Wall Street’s embrace of crypto took a major step forward this week as Morgan Stanley, one of the world’s largest wealth managers with over $1.8 trillion in assets under management, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch its own spot Ethereum ETFs Trust. This proposed product would directly hold Ether , track its spot price, and incorporate staking rewards, allowing investors to benefit from Ethereum’s proof-of-stake yields without managing the process themselves.
The filing, submitted on January 6, 2026, comes just hours after similar registrations for spot Bitcoin and Solana trusts, marking three crypto-related ETF proposals from the bank in under 48 hours. This rapid push signals Morgan Stanley’s shift from merely distributing third-party crypto products to creating in-house vehicles, reflecting growing confidence in digital assets amid a more favorable regulatory environment.
(Source: sec.gov)
In general, Spot Ethereum ETFs provide direct exposure to ETH’s price by holding the actual cryptocurrency in secure custody, rather than relying on futures contracts or derivatives. Morgan Stanley’s proposed trust stands out with its built-in staking feature: a portion of the fund’s ETH would be staked on the Ethereum network through third-party providers, generating rewards that accrue to the fund’s net asset value (NAV).
This design eliminates common barriers for mainstream investors: no need for personal wallets, private keys, or direct on-chain staking. Shares trade like stocks on traditional exchanges during market hours, fitting seamlessly into brokerage accounts, IRAs, or retirement plans.
For a giant like Morgan Stanley, which broadened crypto access to all clients (including retirement accounts) in late 2025, launching proprietary products taps into evident demand from wealth management clients seeking regulated crypto exposure.
Morgan Stanley Ethereum ETFs are good news, but a single filing won’t trigger immediate price surges. That being said, it underscores broadening institutional participation. Spot Bitcoin ETFs amassed billions in inflows shortly after launch, providing downside support during corrections by attracting buyers with longer horizons.
Ethereum could follow suit, especially with its unique utility: powering decentralized apps, smart contracts, NFTs, and DeFi protocols. Recent network upgrades, like Dencun (2024) for cheaper Layer-2 transactions and Pectra (2025) for further scalability, have enhanced efficiency, while fee-burning mechanics post-EIP-1559 contribute to potential deflationary pressure.
Early 2026 data shows spot Ethereum ETFs rebounding with positive flows, contrasting late-2025 outflows amid broader market corrections. Morgan Stanley’s entry, alongside competitors like BlackRock (whose ETHA leads with strong liquidity) and Grayscale (now distributing staking rewards), could accelerate this trend and reduce retail-driven volatility.
ETH falls to around $3123 from earlier highs near $3300, following broader market pressure as Bitcoin drops below $91K but holds the $90K support level. Trading volume stays elevated, with ETH testing key moving averages amid ongoing consolidation.
Ethereum still holds early-year gains overall, supported by spot ETH ETFs attracting strong inflows, including over $174M on Jan 2 and continued positive flows in recent days, helping offset late-2025 outflows.
Institutions advance steadily: Filings are the first step, followed by SEC reviews and approvals that often span months. The regulatory environment looks increasingly favourable.
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Read original story Morgan Stanley Doubles Down on Crypto: Ethereum ETFs with Staking Rewards by Fatima at 99bitcoins.com