Morgan Stanley Doubles Down: Fresh Bitcoin & Solana ETF Filings Signal Major Crypto Embrace
Wall Street's slow dance with digital assets just got a lot faster. A major institutional player is making its next big move.
The Institutional On-Ramp Widens
Forget dipping a toe—this is a full-throated endorsement. The latest regulatory paperwork isn't about cautious exploration; it's a blueprint for mainstream access. By filing for funds tracking both the established king and a rising challenger, the strategy is clear: capture the entire spectrum of digital asset demand.
Solana's Star Turn
Including Solana alongside Bitcoin in these filings is the real tell. It signals a belief that the crypto ecosystem extends far beyond one flagship asset. This isn't just about storing value; it's about betting on the blockchains poised to power the next generation of applications—and convincing their clients to come along for the ride.
The Fee Machine Gears Up
Let's be real—this is how traditional finance truly falls in love with an asset class: when it can wrap it in a familiar product and charge a tidy management fee. The race isn't just for investor dollars; it's for those basis points on billions. Another elegant solution to the age-old Wall Street question: 'How do we monetize this?'
The message to the market is unmistakable. The gates aren't just opening; the architects are now building luxury express lanes.
Crypto ETF Plans Highlight In-Kind Creation And Staking
The filing does not identify the exchange upon which the Bitcoin product will be hosted. It also does not determine the custodian who oversees the assets. Morgan Stanley will adopt in-kind creation and redemption. This characteristic matches the Bitcoin fund with designs typically found in the larger crypto ETF market.
The solana Trust uses a similar operational model. It aims to follow the price of SOL. This can also be accompanied by staking to realize value-added returns. The Solana proposal will be an in-kind filing in the same format as other spot crypto ETF filings by major asset managers.
There are some details that are unclear. The custodian and listing venue of the Solana product were not revealed. However, the filings demonstrate a growing interest from large financial organizations in regulated digital markets. The shift also indicates a rise in competition among institutions that are trying to establish themselves in the dynamic crypto ETF market.
Rising Adoption Highlights Momentum In Crypto ETF Space
Morgan Stanley has spent the past year preparing to more broadly embrace digital assets. The firm had previously announced plans to debut retail crypto trading on its E-Trade platform. The firm also made Bitcoin available to all its wealth management clients by removing previous restrictions. These actions demonstrate that the bank is preparing for a growing market for crypto ETF products.
According to SoSoValue data, funds linked to Solana have attracted a net inflow of around $800 million since 2025. The filing of Morgan Stanley coincides with the ongoing expansion of Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. market. These products have had a total of approximately $123 billion in assets, which is equivalent to almost 6.6% of the market capital of Bitcoin, and more than $1.1 billion in net inflows have been recorded since the beginning of the year.
Morgan Stanley manages one of the largest wealth networks in the country. Its advisers are able to spread new offerings into individual client portfolios. With management activities remaining in-house, the bank can solidify its standing as competition escalates throughout the crypto ETF environment.
