Morgan Stanley Files Ethereum Trust, Marks Third Crypto ETF Application in 48 Hours
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 07 2026
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Crypto ETF Acceleration: Morgan Stanley's filing for the Ethereum Trust within 48 hours of registering Bitcoin and Solana trusts illustrates the bank's rapid expansion into the crypto asset space, which is expected to attract increased investor interest.
- Passive Investment Vehicle: The Ethereum Trust will hold ether directly and value shares daily based on a pricing benchmark from major trading venues, enabling investors to capture staking yields while maintaining flexibility in traditional brokerage accounts.
- Improved Regulatory Environment: Under the Trump administration, regulators have adopted a more accommodating stance towards crypto markets, and Morgan Stanley's filings reflect growing confidence among traditional financial institutions in digital asset ETFs, potentially prompting more firms to enter this space.
- Market Structure Shift: The rapid filings by Morgan Stanley, alongside other major financial institutions, signify a fundamental shift in Wall Street's perception of digital assets, which may accelerate the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies.
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Analyst Views on MS
Wall Street analysts forecast MS stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for MS is 185.00 USD with a low forecast of 132.00 USD and a high forecast of 219.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
14 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 179.960
Low
132.00
Averages
185.00
High
219.00
Current: 179.960
Low
132.00
Averages
185.00
High
219.00
About MS
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services company. The Company is engaged in providing a range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. Its segments include Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management. Its Institutional Securities segment provides a variety of products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions and ultra-high net worth clients. Its Wealth Management segment provides an array of financial services and solutions to individual investors and small to medium-sized businesses and institutions. Its Investment Management segment provides a range of investment strategies and products that span geographies, asset classes, and public and private markets to a diverse group of clients across institutional and intermediary channels. Its investment banking services consist of capital raising and financial advisory services, including the underwriting of debt and other products.
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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