Morgan Stanley Selects Coinbase and BNY Mellon for Bitcoin ETF Partnership
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 04 2026
0mins
Should l Buy COIN?
Source: stocktwits
Morgan Stanley's Bitcoin Trust Filing: Morgan Stanley has filed an amended registration statement for its Bitcoin Trust, aiming to provide investors with Bitcoin exposure through brokerage accounts, marking it as the first U.S. bank to do so.
Custody and Administration Structure: The trust will utilize Coinbase Custody Trust Company for Bitcoin custody and BNY Mellon as the administrator and transfer agent, ensuring secure handling of digital assets.
Investment Accessibility: The ETF aims to allow both institutional and retail investors to access Bitcoin without needing to own the cryptocurrency directly, facilitating investment through regulated brokerage accounts.
Security Measures: The trust will primarily store Bitcoin in offline cold storage to minimize hacking risks, while also outlining a custody structure aligned with institutional standards.
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Analyst Views on COIN
Wall Street analysts forecast COIN stock price to rise
25 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 161.140
Low
230.00
Averages
361.63
High
440.00
Current: 161.140
Low
230.00
Averages
361.63
High
440.00
About COIN
Coinbase Global, Inc. is a holding company of Coinbase, Inc. and other subsidiaries. The Company provides a platform that serves as a compliant on-ramp to the onchain economy and enables users to engage in a variety of activities with their crypto assets in both proprietary and third-party product experiences enabled by access to decentralized applications. It offers consumers their primary financial account for the onchain economy; institutions a full-service prime brokerage platform with access to deep pools of liquidity across the crypto marketplace, and developers a suite of products granting access to build onchain. The Company offers products and services to various customer groups: consumers, businesses, institutions, and developers. Its transaction products consist of consumer trading, prime trading, markets, base protocol and Coinbase wallet. The Company also provides market infrastructure in the form of exchanges for customers to trade spots and derivatives.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Investor Confidence: A survey by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon reveals that 73% of institutional decision-makers plan to increase their crypto allocations by 2026, with 74% expecting crypto prices to rise in the next 12 months, indicating a growing confidence in the crypto market.
- Regulatory Impact: The SEC and CFTC's new guidance classifying 16 major crypto assets as 'digital commodities' allows assets like XRP and Solana to operate under a lighter regulatory framework, attracting more institutional investors who previously hesitated due to regulatory uncertainties.
- Legislative Catalyst: Although the Clarity Act remains stalled in Congress, its potential passage could set the stage for the future of crypto and drive asset prices higher, while failure to pass may delay progress until after the 2026 midterm elections.
- Tokenization Trend: The survey indicates that many institutional investors are prioritizing asset tokenization capabilities in the near term, with XRP and Solana well-positioned to benefit from this trend, further driving market demand for these cryptocurrencies.
See More
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- ETH Staking Scale: Bitmine currently stakes 3.14 million ETH valued at $6.3 billion, demonstrating its significant influence in the Ethereum market and laying a foundation for future revenue growth.
- Launch of MAVAN Platform: On March 25, 2026, Bitmine launched the MAVAN (Made in America Validator Network) staking solution aimed at providing institutional investors with a secure and high-performance staking infrastructure, further enhancing its competitive edge in the market.
- Liquidity and Investment Support: Bitmine's total crypto assets and liquid funds amount to $10.7 billion, including 4.73 million ETH and $961 million in cash, showcasing its strong liquidity and investment capabilities in the crypto market.
- Outstanding Market Performance: Bitmine's stock is actively traded in the U.S. market with an average daily trading volume of $920 million, ranking 100th, and attracting support from prominent institutional investors like Cathie Wood of ARK, further enhancing its market position.
See More
Surge in Options Trading Volume for Coinbase and AXIS Capital
- Coinbase Options Volume: Coinbase Global Inc saw options trading volume of 115,512 contracts, equating to approximately 11.6 million shares, which represents about 89.9% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating strong market interest in its future performance.
- High-Frequency Contracts: Notably, the $202.50 strike call option expiring on April 2, 2026, has seen 6,983 contracts traded today, representing around 698,300 underlying shares of COIN, suggesting bullish sentiment among investors at this price level.
- AXIS Options Activity: AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd experienced options trading volume of 3,765 contracts, translating to approximately 376,500 shares, which is about 70.9% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, reflecting investor interest in its stock.
- AXIS High-Frequency Contracts: The $110 strike call option expiring on April 17, 2026, has seen 3,741 contracts traded today, representing approximately 374,100 shares of AXS, indicating optimistic expectations for AXIS's future performance.
See More
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- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 Index rose by 0.42%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.64%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index gained 0.32%, indicating a short-term market rebound amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, as investor confidence in future economic growth shows signs of recovery.
- Declining Bond Yields: The 10-year T-note yield fell by 8 basis points to 4.35%, reflecting market concerns that the ongoing war in the Middle East may lead to fuel shortages, thereby suppressing inflation expectations and potentially keeping the Fed from raising interest rates in upcoming meetings.
- Rising Oil Prices: Crude oil prices surged over 1% to a three-week high due to Iranian attacks on shipping, with fears that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global oil supplies, potentially driving prices to exceed the 2008 record high.
- Energy Infrastructure Damage: The International Energy Agency reported that more than 40 energy sites across nine Middle Eastern countries have been severely damaged, which could prolong disruptions to global supply chains after the war ends, further impacting international market stability.
See More
Labor Department Proposes Easing 401(k) Alternative Asset Rules
- Proposed Regulation: The U.S. Labor Department has proposed allowing 401(k) plans to more easily include alternative assets such as cryptocurrencies and real estate, responding to President Trump's executive order aimed at enhancing asset diversification for retirement investors, potentially leading to higher returns.
- Safe Harbor Provision: The new rule establishes a 'safe harbor' to protect plan sponsors from litigation risks and outlines six factors to consider when selecting alternative investments, including performance, fees, and liquidity, which may encourage more 401(k) plans to adopt alternative assets.
- Investor Concerns: While the new rule could yield higher returns, some financial advisors express concerns that average 401(k) investors may lack the necessary knowledge and experience to manage these more complex investments, potentially leading to increased risks and costs.
- Policy Context: This proposal is set against the backdrop of the Trump administration's push for broader access to non-traditional asset classes, aiming to counter the cautious stance taken during the Biden administration regarding cryptocurrency investments, reflecting a shift towards greater flexibility and choice for retirement investors.
See More
Bernstein Cuts Price Targets on Robinhood and Coinbase Amid Weak Crypto Sentiment
- Price Target Adjustments: Bernstein lowered the price target for Robinhood from $160 to $130 and for Coinbase from $440 to $330, yet maintained an ‘Outperform’ rating on both stocks, reflecting confidence in their long-term potential despite short-term pressures.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: Amid macroeconomic pressures and weak crypto sentiment, analysts believe both companies may be forming a bottom around the weak first-quarter earnings cycle, suggesting that current market conditions present a good entry point for investors.
- Stock Market Performance: In pre-market trading, both Coinbase and Robinhood stocks rose by 2%, closing at $161 and $66 respectively, indicating sustained investor interest, particularly as retail sentiment around HOOD remained in the ‘bullish’ territory on Stocktwits.
- Industry Outlook: Bernstein noted that despite current market uncertainties, the crypto industry holds significant long-term growth potential, anticipating that overall crypto stocks may bottom out during the upcoming weak first-quarter earnings cycle, indicating that the current weakness is a late-stage correction rather than a long-term decline.
See More
