Morgan Stanley's Bitcoin ETF Gets Official Listing Announcement By NYSE: Analyst Says This 'Typically' Means Launch Imminent

NYSE Arca greenlit Morgan Stanley’s (NYSE:MS) application on Wednesday to list shares of a spot Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) exchange-traded fund.

Another Bitcoin ETF On Wall Street

The exchange certified its approval for the “listing and registration” of Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust under the ticker MSBT, according to the latest SEC filing.

Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas predicted an “imminent” launch following the listing announcement.

Details About The New Product

Morgan Stanley filed an amended S-1 filing —a prerequisite for issuers to file to offer new securities—earlier this month.

Coinbase Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) will serve as the prime broker and custodian of the ETF’s Bitcoin holdings, while BNY Mellon (NYSE:BK) will handle the fund's cash and administrative functions.

The Trust will be a passive product that tracks Bitcoin’s price rather than actively trading it. The filing makes clear that Morgan Stanley Investment Management will not sell Bitcoin at market highs or buy more during dips. 

Morgan Stanley holds a stake worth over $729 million across several Bitcoin ETFs itself, including $667.32 million in iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT), according to the latest SEC filing for the period ending Dec. 31.

Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $70,875.18, up 0.55% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Morgan Stanley shares rose 0.10% in after-hours trading after closing 0.13% lower at $165.65 during Wednesday’s regular trading session.

The stock shows a robust long-term price trend but has underperformed in short- and medium-term periods, securing a healthy Growth score in Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings.

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