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.
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.
The Financial Stability Board is growing increasingly uneasy about crypto’s expanding footprint in global finance, cautioning that the lines between digital assets and traditional markets are blurring faster than expected.
Crypto giant Binance has expanded its footprint into Syria, taking swift action after recent U.S. and EU policy shifts cleared the path for engagement.
JPMorgan has dramatically lowered its oil price forecast for 2026, now expecting crude to fall to $58 per barrel.
Crypto exchange MEXC has launched a $100 million protection reserve to safeguard users in case of platform-level breaches or critical failures, positioning itself as one of the few players in the space offering real-time compensation for technical breakdowns or hacks.