E*Trade from Morgan Stanley launched spot crypto trading on July 16, 2026. Eligible clients can now buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana directly in their brokerage accounts. The move brings crypto to a massive retail base without requiring a separate app or new KYC.
How the service works
E*Trade charges a 0.5% commission on the notional value of each crypto trade. There's no extra spread markup. Crypto assets sit in a linked account at Zero Hash, not in the main brokerage account. That means they aren't covered by FDIC or SIPC insurance. Transfers of crypto out of that linked account aren't available yet, but the company says they're expected later in 2026. The service is also expected to transition to Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association, which is currently in organization.
This is a full rollout, not a pilot or waitlist. E*Trade has millions of retail clients, and the 0.5% fee is competitive with other brokerages offering crypto. But the lack of insurance and the inability to move assets off-platform are real limitations. For now, users can trade but can't self-custody or send coins elsewhere. That's a trade-off.
The next concrete step is the transition to Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, which is still being organized. Transfer-out functionality should follow later this year. For now, only three assets are available — Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. E*Trade hasn't said when it might add more.
