Morgan Stanley, one of the largest wealth management firms in the world, is opening up bitcoin access to all its clients — a historic move by a major U.S. bank towards digital assets.
According to CNBC, starting October 15, Morgan Stanley advisors will be able to pitch bitcoin funds to any client, regardless of net worth, risk tolerance, or account type. That includes IRAs and 401(k)s, which were previously off limits for bitcoin exposure.
Until now, only clients with at least $1.5 million in assets and an “aggressive” risk profile could invest in bitcoin through the bank.
Now, those restrictions are being dropped. Millions of Morgan Stanley clients — from retirees to first-time investors — will soon be able to add bitcoin to their portfolios.
This is a big policy change for Morgan Stanley’s $8.2 trillion wealth management business and reflects a broader trend across Wall Street as traditional financial institutions get more comfortable with digital assets.
The firm is telling advisors it will use automated monitoring systems to ensure clients don’t get too concentrated in the asset class. These systems will limit risk-taking while still allowing more investors to get into bitcoin.
With this change, advisors will be able to offer bitcoin and other digital asset funds from BlackRock and Fidelity, with the bank expected to add more in the future. Morgan Stanley will also allow direct trading of bitcoin, ether and solana on its E-Trade platform, potentially next year.
Related: Morgan Stanley to Launch Bitcoin Trading on E*Trade in 2026
Other big players like BlackRock and JPMorgan are also deepening their involvement in the digital asset space. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) is the company’s most profitable ETF with nearly $100 billion in assets under management.
Even firms that were skeptical of bitcoin like Vanguard are reportedly rethinking their stance as investor demand grows.
This comes as the regulatory environment in Washington gets friendlier.
In August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order telling the Department of Labor and the SEC to make it easier for 401(k) and 403(b) plans to include alternative assets like bitcoin, gold, and private equity.
The order doesn’t change the law immediately, but sets a 180-day deadline for new proposals that will reduce legal hurdles for plan sponsors who want to add digital assets.
Since then, U.S. regulators have warmed up to bitcoin in retirement accounts.
Morgan Stanley’s Global Investment Committee (GIC) has made it clear how clients should approach digital assets. The bank recommends clients limit their digital asset exposure to 4% of their overall portfolio, depending on their risk tolerance and goals.
The committee described digital assets as “a speculative and increasingly popular asset class that many investors, but not all, will seek to explore,” said Lisa Shalett, Morgan Stanley’s Chief Investment Officer for Wealth Management.
The committee suggests clients rebalance their portfolios quarterly to maintain the right level of exposure and not get caught out during market volatility.
By opening up access to bitcoin, Morgan Stanley is aiming to compete with platforms like Coinbase and Robinhood that are drawing in younger investors.
