Morgan Stanley launches Bitcoin and Solana spot ETFs, Wall Street accelerates into the crypto market

Source: TokenPost Original Title: Morgan Stanley enters the US market with Bitcoin and Solana spot ETFs, accelerating Wall Street’s entry Original Link: Morgan Stanley launches Bitcoin and Solana spot ETFs into the US market, marking the official entry of mainstream financial institutions on Wall Street into the cryptocurrency field. This is the first time the banking industry has directly participated in the spot ETF market, breaking the previous pattern dominated by asset management firms.

Morgan Stanley’s Key Moves

On January 6, Morgan Stanley submitted filings for Bitcoin and Solana spot ETFs to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC). As a financial giant managing approximately $9 trillion in assets worldwide, this move contrasts sharply with the ETF market landscape previously led by asset management companies like Blackstone, Fidelity, and Invesco.

Bloomberg ETF senior analyst Eric Balchunas called this “one of the most shocking news of the year,” noting that Morgan Stanley’s decision to issue its own products rather than rely on external providers is an extremely rational business decision, given its management of $8 trillion in client assets.

New Trends in the Bitcoin ETF Market by 2026

Since 2026, the Bitcoin ETF market has shown strong growth momentum. In the first two days of January, Bitcoin ETFs saw a total net inflow of $1 billion, contrasting with the sluggish performance in December last year. Meanwhile, Solana ETFs have experienced a net inflow of approximately $25 million since January 1, with the total size still below $1 billion, but the sustained daily net inflows since their listing in October last year are noteworthy.

Before Morgan Stanley’s entry, the Bitcoin ETF market was dominated by a leading asset management firm, with its IBIT product accumulating net inflows exceeding $63 billion, accounting for 108% of total Bitcoin ETF inflows (this is due to redemptions from Grayscale Bitcoin Trust products causing about $25 billion in outflows).

Market Impact Analysis

According to Timot Lamarre, head of market research at crypto asset custody provider Unchained, Morgan Stanley’s ETF entry will have three main impacts:

First, Bitcoin will officially enter the mainstream financial system from outside the banking system, gaining trust and recognition from capital allocators.

Second, Morgan Stanley can directly generate fee income through its own ETF products.

Third, as more issuers enter the market, fee competition will intensify, ultimately benefiting investors.

Strategic Shift of Traditional Financial Institutions

Morgan Stanley’s decision reflects that large financial institutions now view Bitcoin as an institutionalized investment tool rather than a mere speculative asset. Against the backdrop of many global pension funds and institutions beginning to allocate crypto assets, Morgan Stanley’s move signifies that this trend has reached a new height. Spot ETF products are evolving from simple investment channels to fundamental components of financial institutions’ portfolios.

Key Points

• The physical ETF market is shifting from dominance by a leading company to a more competitive, diversified landscape
• Participation by asset management banks helps expand institutional demand and enhance market stability
• Solana and other altcoin ETFs are still in the early stages and should be approached with caution
• Morgan Stanley’s large client base will be a key variable in expanding market share