Morgan Stanley, a U.S. bank with $1.9 trillion in assets, is set to debut its spot Bitcoin ETF, the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT), on NYSE Arca. The ETF, scheduled to begin trading Wednesday under the ticker MSBT, marks a significant entry for a major Wall Street institution into the cryptocurrency market.
The fund will hold actual Bitcoin and track the CoinDesk Bitcoin Benchmark Rate. It will utilize BNY Mellon and Coinbase Custody for storage, launching with $1 million in initial capital. Notably, the MSBT ETF will feature a competitive annual fee of 0.14%, undercutting BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust at 0.25% and most existing rivals.
This launch signifies a major development, representing the first time a top-tier U.S. bank is offering a spot Bitcoin ETF to investors, reflecting the growing demand for exposure to alternative assets. Morgan Stanley is expanding its digital asset offerings, with plans for Solana ETFs and expanded trading on E*Trade in the near future.