Morgan Stanley’s BlackRock Bitcoin ETF holdings rise 23% in Q2
Morgan Stanley’s reported IBIT holdings rose to 16.5 million shares in Q2, while Ether ETF positions and several crypto-linked stocks also increased.
Morgan Stanley has increased its holdings in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) by approximately 23% during the second quarter of 2025, bringing its reported position to 16.5 million shares. The Wall Street banking giant also expanded its exposure to Ether ETFs and a range of crypto-linked equities over the same period, according to regulatory filings cited by Cointelegraph.
The moves reflect a broader trend among traditional financial institutions gradually deepening their involvement in digital asset products following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024. BlackRock's IBIT has emerged as one of the most prominent vehicles through which institutional investors have gained regulated exposure to Bitcoin, accumulating billions of dollars in assets under management since its launch.
The increased allocations from a firm of Morgan Stanley's scale carry notable weight for the digital asset sector, as they signal continued institutional appetite for cryptocurrency exposure despite ongoing market volatility. Growing participation from major banks and asset managers is widely seen as a factor contributing to the maturation of crypto markets and the legitimacy of ETF-based investment structures.
Observers will be watching subsequent 13-F filings from other large financial institutions to determine whether similar increases in crypto ETF holdings are emerging across the industry, and whether Morgan Stanley continues to expand its digital asset positions heading into the second half of the year.
Source: Cointelegraph
