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Morgan Stanley to add crypto trading to E*Trade via Zerohash partnership

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Morgan Stanley will enable cryptocurrency trading on its E*Trade platform starting in the first half of 2026, the bank confirmed Tuesday. The service will launch through a partnership with Zerohash, a digital asset infrastructure provider.

At rollout, E*Trade clients will be able to trade bitcoin, ether, and solana, with the potential for more tokens to be added later. A Morgan Stanley spokesperson said the move reflects growing client demand for access to digital assets alongside traditional investments.

The expansion comes as the global crypto market swells to about $3.9 trillion, led by bitcoin ($2.25 trillion) and ether ($506 billion), according to CoinMarketCap. Once dismissed as speculative, crypto has become a mainstream asset class, attracting Wall Street banks, brokers, and retail platforms.

Morgan Stanley’s push follows rivals:

  • Robinhood offers trading in a wide range of tokens.

  • Charles Schwab provides ETFs tied to bitcoin and ether.

The supportive regulatory stance under President Donald Trump has also accelerated Wall Street’s embrace of crypto products.

Meanwhile, Zerohash announced it reached unicorn status after raising $104 million in a funding round led by Interactive Brokers, with Morgan Stanley, SoFi, and others also investing.

By integrating crypto into E*Trade, Morgan Stanley is positioning itself to compete directly with retail trading platforms while tapping into one of finance’s fastest-growing markets.

US SEC Issues First Guidance Toward Rules Governing Crypto ETFs

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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took an important first step last week toward formalizing regulations for exchange-traded products (ETPs) linked to cryptocurrencies. The new 12-page guidance document lays out disclosure requirements for crypto ETFs, marking a shift in approach by the regulator under Republican leadership. This signals progress on approving dozens of pending applications for ETFs tied to cryptocurrencies such as Solana, XRP, and even former President Donald Trump’s meme coin.

The SEC has also formed a task force to develop detailed rules, revamped its crypto enforcement team, and stepped back from some high-profile enforcement cases previously seen as wins. This new guidance aims to create a clearer regulatory framework, helping asset managers and exchanges navigate the approval process more efficiently.

Industry experts welcomed the guidance as an essential step. Matt Hougan, CIO of Bitwise Asset Management, emphasized that its existence acknowledges crypto ETFs as part of the mainstream and begins to set “rules of the road” that benefit both issuers and the SEC. The guidance stresses issuers must explain in plain language key factors like custody arrangements and the unique risks within the competitive crypto market.

A more significant upcoming development will be a new SEC listing template to replace the current requirement for exchanges to submit a special exemption request (known as a 19(b)4 filing) for each crypto ETF listing. Eliminating this form could drastically shorten the approval timeline from up to 240 days to about 75 days, accelerating product launches.

While crypto ETFs linked to coins like XRP, Polkadot, Dogecoin, and the Trump meme coin await approval, many expect the next wave of products will focus on Solana. Some firms are already innovating around regulatory hurdles: last week, REX Financial and Osprey Funds launched the first U.S. ETF providing Solana exposure via an indirect structure involving staking—a process where crypto holders validate blockchain transactions for rewards—allowing them to bypass some commodity fund regulations.

REX’s Solana ETF raised $12 million on its first day, with CEO Greg King acknowledging ongoing regulatory uncertainty but optimistic about the SEC’s forward progress. He also hinted at plans to launch a spot Solana ETF once the SEC finalizes the relevant rules.

Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin, Ether Decline as Volatility Hits Altcoins

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The cryptocurrency market saw a downturn on Monday, February 24, as Bitcoin and most altcoins registered losses across both national and international exchanges. Bitcoin’s value dipped by 1.20 percent over the past 24 hours on global platforms, bringing its price to $95,630 (roughly Rs. 82.8 lakh). Meanwhile, on Indian exchanges like CoinDCX and CoinSwitch, Bitcoin experienced a smaller decline of under one percent, hovering around $96,984 (roughly Rs. 84 lakh).

Over the weekend, Bitcoin briefly approached the $100,000 (roughly Rs. 86.6 lakh) mark before experiencing a correction, dropping below $95,000 (roughly Rs. 82.3 lakh). The decline was partly triggered by a massive $1.4 billion (roughly Rs. 12,131 crore) crypto hack on Friday, which led to significant withdrawals from investors. This incident affected the broader crypto market, causing notable losses in altcoins like Ethereum (ETH), XRP, and Solana. Analysts believe Bitcoin could experience further volatility if it falls below the crucial $94,000 (roughly Rs. 81.4 lakh) support level in the coming days.

Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency, also faced a decline, dropping by one percent in the last 24 hours. On global exchanges, Ether is currently trading at $2,732 (roughly Rs. 2.33 lakh), while its price on Indian exchanges stands at around $2,757 (roughly Rs. 2.38 lakh). This downtrend in ETH, coupled with Bitcoin’s losses, suggests a cautious market sentiment as traders react to recent security concerns and market corrections.

With increased market volatility and external factors influencing investor behavior, experts advise caution in the short term. While Bitcoin’s ability to hold above key support levels will determine its next movement, the broader market remains under pressure. The upcoming days will be crucial in assessing whether a recovery is imminent or if further corrections are expected across major cryptocurrencies.