TLDR
- Morgan Stanley will launch its digital wallet in the second half of 2026.
- The wallet will support trading and storage of digital assets including cryptocurrencies.
- E*Trade users will gain access to Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana trading in early 2026.
- Morgan Stanley partnered with Zerohash to enable crypto trading features for clients.
- The firm plans to offer loans backed by crypto assets and cold storage holdings.
Morgan Stanley plans to launch a digital wallet in 2026, completing a broader strategy to reshape how it delivers finance, expands access to private markets, and integrates cryptocurrency into its wealth services, according to company executives, who confirmed the launch timeline.
The wallet will support multiple functions, beginning with cryptocurrency storage and trading through E*Trade, and expanding to broader digital asset capabilities later in the year, making it a key part of Morgan Stanley’s evolving financial infrastructure. Jed Finn, Head of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley, stated, “It all fits together in a broader strategy of adapting to the change in the industry.”
E*Trade Integration and Digital Wallet Launch
Morgan Stanley partnered with crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash in 2025 to allow E*Trade users to trade Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana. This crypto trading feature is expected to go live in the first half of 2026, according to Finn, aligning with the wallet rollout.
In the second half of the year, Morgan Stanley will launch its own digital wallet, aimed at storing and eventually trading digital assets beyond crypto. The wallet will become a platform where users can manage various asset types in one place, merging digital and traditional finance.
“This is really a recognition that the way that financial service infrastructure works is going to change,” Finn said. Morgan Stanley also plans to enable customers to use crypto assets to secure loans or borrow to buy crypto using traditional holdings.
It will explore allowing lending based on cryptocurrencies held in cold storage, adding security to future asset-backed services. The firm expects its infrastructure to create a seamless experience between cash, crypto, and other digital forms of wealth.
Morgan Stanley Expands Access to Private Shares
In a related move, Morgan Stanley is increasing exposure to private company investments through deals with Carta and EquityZen. The bank extended its partnership with Carta to bring wealth planning to employees at private firms managing ownership via Carta’s software.
This integration offers financial services to startup founders and early investors who need help converting equity into usable wealth. Finn said,
“We’re in this for the long haul. We’re in this for 20, 30, 40 years, multiple generations.”
Morgan Stanley handles equity for firms preparing to go public and now helps their workers manage long-term financial goals. To further strengthen its presence in the private share market, Morgan Stanley agreed to acquire EquityZen in late 2025.
The acquisition is scheduled to close in early 2026 and will let Morgan Stanley offer private shares to wealth clients. Finn said EquityZen was chosen because it works directly with companies rather than using complex secondary contracts.
This setup allows companies to control share transactions and update records easily using Carta’s platform. Morgan Stanley aims to offer a more direct route to liquidity for both companies and their investors.
It also plans to help companies sell limited shares pre-IPO while keeping full control of ownership data and structure. In the future, the firm may tokenize private shares on its platform for faster transactions and immediate settlements.
Finn added, “Once there’s a digital representation of that share…it becomes an instantaneous settlement.”
These updates align with broader moves across finance as firms explore tokenizing real-world assets like private shares. Morgan Stanley’s combined moves are expected to create new ways for clients to interact with both digital and private markets in 2026.
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