high-net-worth clients to borrow against their cryptocurrency holdings while receiving Bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP) shares. The initiative was aimed at simplifying access to crypto-backed financing for institutional and affluent investors.
With spot crypto trading now available on E*TRADE, Morgan Stanley is extending that strategy to self-directed retail investors, allowing eligible customers to buy, sell, and hold digital assets directly through the brokerage platform.
Traditional finance continues embracing digital assets
Morgan Stanley’s latest move reflects the broader trend of established financial institutions expanding their digital asset capabilities as demand for regulated crypto services continues to grow.
While the initial rollout supports only Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, the integration positions cryptocurrency alongside traditional asset classes within diversified investment portfolios.
Also Read: Coinbase, Marex Launch USDC Collateral for Regulated U.S. Clearing
