Morgan Stanley: Griffin's $916M Bet on Wealth Boom
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- Ken Griffin holds a $916,479,807 stake in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), which ranks #8 in the list of best stocks to buy according to the billionaire
- Morgan Stanley manages $9.3 trillion in total client assets, with Q4 2025 net new assets surging 116% year over year to $122 billion
- The asset growth is driven by a funnel that pulls clients in through E*Trade and workplace stock plans, then migrates them into advisor-managed relationships
- Investment banking is cited as a second catalyst, with the M&A pipeline that was frozen for two years under high rates now starting to release amid expected Fed rate cuts and deregulation
- Baron Financials ETF disclosed a new Morgan Stanley position in its Q4 letter, citing "numerous" competitive advantages the company holds
Why it matters: Morgan Stanley's wealth management arm now controls $9.3 trillion in client assets and added $122 billion in net new assets in a single quarter — a 116% year-over-year jump — showing the E*Trade-to-advisor funnel is converting retail accounts into higher-fee relationships at scale. With the Fed expected to keep cutting and M&A deals that were frozen for two years now releasing, Griffin and the Baron Financials ETF are both betting the bank has two independent growth engines firing at once.
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