High-performance blockchain platform Solana has taken a giant leap forward with another global financial services giant seeking regulatory approval to launch crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
According to recent filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Morgan Stanley intends launching ETFs that are tied to Solana and Bitcoin.
Morgan Stanley’s decision to move into the crypto ETF space in the US follows launches by VanEck, Canary Funds, Fidelity, Bitwise and Grayscale in late 2025.
The bank has recognised many investors’ penchant for holding cryptocurrencies via ETFs.
This is because they provide greater liquidity and security.
Investors are also attracted by crypto ETFs’ reputation for simplified regulatory compliance as opposed to directly managing the underlying asset.
Speed the drawcard
Solana finds itself in the enviable position of becoming a popular rail for finance.
Though Bitcoin and Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency platform, beat it to the punch in terms of launching ETFs in the US, it has caught up well.
Its emergence as a major crypto ETF player could hardly have been better timed as institutional buying and financial markets moving onto the blockchain took off in 2025.
Where before Solana price USD barely raised interest, suddenly it had captivated the investment market.
Much of this appetite is due to Solana’s fast transaction speeds and low costs.
This makes it perfect for high-frequency trading.
X marks the spots
Morgan Stanley’s imminent ETF launch would almost certainly have been based on Solana’s recent ETF performance.
The platform is on a hot streak of net inflows while its larger competitors Bitcoin and Ethereum are experiencing the opposite.
One reason cited for this is that Solana-based assets and data feeds will soon see expanded visibility within major consumer platforms – among them X (formerly Twitter) – following its rollout of in-app crypto price tracking and token discovery tools.
The X development is massive in that its Smart Cashtags system will include Solana-based token functionalities.
Smart Cashtags, which will link ticker symbols in social posts to real-time financial data, will enable users to specify stocks and crypto when posting cashtags like $BTC or $NVDA.
X head of product Nikita Bier explained in a post: “From Timeline, users will be able to tap them [cashtags] to see its real-time price along with all mentions of that asset.”
Solana is highly suited to this model due to its status as a high-throughput, consumer-facing real-time network.
Welcome to the club
Morgan Stanley may have arrived late to the spot ETF party but Solana will certainly not be turning it away.
As it continues along its merry way collecting the plaudits of the world’s greatest financial institutions, the addition of such a reputed bank will only enhance its credibility.
While Solana is one of the crypto world’s great innovators, it also understands the importance of positioning its native SOL token as a mainstream investment.
Morgan Stanley’s foray into this market forms part of a broader trend of banks wanting to evolve from facilitators to heavily-involved advisors.
And Solana is waiting with open arms.