Morgan Stanley is expanding its crypto division, actively hiring for roles such as digital assets strategy director, digital assets strategist, and digital assets product lead, with LinkedIn listings signaling a broader buildout.

The bank is growing its digital asset team with leadership roles focused on portfolio enablement, governance, and crypto compliance to support a expanding suite of offerings.

Morgan Stanley has previously and recently pursued spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, plus a staked Ether ETF, as part of a strategy to attract inflows from its 19 million wealth-management clients, and aims to roll out a proprietary digital wallet later in 2026.

Separately, the firm is pursuing a crypto wallet capable of handling cryptocurrencies and tokenized real-world assets like stocks, bonds, and real estate.

Amy Oldenburg has been appointed to lead Morgan Stanley's digital asset strategy in a newly created role, transitioning from her prior leadership of the emerging markets equity team.

Oldenburg will head the new crypto unit as the bank plans to expand its crypto product lineup, including three crypto ETFs and the upcoming crypto wallet.

The appointment underscores Morgan Stanley’s accelerated push into crypto and digital assets amid broader industry moves as stablecoins and potential new U.S. legislation shape the landscape.

Oldenburg has emphasized client liquidity needs and questioned ETFs’ ability to offer staking, while noting regulators’ evolving openness to a wider range of crypto products.

Oldenburg has championed crypto self-custody with the mantra 'Not your keys, not your coins,' advocating for improved self-custody infrastructure, especially for clients in emerging markets.

In line with its crypto expansion, Morgan Stanley filed to list spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs and plans to launch a staked Ether ETF, signaling deeper product development for crypto exposure.

The stance on custody and staking reflects a broader critique of ETFs lacking staking opportunities, as the firm highlights the importance of self-custody and client-focused liquidity.

Rival firms, including BlackRock, are also ramping up crypto-focused hiring and strategy efforts, illustrating a competitive market for digital-asset expertise.