Morgan Stanley appoints digital asset head as Bitcoin ETF access opens to $7.4T
Morgan Stanley, which manages $9.3 trillion in assets, has accelerated its push into crypto by appointing Amy Oldenburg as Head of Digital Asset Strategy and by making the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF available on its platform, unlocking regulated Bitcoin exposure to more than $7.4 trillion in advisor-managed assets.
Oldenburg, who previously worked for Morgan Stanley in emerging markets, is tasked with coordinating product development, partnerships and trading across the firm’s units. Her appointment shifts crypto from a research exercise to a core execution priority; she said, "When institutions turn against you, you want to hold your keys, you want to hold your coins." The move comes amid changing regulatory frameworks, including clearer stablecoin rules and guidance allowing banks to act as crypto intermediaries.
Morgan Stanley’s access to crypto has evolved rapidly: in 2024 advisors could recommend spot Bitcoin ETFs to eligible high-net-worth clients, and by 2025 access expanded to all wealth management clients including retirement accounts, with advisors encouraged to treat Bitcoin as "digital gold" and consider 2–4% allocations for risk-tolerant portfolios.
The firm planned direct crypto trading via E*TRADE for Bitcoin, Ether and Solana in September 2025, and in early 2026 filed with the SEC for its own spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, followed by an Ethereum ETF. The push mirrors broader Wall Street momentum.
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