Morgan Stanley Files National Trust Charter for Crypto

Crypto

Morgan Stanley Files National Trust Charter for Crypto

• Morgan Stanley has applied for a national trust bank charter to custody Bitcoin and crypto assets.
• This filing positions the $7T asset manager to offer secure digital asset services to 18 million clients.
• Morgan Stanley files with the SEC to offer spot Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana ETFs.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) has doubled down on its interest in the crypto space. This top-tier bank, with more than 18 million customers and over $7 trillion in assets under management (AUM), filed for a national trust bank charter.

This is according to a filing submitted to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on February 18, 2026. According to the filing, Morgan Stanley is seeking to offer custody for digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL).

Morgan Stanley Expands Deeper Into Crypto

Morgan Stanley is seeking to offer crypto services in line with the regulatory clarity in the United States. Moreover, the OCC, together with the Federal Reserve, has already allowed U.S. banks to effectively custody crypto for their customers through a series of guidance clarifications and policy shifts.

The strategic decision to file for a national trust bank follows the banks impressive performance in the fourth quarter of 2025. Notably, Morgan Stanley reported a net revenue of $17.9 billion in Q4 2025, up 10% year-over-year.

The bank announced that its record performance in 2025, which exceeded Wall Streets expectations, was driven by its vast wealth management. However, this bank is keen to morph with the crypto industry to remain competitive.

Furthermore, the OCC has already approved several similar applications from Anchorage Digital, Ripple Labs, Fidelity Digital, Paxos, BitGo, Crypto.com, and First National Digital Currency Bank, which is affiliated with stablecoin issuer Circle.

Notably, Morgan Stanley filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this year to offer spot Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETFs.

Whats the Expected Market Impact

Morgan Stanleys strategic entry into the crypto market amid ongoing bearish sentiment is a major game-changer. Furthermore, the behemoth bank has signaled the imminent mainstream adoption of crypto assets, catalyzed by regulatory clarity under President Donald Trump.

The confidence in the crypto space by institutional investors is expected to surge as more traditional banks enroll to offer related services.