Morgan Stanley Closes Acquisition of EquityZen

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Morgan Stanley today announced that it has completed the acquisition of leading private shares platform EquityZen.

“Integrating EquityZen’s industry-leading technology into our private market ecosystem enhances our ability to seamlessly connect supply and demand at scale,” said Jed Finn, Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. “With corporate relationships spanning our Workplace channel to our Investment Bank, we’re in a unique position to connect clients seeking liquidity with investors seeking private markets exposure—both increasingly in demand as companies stay private for longer and investors seek diversification.”

About Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, retirement, and trust services. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.

About Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 42 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit https://www.morganstanley.com/.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

EquityZen will provide investors with access to private market investments and other alternative investments. Alternative investments often are speculative and include a high degree of risk. Investors could lose all or a substantial amount of their investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for eligible, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time. They may be highly illiquid and can engage in leverage and other speculative practices that may increase the volatility and risk of loss. Alternative investments typically have higher fees than traditional investments. Investors should carefully review and consider potential risks before investing.

Clients are responsible for complying with applicable securities laws requirements and potential issuer restrictions and should consult with third-party advisors regarding the risks of transacting in private issuer securities, including the risk of transacting in a market with little or no price transparency or liquidity.

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made, which reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations, assumptions, interpretations or beliefs and which are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. Important factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, (i) the risk that the proposed transaction does not close on the anticipated terms or timing, including as a result of required regulatory approvals or the termination of the definitive agreement relating to the transaction prior to closing, (ii) potential adverse effects resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction, (iii) the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction are not realized or are not realized within an expected time period, and (iv) the ability of Morgan Stanley and EquityZen to integrate the business successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties that may affect the future results of Morgan Stanley, please see “Forward-Looking Statements” preceding Part I, Item 1, “Competition” and “Supervision and Regulation” in Part I, Item 1, “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A, “Legal Proceedings” in Part I, Item 3, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Risk” in Part II, Item 7A, in Morgan Stanley’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other items throughout the Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, including any amendments thereto. Morgan Stanley does not undertake to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that may arise after the date of forward-looking statements.

Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss in a declining financial market.

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Contacts

Media Relations Contact: Thayer Fox; [e-mail]