Morgan Stanley executive: Cryptocurrency ETF adoption is still in its early stages; financial advisors are still evaluating allocations.

PANews reported on March 18th, citing The Block, that Morgan Stanley's Head of Digital Asset Strategy, Amy Oldenburg, stated that the adoption of cryptocurrency ETFs is still in its early stages because financial advisors are still evaluating how digital assets can be integrated into traditional portfolio models. Currently, most demand comes from independent investors rather than advisor-managed accounts. Oldenburg said, "It's a process, and we're still in a very early stage," noting that approximately 80% of crypto ETF trading on the platform comes from independent investment clients.

“Self-investment is only one piece of the puzzle; we still need to do more work, working with financial advisors to understand how to incorporate it into future asset allocation models.” Morgan Stanley has allowed the purchase of Bitcoin ETFs through brokerage accounts since 2024, which Oldenburg describes as a “managed, gradual process” where wealth managers need to progressively educate themselves about this new asset class and address portfolio construction issues. Morgan Stanley filed for listing on Bitcoin and Solana spot ETFs in January.