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U.S. bank with $1.9 trillion in assets could debut its bitcoin ETF Wednesday

Morgan Stanley’s bitcoin ETF could start trading on NYSE on Wednesday under the ticker MSBT.

By Omkar Godbole|Edited by Sam Reynolds

Apr 8, 2026, 6:00 a.m.

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What to know:

• Morgan Stanley is set to launch the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust, the first spot bitcoin ETF from a major U.S. bank, on NYSE Arca under the ticker MSBT as early as Wednesday.
• The fund will hold actual bitcoin, use BNY and Coinbase Custody for storage, and charge a 0.14 percent annual fee, undercutting BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust and most rivals.
• The new ETF extends Morgan Stanley’s broader digital-asset push and is expected to reinforce the growing institutionalization of bitcoin, as spot ETFs have already attracted more than $56 billion in net inflows and helped reshape market volatility.

The ETF hold actual bitcoin and tracks the CoinDesk Bitcoin Benchmark 4 PM NY Settlement Rate. It does not use leverage, derivatives, or active trading to beat bitcoin’s price swings. BNY and Coinbase Custody will handle bitcoin storage, and the fund is launching with about $1 million in initial capital (seed) and 50,000 shares ready for trading.

Like its peers, the fund gives investors exposure to the cryptocurrency without having to own or safeguard it themselves.