Morgan Stanley applies for OCC bank charter to custody crypto

TL;DR:

The Wall Street banking giant has been accelerating its foray into crypto, filing to launch Bitcoin, Ether and Solana ETFs in January.

Key Points:

Background:

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are investment vehicles that track cryptocurrency prices and trade on traditional stock exchanges. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF approvals have been major milestones for crypto adoption, allowing institutional and retail investors to gain exposure without directly holding digital assets.

Why It Matters:

ETF approvals are significant because they provide regulated access to cryptocurrency investments for traditional finance investors, potentially bringing billions in new capital to the crypto market. They also signal regulatory acceptance and legitimization of digital assets as an investment class.