U.S. banking giant Morgan Stanley is preparing to offer crypto trading to retail clients through E-Trade. The initiative represents a major step in the firm’s wealth management strategy. Additionally, the bank is partnering with startup Zerohash for liquidity, custody, and settlement services around digital assets.
Jed Finn, head of wealth management at Morgan Stanley, said the company plans to roll out crypto trading through a partner model for E-Trade clients. Furthermore, Morgan Stanley is developing a robust wallet infrastructure to act as custodian for clients’ digital assets. This move allows the bank to expand its offerings and manage more of the crypto ecosystem.
“Offering clients crypto trading is only the tip of the iceberg,” Finn said. He added that the firm sees significant potential not only in crypto investments but also in distributed ledger technology and tokenization. Consequently, Morgan Stanley views these services as transformative for wealth management.
The partnership with Zerohash strengthens Morgan Stanley’s capabilities. Zerohash provides the liquidity and technical infrastructure needed to execute crypto trades efficiently. Additionally, the collaboration allows Morgan Stanley to manage risk and ensure secure settlement processes for clients.
Executives highlighted that the crypto trading rollout aligns with changing client demands. Furthermore, the bank believes digital assets will reshape the wealth management industry. By offering crypto services, Morgan Stanley can attract tech-savvy investors and expand its market share.
The planned infrastructure also includes advanced wallet technology. Morgan Stanley will act as custodian for clients’ crypto holdings, providing secure storage and management. As a result, clients can trade and store digital assets seamlessly, strengthening trust in the platform.
Morgan Stanley’s move into crypto reflects a larger trend of traditional financial institutions entering digital assets. In addition, the expansion signals confidence in cryptocurrency as a long-term investment and technology platform. By combining its expertise with Zerohash’s technology, the bank aims to lead in the U.S. crypto market.
Executives emphasized that crypto trading represents the first phase of broader initiatives. Furthermore, they plan to explore tokenization and distributed ledger applications for clients. Morgan Stanley expects these services to transform how wealth management interacts with emerging financial technologies.
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