Morgan Stanley has outlined plans for spot Ethereum and Solana exchange-traded funds as it seeks to expand its presence in the growing crypto ETF market. The proposed products remain in preliminary form and do not yet have confirmed launch dates, but the filings show an effort to compete through low fees, direct crypto holdings and staking-based income.

Ethereum ETF structure

The proposed Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust would trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker MSSE. According to the registration details, the fund would track the Coindesk Ether Benchmark 4PM NY Settlement Rate and charge a 0.14% fee.

The trust is designed to hold ether directly rather than rely on derivatives or synthetic exposure. Under normal conditions, between 50% and 80% of the fund’s ETH would be staked. BNY and Coinbase Custody are named to hold assets connected to the structure, while staking rewards would be shared and net rewards distributed on a quarterly basis.

Solana ETF proposal

Morgan Stanley has also proposed the Morgan Stanley Solana Trust, which would trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker MSOL. Like the Ethereum fund, it would carry a 0.14% fee and would track a benchmark tied to the underlying asset, in this case the Coindesk Solana Benchmark 4PM NY Settlement Rate.

The filing indicates that the Solana trust could stake as much as 100% of its SOL under normal conditions. It also sets out how staking income would be divided, with 5% of staking rewards allocated to staking providers and custodians.

Competition on fees and yield

The proposed pricing places both products at the low end of the market segment Morgan Stanley is targeting. The bank has already launched a Bitcoin ETF, MSBT, also with a 0.14% fee, suggesting a consistent strategy centered on cost competitiveness.

Beyond headline fees, the Ethereum and Solana proposals also emphasize two features that could help differentiate the funds if they move forward: direct token exposure and the ability to generate staking rewards. Combined with institutional custody arrangements and Morgan Stanley’s broader distribution capabilities, those elements appear aimed at helping the firm win share in a more crowded crypto ETF field.

What remains unresolved

For now, both trusts are still awaiting effectiveness of their registration statements. That means key practical milestones, including the final timing of any launch, remain unsettled. The filings show how Morgan Stanley intends to position the products, but they do not amount to confirmation that trading will begin on a set date.

The proposed Ethereum and Solana ETFs fit into a wider push by large financial institutions to refine crypto investment products around cost, custody and yield generation. In Morgan Stanley’s case, the available details point to a bank-backed effort to extend its ETF lineup beyond bitcoin while using the same 0.14% fee level it has already applied to its existing crypto fund.

Source: news.bitcoin.com