Will Lower Crypto Fees Help Morgan Stanley Win Retail Investors?

MS is launching low-fee crypto trading, offering Bitcoin, Ether and Solana at prices below major rivals to attract retail investors.

Morgan Stanley $MS MS has made a strong bid for retail crypto investors by launching cryptocurrency trading on its E*TRADE platform at fees below those charged by major competitors. The service is currently being tested and is expected to be rolled out to all 8.6 million E*TRADE accounts later this year. At launch, customers will be able to trade Bitcoin, Ether and Solana directly from the same accounts they use for stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and options.An advantage for Morgan Stanley is that it is charging 50 basis points (bps) per transaction, undercutting competitors like Coinbase Global COIN, Robinhood Markets HOOD and Charles Schwab $SCHW SCHW on standard retail pricing. Coinbase starts at roughly 60 bps, Schwab has indicated a 75-bps fee and Robinhood charges 95 bps at the entry level. Thus, Morgan Stanley’s lower fees will be........

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