- Morgan Stanley plans to enable crypto trading for E*Trade users by 2026, marking a major shift from its current crypto services limited to wealthy clients.
- The move follows Trump-era regulatory rollbacks, with the bank accelerating talks on crypto integration amid renewed industry momentum.
- Rival Charles Schwab is also eyeing a similar rollout, as traditional brokers increasingly embrace crypto under a more favorable US regulatory climate.
Morgan Stanley is preparing to bring crypto trading to E*Trade. According to Bloomberg, the move is expected sometime in 2026, though plans remain in early stages.
The firm is reportedly evaluating which crypto partners to integrate, with discussions accelerating in the wake of President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto pivot, including regulatory rollbacks and an executive order to establish a national Bitcoin reserve.
If implemented, the expansion would bring spot trading of assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum directly to E*Trade’s retail user base. That would be a significant shift from Morgan Stanley’s current model, which restricts crypto exposure to wealthier clients through ETFs, options, and futures.
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Morgan Stanley Expands on its Crypto Offering
This pivot comes after years of hesitation with big banks mostly avoiding the crypto sector, citing volatility, custody risk, and compliance headaches. But it seems like Trump’s return to office has flipped the risk calculus for almost everyone in the digital asset space or interested in it.
Within days of his inauguration, an executive order called for US leadership in digital assets, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rolled back restrictive accounting rules, and regulators began dismantling prior guidance that discouraged banks from working with crypto firms.
But in all fairness, this wouldn’t be the bank’s first foray into crypto. Back when James Gorman was the CEO, he was one of the earliest banking executives to take Bitcoin seriously, saying back in 2017 that it was “more than just a fad”.
Nevertheless, to fold crypto directly into E*Trade’s retail interface means a much deeper commitment, not just as a product line, but as a permanent part of the brokerage stack.
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