In an exciting development for the cryptocurrency world, Morgan Stanley, a titan of Wall Street, has officially entered the Ethereum ecosystem by filing a registration statement for an Ethereum Trust with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This strategic move marks a significant expansion of the banking giant’s push into crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Morgan Stanley Files For Ethereum Trust
On January 6, 2026, Morgan Stanley submitted its S-1 form for the proposed Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust, designed to track the price of Ethereum (ETH) and secure returns for investors. The trust aims to reflect rewards generated from staking a portion of the Trust’s ether holdings.
The details in the SEC filing elucidate that the bank is planning to partner with one or more staking service providers to execute various staking activities. This innovative approach seeks to maximize the amount of ether available for staking while prudently managing liquidity and redemption risks.
However, the registration statement leaves several key details unaddressed, including which exchange the fund will be listed on, the identity of the Trust’s custodian, and its ticker symbol. The filing is just the latest in a series of recent endeavors by Morgan Stanley to offer investment products linked to prominent cryptocurrencies.
Earlier this week, Morgan Stanley also announced its intentions to create a Bitcoin (BTC) Trust and a Solana (SOL) Trust, both aimed at tracking the performance of these major cryptocurrencies. These preliminary moves indicate an emerging trend where traditional financial institutions are increasingly embracing digital assets.
In an SEC registration statement, the bank revealed that both the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust and the Morgan Stanley Solana Trust are awaiting regulatory approval, and will function as passive investment vehicles, similarly intending to mirror the performance of their respective cryptocurrencies.
A Broader Crypto Push
The recent filing for an Ethereum ETF reflects a broader trend of traditional institutions leaning into the digital asset landscape. Driven in part by regulatory initiatives aiming to position the U.S. as a leading force in cryptocurrency, the SEC has recently rolled out generic listing standards specifically for crypto-based ETFs.
In the past year, Morgan Stanley has also made significant strides in offering cryptocurrency options to its high-net-worth clients. Already recognized for having one of the most extensive Bitcoin ETF holdings in the U.S., the firm permitted managers to introduce these products to wealthy individuals with a minimum of $1.5 million in assets.
By October 2025, Morgan Stanley broadened access to its crypto investment products to all clients, including those with retirement accounts, lifting previous restrictions that limited offerings to select clientele. Financial advisors within the bank have since become equipped to present a suite of crypto funds to any interested client.
Moreover, the bank announced its plans to facilitate trading of leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana through its E-Trade subsidiary, propelling itself firmly into the digital asset trading space.
