Crypto news

Morgan Stanley's spot Bitcoin ETF, the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT), has moved closer to launch after the New York Stock Exchange confirmed a listing notice. This signals an imminent launch, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas. If approved, MSBT would be the first spot Bitcoin ETF issued directly by a major U.S. bank, with Morgan Stanley's extensive wealth management network potentially making it a significant channel for Bitcoin exposure in traditional portfolios. The ETF will track Bitcoin's spot price through direct holdings, with Coinbase as custodian and BNY Mellon handling administration. It plans to seed with 50,000 shares, raising about $1 million initially.

Morgan Stanley is preparing to launch its own spot Bitcoin ETF, the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (MSBT), with a listing notice posted by the NYSE indicating an imminent start to trading. This move would mark a shift from the bank distributing third-party Bitcoin products to issuing its own, leveraging its vast wealth management platform with $8 trillion in client assets and 16,000 financial advisers. The ETF could see significant demand due to Morgan Stanley's existing framework for Bitcoin allocations, ranging from 0% to 4% in client portfolios, potentially translating to billions in assets. It positions Bitcoin within conventional portfolio strategies, integrating it into the bank's wealth management ecosystem and competing with established funds like BlackRock's IBIT, which charges a 0.25% fee, with expectations that MSBT will price similarly to attract adoption.

Franklin Templeton, a major asset manager with $1.7 trillion AUM, has partnered with Ondo Finance to tokenize five ETFs for 24/7 trading via crypto wallets. The ETFs include growth, income, high-yield, gold, and large-cap funds, expanding access to US equities, fixed income, and gold on blockchain. The initial rollout targets Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America, with a US launch pending regulatory clarity. Ondo Finance dominates the tokenized equities sector with about 60% market share and $2.68 billion in assets, seeing rising adoption and a 6% price increase for ONDO token.

Morgan Stanley's spot Bitcoin ETF is likely to launch soon, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas. The New York Stock Exchange has officially listed the fund, signaling an imminent launch. Morgan Stanley would be the first major bank to launch a Bitcoin ETF, with access to 16,000 financial advisors managing $6.2 trillion. The bank has gradually expanded access to crypto ETFs since 2024, though adoption by financial advisors remains in early stages.

The Solana Foundation has launched a new developer platform aimed at helping financial institutions build products on its blockchain. The platform bundles infrastructure from over 20 partners into an API-driven interface to simplify enterprise adoption. Mastercard, Western Union, and Worldpay are early users, applying the platform to stablecoin settlement, cross-border transfers, and merchant payments respectively. The platform is currently in a test version, with full availability expected later in 2026.

Bitcoin ETFs have attracted nearly $2.5 billion in inflows over the past month, nearly erasing year-to-date losses despite Bitcoin's 40% price decline. The surge includes multiple days with over $150 million in inflows, with BlackRock's IBIT ETF already positive for the year and ranking in the top 2% of all ETFs for YTD flows. Analysts highlight the resilience as unusual compared to traditional assets like gold, attributing it to Bitcoin's role as a forward-looking liquidity asset. Broader institutional interest is growing, with ETFs now accounting for 37% of U.S. stock market volume, and filings indicate plans for further Bitcoin acquisitions and new ETF launches.

Grayscale has filed with the SEC to launch a spot ETF tracking Hyperliquid's HYPE token, aiming to list it on Nasdaq as GHYP. This move follows similar applications from other asset managers and highlights growing Wall Street interest in Hyperliquid's infrastructure. Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange platform, has seen a surge in trading volumes for synthetic commodities like gold and oil amid volatility from the US-Iran conflict. Its HIP-3 products have reached over $1.5 billion in open interest, with the platform's TVL at $4.76 billion and HYPE token up 37% recently.

The MERGE São Paulo 2026 conference put Brazil at the forefront of stablecoin adoption, with Ripple calling it its fastest‑growing market and citing clear regulation and private‑sector collaboration. Chainalysis noted early organic use of stablecoins for import‑export and the coexistence of Pix with crypto. Panels highlighted a shift from payment use to institutional applications, such as tokenized funds in repo and collateral markets, described by BTG Pactual and Ripple pilots. Traditional firms—including Stripe, Western Union, Fidelity and Visa—are building stablecoin‑based payment rails, settlement layers and credit‑card products. Ripple’s RLUSD, dubbed “Ripple Dollars,” is now among the top five dollar‑backed stablecoins and is regulated by New York DFS and the OCC. Forecasts predict broader bank custody, growth of non‑USD stablecoins and the rise of tokenized currency markets.

Franklin Templeton is partnering with Ondo Finance to launch tokenized versions of its exchange-traded funds on blockchain, enabling investors to access them through crypto wallets with 24/7 trading. The initial rollout will be available in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America, with US access pending regulatory clarity. Ondo will purchase shares of Franklin Templeton ETFs and issue tokens through a special-purpose vehicle, giving investors economic exposure and rights to returns. The offering targets crypto wallet users and stablecoin holders, bypassing traditional brokerage infrastructure. The move comes as tokenized equity markets have expanded rapidly, with total value rising from about $500 million in early 2025 to roughly $950 million as of March 2026. Ondo Finance leads the sector, accounting for approximately 60% of the market.

Franklin Templeton and Ondo Finance are partnering to tokenize five of Franklin Templeton's ETFs, including its high-yield corporate and responsibly sourced gold funds. The tokenized ETFs will be offered on Ondo's Global Markets platform, enabling 24/7 trading for users without traditional brokerage accounts, though U.S. users are excluded. This initiative reflects a broader trend of traditional finance embracing tokenization, following recent announcements from the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The partnership aims to integrate traditional investments into emerging on-chain financial ecosystems.