Wall Street Giant Moves Closer to Offering Direct Crypto Trading

Morgan Stanley is gearing up to enter the retail crypto space by integrating digital asset trading into its E*Trade platform, with a launch targeted for next year.

The investment giant is reportedly in early talks with established crypto firms to enable trading of top tokens like Bitcoin and Ethereum, marking a notable shift in strategy.

Behind the scenes, discussions began gaining momentum in 2023, but recent regulatory tailwinds under President Trump’s administration appear to have accelerated the timeline.

The new White House has signaled strong support for digital assets, scrapping previous barriers and issuing directives to promote U.S. dominance in crypto and fintech.

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This bold step by Morgan Stanley could put pressure on current leaders in the space, especially Robinhood and Coinbase. Robinhood alone saw over $600 million in crypto revenue last year, thanks in part to increased trading during the early months of Trump’s term.

For years, major banks kept crypto at arm’s length, citing unclear regulations and cybersecurity concerns. But Morgan Stanley has already warmed to the sector, offering limited access to crypto ETFs and futures for wealthy clients. Now, it’s eyeing a broader audience.

At a recent crypto event, Eric Trump echoed the growing optimism, suggesting that blockchain could eventually replace legacy systems like SWIFT—and possibly, traditional banking itself.

Alexander Stefanov