Morgan Stanley to Launch Proprietary Crypto Trading Platform in 2026 - Wall Street Giant Goes All-In on Digital Assets

Wall Street's institutional embrace of cryptocurrency reaches new heights as Morgan Stanley prepares to roll out its proprietary trading desk.

The Digital Gold Rush

Morgan Stanley isn't just dipping toes anymore—they're diving headfirst into crypto waters. The banking titan plans to launch its own digital trading platform, cutting out intermediaries and bringing crypto execution in-house. No more relying on third-party providers when you can build the infrastructure yourself.

Timing Is Everything

With a 2026 launch target, Morgan Stanley gives itself a solid runway to navigate regulatory hurdles and market volatility. The delayed timeline suggests they're playing the long game—because in crypto, rushing usually ends with margin calls and regret.

Institutional Validation

When traditional finance heavyweights start building proprietary crypto infrastructure, it signals more than just curiosity. It's a bet on digital assets becoming permanent fixtures in global finance—even if Wall Street still pretends to hate the decentralization part.

The platform launch represents another nail in the coffin of 'crypto is a fad' arguments. Though let's be real—bankers will still charge 2% management fees for what amounts to clicking 'buy' on a Bitcoin ETF.

Expanding crypto push

The decision comes as traditional financial institutions accelerate efforts to capture growing demand for crypto exposure.

Competitors such as Robinhood already offer a wide selection of tokens, while Charles Schwab has taken a more cautious approach, providing access to exchange-traded funds tied to BTC and ETH.

Interactive Brokers, another retail rival, has also deepened its crypto offerings, signaling broader acceptance across the brokerage sector.

The crypto market is currently valued at roughly $3.9 trillion, with Bitcoin accounting for about $2.25 trillion and ether around $506 billion. The scale of those assets has pressured established brokerages to adapt to retain clients increasingly interested in alternative investments.

Zerohash gains momentum

For Zerohash, the partnership with Morgan Stanley follows a milestone fundraising round in which the company secured $104 million and reached unicorn status.

Interactive Brokers led the round, with participation from Morgan Stanley, SoFi, and other financial backers. The firm specializes in providing infrastructure that allows banks and fintechs to offer crypto products without building their own trading and custody systems.

The expansion also reflects a policy environment that has grown more favorable under the TRUMP administration, with regulators signaling support for digital assets. The backdrop has encouraged Wall Street banks and asset managers to move beyond cautious pilot programs into live offerings.

Morgan Stanley’s integration of crypto trading on E*Trade highlights how digital assets have shifted from a niche experiment into a fixture of global finance, one that both retail investors and institutions can no longer ignore.