Key Takeaways
- Morgan Stanley advisors can recommend two spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to clients now, CNBC reported Friday.
- Sources told CNBC that only select clients with net worth above $1.5 million and aggressive risk tolerances will be suggested these investments.
- Spot bitcoin ETFs became available for trading in the U.S. early this year.
Morgan Stanley's (MS) wealth advisors can now actively pitch two spot bitcoin (BTCUSD) exchange-traded funds (ETF🐼s) to their꧒ some of their clients, CNBC reported Friday.
The bank's massive advisor force will be able to solicit investments into BlackRock’s IShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) from eligible clients, CNBC said, citing sources. Clients could qualify is they have a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:net worth of at least $1.5 million, a high 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:risk tolerance and an interest in investing in speculative assets.
Why Does This Matter?
This is a big step forward for the traditional finance industry's adopting 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:digital assets. When 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:spot bitcoin ETFs began trading in January, some brokerages such as Fidelity or Charles Schwab (SCHW) began offering them outright, while other larger brokerages such as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Morgan Stanley took a more 🎃cautious approach, restricting the products to select client🌠s on an unsolicited basis. That means those products were only offered if eligible clients asked about them.
In a first from a majorꦯ Wall Street bank♔, Morgan Stanley has changed that.
Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst for Bloomberg, called the decision a "major deal," citing the near $5.7 trillion in client assets managed by Morgan Stanley's advisors—the largest among U.S. 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:wirehouse brokers that include JPMorgan (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), Bank of America (BAC), and Wells Fargo (WFC).
With advisors now actively able to market these spot bitcoin funds, chances of their adoption🦩 could go up.
Fidelity and🥃 iShares Bitcoin🌼 ETFs Draw Most Funds So Far
So, far spot bitcoin ETFs have amassed more than $17.7 billion in net inflows since they began trading, despite massive outflows from Grayscale's Bitcoin Trust (GBTC). The iShares and Fidelity bitcoin ETFs have been the biggest winners to date, with $20 billion and nearly $10 billion of investor money flowing in, respectively, according to data from Farside Investors.
This could also set a precedent for other digital assets. Recently, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:spot ether ETFs also became available for trading at brokerages like Fidelity and Schwab. Though available on an unsolicited basis for Morgan Stanley clients, it is unclear if the company will allow advisors to propose investing in spot ether ETFs to their clients.