Morgan Stanley has completed its E*TRADE crypto rollout, giving eligible clients direct spot access to Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana through the brokerage, with launch pricing set at 50 bps per trade.
The firm announced on July 16, 2026 that E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley finished rolling out crypto spot trading, letting eligible clients buy, sell and hold the three tokens directly inside their brokerage relationship, according to the company’s announcement. For related coverage, see Morgan Stanley ETF Buys 430 BTC on Debut, IBIT Pressure Rises.
Trades are executed and custodied through a separate linked zerohash account rather than by Morgan Stanley itself, and clients can view those digital assets alongside their traditional E*TRADE holdings. Launch pricing is 50 bps, or 0.50% per trade. For related coverage, see Oman launches Omanhash Bitcoin mining pool for licensed miners.
Morgan Stanley says it does not itself transact in or custody digital assets on E*TRADE. Client crypto trades and custody run through the zerohash account, and those assets are not FDIC insured or SIPC protected. For related coverage, see CME lawsuit challenges Kalshi's Bitcoin leverage push.
Why Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana Anchor the Rollout
The launch centers on the two largest crypto assets plus one major altcoin. Bitcoin dominance sat at roughly 56.4% and Ethereum at about 9.8% of total market value in data from July 17, 2026, underscoring why broad broker rollouts still lead with BTC and ETH.
Adding Solana pushes the offering past the two default large caps into higher-beta altcoin exposure, a signal that E*TRADE is targeting a broader mix of crypto demand rather than a token-minimal launch. The rollout follows Morgan Stanley’s earlier moves into digital assets, including its spot Bitcoin ETF debut that drew $34 million in first-day inflows.
The three tokens carry very different price profiles. Bitcoin traded near $64,015, Ethereum around $1,846 and Solana about $75 on July 17, 2026, giving E*TRADE clients a spread from the market’s benchmark asset to a faster-moving smart-contract network in a single interface.
Trust, Not Lowest Fees, Is the Pitch
Morgan Stanley is framing the launch around brand trust rather than price. Its latest Pulse Survey found 32% of surveyed investors ranked “an established company I can trust” as a top factor in choosing a crypto trading platform, ahead of low or no transaction fees at 25%, the firm said.
That positioning matters because E*TRADE is not the cheapest venue. Interactive Brokers advertises crypto commissions of 0.12% to 0.18% and explicitly lists E*TRADE at 0.50% per trade in its May 6, 2026 comparison table, casting the brokerage as mainstream-integrated rather than lowest-cost.
The bet is that consolidation and familiarity outweigh a fee gap for the average brokerage client. Seeing BTC, ETH and SOL next to stocks and funds in one login is the differentiator crypto-native exchanges cannot easily match.
What It Signals for Retail Crypto Access
The rollout matters most to existing E*TRADE customers who want crypto exposure without opening an account on a standalone exchange or moving funds off-platform. Access arrives inside a regulated brokerage they already use.
Distribution is the story as much as the asset list. Every large broker that folds spot crypto into a traditional trading app lowers the friction that has kept many retail investors on the sidelines, a shift that also drives Morgan Stanley’s wider push into digital-asset products.
Sentiment remains cautious even as access widens. The Fear & Greed Index printed 27, in “Fear” territory, on the same week the rollout completed, a reminder that mainstream availability and bullish market mood are not moving in lockstep.
Morgan Stanley said transfer functionality is expected later this year and that digital asset services are set to transition to Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association, In Organization, according to the firm’s own roadmap disclosure, though neither is live yet. The custody and personnel side of the bank’s crypto ambitions has drawn talent moves, including Andrew Peel’s departure to launch a Swiss DeFi fund.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
