Morgan Stanley Bolsters Crypto Holdings with Over 2 Billion in New Investments

Morgan Stanley has increased its holdings in several cryptocurrency funds and exchange-traded products (ETPs) in the second quarter, according to a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The investment banking giant added over 3 million shares of BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), bringing its total holding to around 16.5 million shares. This represents a 23% increase from the previous quarter.

The value of Morgan Stanley's IBIT position, however, fell by approximately 18% to $549 million due to the decline in Bitcoin's price during the quarter. The company also increased its holdings in other smaller Bitcoin ETPs, including Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB).

Morgan Stanley's Ethereum exposure also grew significantly, with a 202% increase in iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) to around 4.6 million shares and a 26% rise in Grayscale Ethereum Staking Mini ETF (ETH) to 5.1 million shares.