Morgan Stanley Allows All Clients Access to Crypto Funds
All clients including retirement and retail investors allowed to enter the crypto market for the first time
Morgan Stanley has officially opened the gates for everyday investors to access cryptocurrency funds, marking a major milestone in the institutional adoption of digital assets. According to CNBC, the Wall Street titan will allow all clients, including those with individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k)s, to invest in crypto funds starting October 15.
Previously, only high-net-worth individuals with over $1.5 million in assets could gain exposure to crypto through the bank. The policy shift is expected to redirect part of the $45.8 trillion held in U.S. retirement assets into the digital asset space, potentially unlocking a wave of new institutional and retail demand.
Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management division, which manages $6.2 trillion in assets across 19 million client relationships, will initially offer access to Bitcoin funds managed by BlackRock and Fidelity. To safeguard clients from overexposure, the firm will use automated systems and strict allocation limits while monitoring the market for more crypto products.
Industry leaders view the move as a signal that traditional finance and digital assets are converging. “Institutions now see crypto as an investable asset class that needs structured access,” said Sei Labs co-founder Jeff Feng. “The line between traditional and onchain finance is disappearing.”
The decision aligns with Morgan Stanley’s cautious investment guidance, which recently suggested a modest 2–4% portfolio exposure to crypto for high-risk investors. Other major players such as Fidelity, JPMorgan, and BlackRock are also expanding their crypto services, with BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF alone generating over $245 million in fees last year.
With this move, Morgan Stanley positions itself at the forefront of a new era where crypto becomes a mainstream part of global wealth management.
