-
Proposed Morgan Stanley Digital Trust would operate as a de novo national trust bank without FDIC deposits.
-
The trust plans crypto custody, trading, swaps, transfers, and staking for wealth and institutional clients.
-
Filing follows OCC crypto trust approvals for BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, Paxos, and Ripple.
Morgan Stanley has applied for a national trust bank charter to custody Bitcoin and other digital assets. The filing was submitted on Feb. 18 to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The proposed entity would operate nationwide from Purchase, New York, supporting crypto custody, trading, and staking.
Trust Charter Filing Details and Structure
The application lists the entity as Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association. Notably, it would be a de novo trust bank, meaning a newly formed institution. The filing seeks full trust powers under federal supervision.
According to the application, the trust bank would not accept FDIC-insured deposits. Instead, it would focus on fiduciary administration and asset safekeeping. The entity would sit under Morgan Stanley Capital Management as an indirect wholly owned subsidiary.
The OCC confirmed receipt of the application on Feb. 18. It also opened a public comment period that runs through March 20. During its first three years, the trust would custody select digital assets and execute related transactions.
Services Planned for Wealth Management Clients
Morgan Stanley said the trust would serve its wealth management clients. These include individuals, businesses, and institutional investors. The services would support client investment activity on a fiduciary basis.
Specifically, the trust would handle crypto purchases, sales, swaps, transfers, and staking. These activities would support broader investment strategies rather than retail trading. The filing notes that national trust banks may conduct non-fiduciary custody activities without taking deposits.
According to Bloomberg and Forbes reports, this marks Morgan Stanley’s first crypto-focused trust charter. The filing follows the firm’s recent expansion across digital asset products. That expansion sets context for the new trust structure.
Broader Crypto Push and Industry Context
The trust application comes amid increased interest in crypto bank charters. In December, the OCC conditionally approved several crypto-related trust banks. These included BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, Paxos, and Ripple.
Morgan Stanley has also pursued crypto ETFs and tokenized asset offerings. It plans to launch crypto trading for E-Trade clients this year. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana would be included initially.
According to Eric Balchunas, the filing reflects a deeper commitment to crypto access. He noted Morgan Stanley’s large advisor network and client base. The OCC currently supervises about 60 national trust banks in the United States.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
MetaMask announces full support for the HyperEVM network.
Gate News announcement, on March 27, MetaMask announced that it has fully supported the HyperEVM network. Users can now directly perform token swap operations with the HyperEVM network in the MetaMask wallet.
GateNews12m ago
Futu’s “Cheetah Exchange” under its umbrella has officially opened across the board, announcing that it will roll out “margin trading.”
Futu Holdings announced that its virtual asset trading platform, "Cheetah Exchange," is officially open for business and will be fully connected with Futu Securities, providing virtual asset trading and services. This is Hong Kong's first compliant trading platform operated by a brokerage, which will optimize private wealth management and offer customized services, and plans to launch around-the-clock trading and virtual asset financing services, aiming to become a key bridge connecting traditional finance and virtual assets.
区块客14m ago
Tempo and Safe{Wallet} have completed integration, supporting multi-signature smart account management for stablecoin settlements.
Tempo has completed integration with Safe{Wallet} to launch a programmable multi-signature account, supporting financial institutions and payment service providers in managing transaction fees with stablecoins, reducing transfer costs to below $0.001, and enhancing blockchain payment efficiency.
GateNews1h ago
Anchorage Digital adds Tron custody, opens U.S. institutional access to TRX trading
Anchorage Digital will support the Tron blockchain, starting with institutional custody for TRX, enabling regulated participation in the network. Plans include adding TRC-20 assets and staking options, bridging traditional finance with crypto's growing ecosystem.
CoinDesk2h ago
