- Morgan Stanley has applied for a national trust bank charter to directly hold and trade digital assets, signaling a major institutional push into crypto.
- Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas suggests this move could unlock tens of billions in capital from older generations, who hold over 80% of U.S. wealth.
- The bank’s platform, with 16,000 advisors managing $7 trillion, represents a vast network of potential “Boomer money” for crypto investment.
- Morgan Stanley has also applied for spot Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETFs and hired a head of digital-asset strategy, expanding its crypto offerings.
On February 27, 2026, Morgan Stanley took a decisive step toward mainstreaming cryptocurrency by applying for a national trust bank charter. This move, reported by Bloomberg, would allow the Wall Street giant to custody, trade, and offer staking services for digital assets. Consequently, the firm is positioning itself to capture a significant share of the evolving digital finance market.
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas wrote on X, “Wow, they’re really going all the way.” He highlighted the firm’s massive advisory network managing $7 trillion for 18 million clients. Balchunas called this a “massive network of Boomer money,” indicating a pivotal new investor demographic.
Historically, crypto adoption has skewed younger despite older generations’ financial dominance. However, Federal Reserve data shows Baby Boomers and those over 70 hold over 80% of U.S. wealth. Balchunas reiterated that even a 1-2% portfolio allocation from this group could generate tens of billions for digital assets.
Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley has been building its crypto infrastructure for some time. The bank hired Amy Oldenburg as head of digital-asset strategy in January and had also applied for spot Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETFs. As of the report, Bitcoin was trading at $65,677.09, down 3% over 24 hours.
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