Morgan Stanley Crypto Custody Bank Application

Morgan Stanley applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on February 18 for a de novo national trust bank charter named “Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association” to hold digital assets on behalf of its clients. According to Bloomberg and Forbes reports, this subsidiary will custody specific digital assets, conduct trading, swaps, and transfer operations, and offer crypto staking services. The national trust bank charter authorizes custody services, safekeeping, and asset protection activities; this is the first focused charter aligned with Morgan Stanley’s expansion in the crypto space.

In 2025, while 14 de novo bank charter applications were made, the OCC gave conditional approvals in December to First National Digital Currency Bank, Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos. Bridge, Crypto.com, and Payoneer also took similar steps. Morgan Stanley appointed a manager for its crypto unit in January, opened positions for digital asset strategy and product leadership; BTC detailed analysis and Solana (SOL) ETFs as well as staked Ether (ETH) ETF applications.

Morgan Stanley's Institutional Crypto Expansion

Institutional interest is growing: The UAE's second-largest bank with $272 billion is expanding crypto custody services, while Mt. Gox post-closure compensations continue. BTC PERP rose 8.40% from $62,401, showing a positive weekly trend. These developments align with Morgan Stanley's OCC application; the integration of traditional finance into crypto is accelerating.

Critical Support and Resistance Levels for BTC

• Price: 65.924$ (-2,20% 24h)
• RSI: 38,33 (Oversold signal)
• Supports: S1 64.330$ (Strong, ⭐70/100), S2 60.000$ (Strong, ⭐61/100)
• Resistances: R1 68.166$ (Strong, ⭐64/100), R2 78.962$ (Strong, ⭐64/100)
• Trend: Downtrend (Supertrend Bearish, EMA20: 68.592$)

BTC futures may increase volatility; institutional inflows could support recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions About BTC and Morgan Stanley Application

How does Morgan Stanley's crypto bank application affect BTC?
It increases institutional custody confidence, and spreads to altcoins like SOL detailed analysis.

When will OCC approval come?
Conditional approvals started at the end of 2025; 2026 is expected for Morgan Stanley.

Are staking services for ETH and SOL?
Yes, consistent with staked ETH ETF application.