Morgan Stanley Files for Bitcoin ETF, Names Coinbase and BNY Mellon as Custodians

Solana uses a proof-of-stake mechanism that allows holders to stake SOL to help secure the network and earn rewards. Adding staking to an ETF would give investors exposure to both the token's price and on-chain yield through a brokerage account. SOL had a market capitalization of about $49.44 billion as of May 18, 2026. Morgan Stanley first filed an application with the SEC on January 6, underscoring major banks' expanding push into crypto assets.

Morgan Stanley filed an amended S-1 with the SEC on July 15, 2026. MSOL would list on NYSE Arca, charge an annual fee of 0.14% and be permitted to stake up to 100% of its SOL. Figment, Galaxy Digital and Coinbase Canada would provide staking services. The service providers and custodian would collectively receive 5% of total staking rewards, with the remaining 95% accruing to the fund's net asset value. The filing is not yet effective, and no listing date has been announced.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management launched MSBT, becoming the first asset manager affiliated with a U.S. bank to issue a crypto exchange-traded product. The fund gives investors exposure to bitcoin through a regulated vehicle that can be traded in brokerage accounts, reflecting digital assets’ gradual entry into mainstream wealth-management channels.

MSBT began trading on NYSE Arca on April 8, 2026. By May 7, it had recorded $193.6 million in cumulative net inflows and reached $239.6 million in net assets. During its first month, the fund posted inflows on 17 trading days and no change on five, with no single day of net outflows. Morgan Stanley said nearly all the initial investment came from self-directed clients rather than its financial advisers.

Morgan Stanley launched its MSBT spot bitcoin ETF in July 2026, marking a significant instance of a Wall Street bank directly issuing such a product. The fund charges a management fee of just 0.14% and taps the bank’s extensive wealth-management network as it targets a market dominated by BlackRock’s IBIT, underscoring the deeper integration of crypto assets into traditional finance’s core businesses.

MSBT attracted about $34 million on its first day of trading. Depending on the methodology used, first-week inflows were estimated at between $71 million and $100 million. After six trading days, its assets had surpassed those of WisdomTree’s bitcoin fund. Over the same period, U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $996 million in weekly net inflows, the highest level since mid-January 2026.

A national trust bank charter from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) allows a company to conduct fiduciary activities under federal oversight, but not to accept deposits or obtain FDIC insurance. After launching Bitcoin, Ether and Solana ETPs, Morgan Stanley is further strengthening its in-house custody and trading infrastructure.

The OCC received the application on February 18, 2026. Morgan Stanley Digital Trust plans to offer digital-asset custody, buying and selling, swaps, transfers and fiduciary staking services, though the filing did not disclose its capitalization. The OCC granted preliminary conditional approval on June 18, but the company must meet pre-opening requirements before it can formally begin operations.