Morgan Stanley Eyes Crypto Trading for E*Trade Customers

​Morgan Stanley is preparing to offer direct crypto trading to its E*Trade clients, marking one of the boldest steps yet by a major U.S. bank to open the digital asset floodgates for retail investors​.

The initiative is still in the early stages, but insiders say Morgan Stanley could launch the feature as soon as 2026, pending partnerships with established crypto firms. The move would allow users to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ether, and other top tokens right inside their brokerage accounts—something no traditional bank has done at this scale.

This pivot reflects how much has changed under the Trump administration, which has aggressively dismantled crypto regulatory barriers. Since Trump’s return to office, watchdogs like the SEC and FDIC have pulled back previous restrictions, and new executive orders have positioned the U.S. as the "crypto capital of the planet."

The bank’s move would put it in direct competition with Robinhood, which made $626 million from crypto trading last year, and possibly Coinbase, depending on how Morgan Stanley’s partner strategy unfolds.

E*Trade’s crypto expansion would come on top of existing access to crypto ETFs, futures, and options—but this would be the first time its users could trade tokens directly. Analysts say the move could reshape crypto investing on Wall Street, especially with companies like Charles Schwab and SoFi also reconsidering digital asset access.

Even JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, once a fierce Bitcoin critic, has softened his stance—calling it a “pet rock” but defending investors’ right to buy in.

Bottom line:
​Wall Street’s crypto thaw is turning into a full-on embrace. With Morgan Stanley bringing crypto trading to E*Trade, the race to dominate retail crypto access is officially on.