#MorganStanley
3 articles tagged #MorganStanley — curated RWA tokenization coverage.
Morgan Stanley Executive: Tokenization Shift Marks the End of 9-to-5 Banking
Morgan Stanley global head of banking and diversified finance research, Betsy Graseck, asserts that the financial industry is transitioning away from the traditional 9-to-5 banking model due to the rise of tokenization. This shift is driven by institutional demand for 24/7 operability, which aims to enhance cash mobility, improve collateral efficiency, and unlock new asset classes like real estate and private credit. Unlike previous retail-led crypto cycles, current institutional investment focuses on building robust blockchain infrastructure to streamline back-office processes and reduce settlement times. Graseck emphasizes that this transformation is a fundamental upgrade to market infrastructure rather than a niche experiment. Financial institutions that fail to modernize their systems to support continuous, real-time trading risk falling behind in the evolving global market. While the move promises faster access to funds and more efficient portfolio management, it necessitates significant adaptations in regulatory and risk-management frameworks. Ultimately, the integration of blockchain technology is blurring the lines between traditional finance and digital assets, signaling a permanent change in how global markets operate.
Morgan Stanley files for low-fee Solana ETF as SBI launches tokenized fund in Japan
Morgan Stanley has filed for a Solana spot ETF in the U.S. featuring a competitive 0.14% sponsor fee, signaling significant institutional interest in the network's infrastructure. The filing incorporates major service providers including Figment, Galaxy Blockchain Infrastructure, and Coinbase Canada, with a structure designed to pass 95% of yield rewards to fund holders. Simultaneously, SBI Global Asset Management has launched Japan’s first tokenized equity fund on the Solana blockchain, targeting institutional and accredited investors with a high-dividend strategy. These developments represent a major expansion of institutional-grade financial products built on Solana, bridging traditional wealth management with on-chain assets. Despite these milestones, the native SOL token remains at a 2.5-year low, reflecting a broader risk-off sentiment in the market. Current prediction market data indicates only a 9% probability of SOL reaching $90 by August 2026, suggesting that institutional adoption has not yet translated into immediate price appreciation. The success of these initiatives will depend heavily on SEC regulatory approval for the ETF and the long-term performance of the SBI-JX tokenized fund.
Morgan Stanley Eyes Tokenized Funds After Bitcoin ETF Debut
Following the launch of its spot Bitcoin ETF, Morgan Stanley is actively expanding its digital asset strategy to include tokenized money-market funds. Amy Oldenburg, the firm's head of digital-asset strategy, confirmed that the bank views its initial Bitcoin product as a foundational step toward broader blockchain-based offerings. The firm is specifically evaluating tokenized funds backed by short-term government securities, a sector currently dominated by BlackRock’s $2.3 billion BUIDL fund and Franklin Templeton’s pioneering model. Beyond money-market instruments, Morgan Stanley is exploring the application of tax-loss harvesting strategies to digital assets through its subsidiary, Parametric. This shift signals a growing institutional appetite for programmable, yield-bearing assets that offer greater tax efficiency for investors. By prioritizing product efficiency over immediate fee maximization, as evidenced by its competitive 0.14% expense ratio on its Bitcoin ETF, the bank is positioning itself to capture market share in the evolving RWA landscape. This move underscores a broader industry trend where major financial institutions are transitioning from simple crypto-exposure products to complex, tokenized financial instruments.