Morgan Stanley to support tokenized assets with digital wallets this year, Wall Street's crypto strategy further upgraded

Morgan Stanley is accelerating its presence in the digital asset space. According to the latest news, this global top-tier investment bank plans to launch a digital wallet later this year to support tokenized assets. This move follows its recent submission of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETF applications to the U.S. SEC, demonstrating that Morgan Stanley is systematically building a comprehensive crypto asset ecosystem.

Morgan Stanley’s Accelerated Crypto Asset Strategy

Morgan Stanley has been active in the crypto sector. According to recent reports, on January 6-7, Morgan Stanley submitted ETF applications to the SEC tracking the spot prices of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. These ETF applications have attracted significant attention because they will be operated under the “Morgan Stanley” brand—this is quite rare among Morgan Stanley’s 20 ETF products, which are mostly launched under sub-brands like Calvert, Parametric, Eaton Vance, etc.

From ETFs to digital wallets, Morgan Stanley’s strategic layout shows a clear logic:

Strategic Significance of the Digital Wallet

The launch of the digital wallet is crucial to Morgan Stanley’s crypto strategy. Compared to passive ETF investment tools, wallet products can:

• Provide high-net-worth clients with direct asset custody and management experiences
• Support holding and trading of tokenized assets, aligning with the trend of RWA (Real-World Asset) tokenization
• Build deeper client engagement, extending from investment tools to an asset management ecosystem
• Create synergies with Morgan Stanley’s wealth management business

According to Santiment, a crypto sentiment analysis platform, tokenized real-world assets (RWA) have become a hot topic within the crypto community, with blockchain platforms like Solana reporting record highs in RWA activity. Morgan Stanley’s digital wallet can serve as a foundational infrastructure for custody and trading of these emerging asset classes.

Systematic Entry of Traditional Finance

Morgan Stanley’s series of actions reflect a broader trend: traditional financial institutions are moving from exploratory phases into systematic deployment. Industry observations show that Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, which are considered Morgan Stanley’s peers among the world’s top three investment banks, have also entered the crypto space but have not launched their own branded crypto products. Morgan Stanley’s move indicates strategic considerations around branding and distribution—offering crypto products under its own brand can send a strong signal to the market, showing that this traditional financial giant is prepared for long-term involvement in crypto assets.

Bitwise’s Chief Investment Officer further confirms this point: Morgan Stanley’s actions are not only about financial product innovation but also about brand strategy. This approach helps attract top talent in the crypto field, signals to the market that the crypto sector is more significant than expected, and reaches new customer segments.

Summary

Morgan Stanley’s progression from ETF applications to digital wallet planning demonstrates a serious attitude from traditional finance towards crypto assets. This is not just product expansion but a strategic upgrade—from passive investment tools to an active asset management ecosystem. As tokenized assets become a hot industry topic, Morgan Stanley’s digital wallet will serve as an important bridge connecting traditional finance with crypto assets. This series of actions indicates that Wall Street’s attitude toward crypto assets is shifting from observation to deep engagement.