Morgan Stanley Launches Spot Ether, Solana ETPs on NYSE Arca
Morgan Stanley Investment Management introduced two new spot cryptocurrency products, the Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust (MSSE) and Morgan Stanley Solana Trust (MSOL), trading on NYSE Arca with 0.14% expense ratios. Both products intend to stake a portion of holdings and pass all staking rewards to investors, expanding the firm's cryptocurrency ETP lineup beyond Bitcoin.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management announced the launch of two spot cryptocurrency products on NYSE Arca: the Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust (MSSE) and Morgan Stanley Solana Trust (MSOL), according to a press release reported by The Defiant. Both products charge a 0.14% expense ratio and track the CoinDesk Ether and Solana Benchmark 4PM NY Settlement Rates.
The launch extends Morgan Stanley's cryptocurrency ETP franchise, which began in 2026 with the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust. The Bitcoin Trust, the first cryptocurrency ETP from a U.S. bank-affiliated asset manager, held more than $381 million in assets through July 16. The firm's ETF and ETP lineup, launched in 2023, has grown past $14 billion in assets across 22 products, including the three digital asset trusts.
MSSE and MSOL intend to stake a portion of their ether and Solana holdings. Critically, Morgan Stanley Investment Management will pass all staking rewards directly to investors rather than retain a share for itself. This structure differs from the first wave of U.S. spot crypto funds, which added staking reward pass-through only after regulatory treatment of such products loosened. The 0.14% fee undercuts most established spot ether products and sits near the floor of the category, according to The Defiant's reporting.
Ally Wallace, global head of ETFs for Morgan Stanley Investment Management, stated in the press release that the launch reflects "the natural evolution of our product suite, which seeks to provide simplified access to digital assets through the ETP wrapper." Amy Oldenburg, head of digital asset strategy at Morgan Stanley, added that the firm is "focused on providing a range of digital asset solutions that allow investors to diversify their portfolios across traditional and decentralized asset classes while also adhering to Morgan Stanley's standards for governance, infrastructure and risk management." Morgan Stanley's in-house crypto suite now spans the three largest proof-of-stake and proof-of-work assets by market capitalization.
For years, Morgan Stanley advisors were restricted from soliciting crypto products to clients, per The Defiant's reporting. The expanded product suite suggests those restrictions have loosened. At the time of the press release, Ether had risen 0.7% and Solana 0.4% in the past 24 hours, both trailing Bitcoin's 1.3% gain, according to CoinGecko data cited by The Defiant.
MSSE and MSOL charge 0.14% fees and commit to pass through all staking rewards to investors, marking an expansion of institutional crypto infrastructure from a major U.S. bank-affiliated asset manager.
What to watch: whether MSSE and MSOL attract institutional capital at scale, as the Bitcoin Trust's $381 million base is modest for a major asset manager product. The staking reward pass-through at launch, combined with the low 0.14% fee, signals competitive pressure on cost and yield, watch whether other asset managers follow suit or whether regulatory or custody hurdles emerge.
And that's the way it is.
Not financial advice. Crypto Cronkite reports events and explains what they may mean. It never tells you to buy or sell anything. Do your own research.