Bank files for spot Ethereum ETF with staking component following Bitcoin and Solana ETF submissions
Morgan Stanley is intensifying its crypto investment strategy by filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a spot Ethereum (ETH) ETF. The move comes immediately after filings for Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, marking a rapid expansion of the bank’s crypto product offerings.
The planned Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust aims to track ether’s price while also generating rewards from staking a portion of holdings. Unlike some rivals that distribute staking rewards directly to investors, Morgan Stanley intends to reflect staking gains in the fund’s net asset value (NAV). This structure provides exposure to both price appreciation and staking income without issuing separate distributions.
Morgan Stanley’s filings highlight growing institutional demand for crypto ETFs. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen cumulative U.S. trading volumes exceed $2 trillion since 2024, while spot Ethereum ETFs currently hold around $20 billion in assets, showing significant investor appetite for diversified crypto exposure.
The filings are part of Morgan Stanley’s broader digital asset strategy, including caps on crypto exposure in certain portfolios and plans to expand crypto access across client accounts, including retirement plans. This signals a continued push by traditional financial institutions to integrate regulated crypto investment products into mainstream offerings.
Morgan Stanley now joins a growing cohort of banks and asset managers actively shaping the U.S. spot crypto ETF market, positioning Ethereum alongside Bitcoin and Solana as a key institutional investment vehicle.
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