Morgan Stanley, a large US-based investment bank, is expanding its steps in the digital asset field with a new project. The bank started the pilot application of a new service that will allow cryptocurrency trading via ETrade, which it owns. The service in question stands out with its lower transaction fees compared to existing retail crypto platforms.
Low-fee crypto transactions are coming
According to Bloomberg, within the scope of the pilot application, ETrade users pay a fee of 0.5 percent of the total transaction amount in crypto transactions. This amount lags behind the commissions of other major players in the market, Coinbase, Robinhood and Charles Schwab, which sometimes range from 0.6 to 0.95 percent.
Morgan Stanley emphasizes that this lower-cost application for retail investors does not only provide a fee advantage. Jed Finn, Head of Asset Management of the bank, states that the move initiated a larger customer-focused structural transformation. Finn states that they are reshaping access to digital assets and aiming to reduce the need for intermediaries.
Morgan Stanley’s senior manager, Jed Finn, emphasized that the initiative is part of the “disintermediation” vision and is not limited to just the appropriate commission.
ETrade is currently a prominent online securities investment platform with millions of users in the United States. The platform, which was fully acquired by Morgan Stanley in 2020, is among the tools preferred by individual investors in stock and fund transactions.
Comprehensive digital asset strategy
Morgan Stanley has been focusing more on digital assets lately. The company had recently launched a Bitcoin-focused exchange-traded fund. It was stated that new investment instruments related to other major cryptocurrencies such as Ether and Solana are also planned.
In parallel, the bank’s preparations continue on the infrastructure side. Morgan Stanley has applied for a banking license that would provide national security for direct custody of digital assets. This step can make it easier to provide secure storage services to customers.
Sources reached by Bloomberg stated that the bank is also working on products that enable users to convert their crypto assets without selling them directly into exchange-traded funds. It is also stated that new transactions such as tokenized stock transactions may come to the agenda during the year.
Competition is heating up in the market
These moves by Morgan Stanley may have an impact on the competitive retail crypto trading market. Coinbase generated $3.32 billion in consumer transaction revenue in 2025. Robinhood, on the other hand, reported nearly $1 billion in revenue in crypto-related areas last year.
Thanks to the new service, which the bank plans to fully open to ETrade users by the end of the year, the connection between traditional banking and the crypto ecosystem is expected to strengthen. As one of America’s leading financial institutions, this step by Morgan Stanley draws attention in terms of transformation in the sector.
