Morgan Stanley doubles in crypto with Nationwide Belief Financial institution utility

  • Morgan Stanley has utilized for a nationwide belief financial institution license to retailer Bitcoin and crypto belongings.
  • The submitting will allow the $7 trillion asset administration firm to supply safe digital asset companies to its 18 million prospects.
  • Morgan Stanley has filed with the SEC to supply spot Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana ETFs.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is doubling down on its curiosity within the cryptocurrency house. The main financial institution, with greater than 18 million prospects and greater than $7 trillion in belongings beneath administration (AUM), has utilized for Nationwide Belief Financial institution Constitution.

That is in keeping with a submitting filed with the Workplace of the Comptroller of the Forex (OCC) on February 18, 2026, as Morgan Stanley seeks to supply custody of digital belongings together with Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL).

Morgan Stanley expands deeper into cryptocurrencies

Morgan Stanley goals to supply crypto companies in keeping with US regulatory readability. Moreover, the OCC, in collaboration with the Federal Reserve, has already allowed U.S. banks to successfully retailer cryptocurrencies for his or her prospects by a collection of steerage clarifications and coverage adjustments.

The strategic resolution to use to Nationwide Belief Financial institution follows the financial institution’s spectacular efficiency within the fourth quarter of 2025. Notably, Morgan Stanley reported fourth-quarter 2025 web income of $17.9 billion, a rise of 10% yr over yr.

The financial institution mentioned its document efficiency in 2025, which beat Wall Avenue expectations, was pushed by its huge asset administration. Nonetheless, the financial institution is eager to collaborate with the cryptocurrency trade to stay aggressive.

Moreover, the OCC has already accredited a number of comparable functions from Anchorage Digital, Ripple Labs, Constancy Digital, Paxos, BitGo, Crypto.com, and First Nationwide Digital Forex Financial institution, which is partnering with stablecoin issuer Circle.

Particularly, Morgan Stanley filed with the U.S. Securities and Change Fee (SEC) earlier this yr to supply spot Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETFs.

What’s the anticipated market influence?

Whereas the bearish temper continues, Morgan Stanley’s strategic entry into the digital forex market is a serious change. Furthermore, the banking large has signaled that mainstream adoption of crypto belongings is imminent within the wake of regulatory readability beneath President Donald Trump.

Confidence within the cryptocurrency house by institutional buyers is anticipated to extend as extra conventional banks signal as much as supply associated companies.

Associated: Morgan Stanley advances entry into crypto ETFs with new Bitcoin and Solana functions

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