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Morgan Stanley Lays Out Phased Crypto Plan: Partnered E*TRADE Spot Trading First, In-House Custody and Exchange to Follow

The bank says client trust drives a shift to building core crypto infrastructure in-house.

Overview

  • Head of digital asset strategy Amy Oldenburg detailed the roadmap onstage at Strategy World 2026, signaling a move from rented crypto rails to an integrated platform.
  • In the near term, E*TRADE clients will be able to buy and sell spot cryptocurrencies through a partner arrangement.
  • Over the next year, Morgan Stanley plans to develop a native custody service paired with an internal exchange, citing the need for control, trust, and direct liability.
  • The custody offering would place clients’ digital assets under Morgan Stanley’s legal oversight, while acknowledging some investors will continue to self-custody.
  • Yield and lending against Bitcoin are under active exploration with no launch timetable, and the firm sees scope to onboard off‑platform client crypto to its $8 trillion franchise.