Morgan Stanley’s Ethereum and Solana exchange-traded products are now trading on NYSE Arca.
Key Takeaways
- MSSE and MSOL now trade on NYSE Arca.
- Both products charge a 0.14% fee.
- Staking adds a variable income component.
- Investors do not directly own tokens.
The Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust trades under MSSE, while the Solana Trust uses MSOL, confirming the launch plans covered in our earlier report on the two staking products. Each carries a 0.14% expense ratio and intends to stake part of its underlying ETH or SOL holdings.
“As client interest in digital assets continues to grow, we’re focused on providing a range of digital asset solutions that allow investors to diversify their portfolios across traditional and decentralized asset classes while also adhering to Morgan Stanley’s standards for governance, infrastructure and risk management”, said Amy Oldenburg, head of digital asset strategy at Morgan Stanley, in the press release.
Why the Products May Appeal to Investors
The main benefit is easier access. Investors can gain exposure through a conventional brokerage account without opening an account at a crypto exchange, managing private keys or choosing a validator.
That structure may be particularly useful for financial advisers and institutions whose internal rules permit exchange-traded securities but restrict direct cryptocurrency custody.
Staking adds another potential source of return. A standard spot product mainly follows the price of the underlying token after fees, while MSSE and MSOL can also earn rewards for helping secure their respective networks.
Those rewards may partly offset the expense ratio when ETH or SOL prices are flat, but they are not fixed or guaranteed. The amount depends on network conditions, validator performance and how much of the trust’s holdings can be staked while maintaining enough liquidity for redemptions.
How the Staking Rewards Are Divided
Morgan Stanley says it will retain none of the staking rewards. Under the Ethereum Trust prospectus, custodians and staking providers are expected to deduct a service fee equal to 5% of gross rewards.
The remaining rewards stay with the trust before being distributed to shareholders, generally in cash. Investors therefore benefit from staking without operating their own validator, although the service-provider deduction reduces the amount they ultimately receive.
Convenience Comes With Trade-Offs
Shareholders do not directly own ETH or SOL. They cannot transfer the assets to a personal wallet, use them in decentralized finance or choose how they are staked.
Staked assets can also become temporarily unavailable during activation, exit and withdrawal periods. Validator failures may reduce rewards or create slashing losses, while delays in unlocking tokens could complicate large redemptions during volatile markets.
The shares may also trade above or below the value of the assets held by the trusts. In addition, the products are not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, meaning they do not carry all the protections associated with conventional mutual funds and registered ETFs.
Morgan Stanley Now Offers BTC, ETH and SOL Exposure
The launch expands Morgan Stanley’s crypto lineup beyond its existing Bitcoin product. Clients can now access Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana through exchange-traded securities within the same brokerage framework.
MSSE and MSOL may suit investors who value professional custody, low fees and staking income without managing wallets themselves. Their returns will still depend mainly on the price of ETH and SOL, with staking providing an additional variable component rather than turning the products into conservative income funds.
- Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Staking rewards are variable, and investors could lose all or a substantial part of their investment.
- Methodology: Product details come from Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s official launch announcement and the SEC prospectuses for the Ethereum and Solana trusts.
Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work at Coindoo has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.
Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem.
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