U.S. bank with $1.9 trillion in assets could debut its bitcoin ETF Wednesday
Why it matters: Morgan Stanley's MSBT launch could drive further institutional adoption of Bitcoin, following $56 billion in prior ETF inflows.
- Morgan Stanley is set to debut the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT) on NYSE Arca as early as Wednesday, making it the first spot Bitcoin ETF from a major U.S. bank.
- The MSBT fund will hold actual Bitcoin, track the CoinDesk Bitcoin Benchmark, and use BNY and Coinbase Custody for storage, launching with $1 million in initial capital.
- The ETF will charge a 0.14% annual fee, significantly undercutting BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (0.25%) and most other competitors.
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs have already attracted over $56 billion in net inflows since their January 2024 debut, demonstrating surging institutional demand for cryptocurrency exposure.
- Morgan Stanley's move extends its broader digital-asset strategy, which includes filings for spot Solana ETFs and plans for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana trading on E*Trade in collaboration with Zero Hash.
Morgan Stanley, a major U.S. bank with $1.9 trillion in assets, is poised to launch its spot Bitcoin ETF, MSBT, as early as Wednesday, marking a significant step in the institutional adoption of cryptocurrency. This new fund will directly hold Bitcoin, utilize BNY and Coinbase Custody, and notably undercut rivals like BlackRock with a 0.14% annual fee, further solidifying Bitcoin's integration into mainstream finance.
