Morgan Stanley Opens Spot Crypto Trading to E*TRADE Clients via Zero Hash

Morgan Stanley completes crypto trading rollout on E*TRADE

Morgan Stanley has completed the rollout of spot cryptocurrency trading on E*TRADE, its retail brokerage platform. Eligible clients can now buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana directly within their accounts. The digital assets appear alongside stocks and other traditional holdings in the same E*TRADE interface. The service reaches E*TRADE's retail client base, reported at about 8.6 million clients. The rollout follows the company's September 2025 disclosure that it planned to add crypto trading for retail clients. The move places spot crypto trading directly inside a mainstream retail brokerage.

Zero Hash custody powers the new trading service

The trading service runs through Zero Hash, a digital asset infrastructure firm. Client crypto holdings sit in linked Zero Hash accounts rather than with Morgan Stanley directly. E*TRADE charges a fee of 50 basis points, equal to 0.5 percent, on each trade. The rate applies to both purchases and sales. Because the assets are held in separate, non-brokerage accounts, they are not covered by federal deposit insurance or securities investor protection. Morgan Stanley does not custody the tokens itself, a structure that keeps the holdings outside its brokerage accounts.

Bitcoin trades near $63,900 at time of publication

Bitcoin traded at $63,896.98 at the time of publication, down 1.17 percent over the past 24 hours versus the previous close (CoinPaprika, 17 July 2026). Its market value stood near $1.28 trillion, with 24-hour trading volume close to $22.9 billion (CoinPaprika, 17 July 2026). The token remains about 49 percent below its record high near $126,173, set in October 2025 (CoinPaprika, 17 July 2026). The launch adds another large distribution channel for the three tokens now available to E*TRADE users.

The launch advances Morgan Stanley's digital assets strategy

The rollout builds on a wider push into digital assets. Morgan Stanley filed registration statements for Bitcoin and Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January 2026. In April 2026, the firm said it was exploring tokenized money market funds and crypto tax-management tools for clients. Each step expanded the firm's digital asset offering for its wealth business.

"With the rollout of crypto trading on E*TRADE we're advancing our digital assets strategy and bringing new capabilities to clients in an integrated way.", 16 July 2026. — Chad Turner, Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Platforms

Matt Jones, Head of E*TRADE, tied the launch to shifting client demand for a single financial platform.

"Our clients' needs are evolving, and they want to invest, trade, bank, and plan for the future all in one place.", 16 July 2026. — Matt Jones, Head of E*TRADE

Crypto transfers are expected later in 2026

E*TRADE plans to add crypto transfer functionality later in 2026. That feature would let clients move digital assets into and out of their accounts. The company has not given an exact date for the transfer option. For now, trading covers Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, with additional capabilities set to follow.