Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) initially filed registration statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in early January 2026 for spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded products, including the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust (proposed ticker: MSBT, to list on NYSE Arca).
This marked a significant step as the first major U.S. bank to pursue a direct spot Bitcoin ETF. Recent updates to the S-1 filing added Fidelity as a custodian, joining BNY Mellon and Coinbase Custody, including a fee waiver for the first $5 billion in assets for six months, and confirmed preparations for launch pending final SEC approval.
This reflects growing institutional interest from traditional finance giants in regulated Bitcoin exposure, following the 2024 approvals of other spot Bitcoin ETFs. Bitcoin ETFs Snap 7-Day Inflow Streak with $164M Outflows. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs ended a seven-consecutive-day inflow streak on Wednesday (March 18 or 19, 2026, based on reporting), recording approximately $163.5–164 million in net outflows amid a Bitcoin price dip below $71,000 (with BTC trading around $70,000–$71,000 in recent sessions).
This broke momentum after roughly $1.2 billion in cumulative inflows over the prior week. Led by Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) with ~$104 million redeemed. Followed by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) at ~$34 million. The reversal aligned with broader market pressures, including macroeconomic uncertainty, pushing BTC lower after brief surges toward $75,000 earlier in the week.
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Despite the pullback, Bitcoin spot ETFs maintain strong overall stats: total net assets around $92 billion representing ~6.46% of BTC’s market cap, with cumulative net inflows since inception exceeding $56 billion. Earlier in March 2026, flows had been positive in stretches, but single-day reversals like this highlight volatility in institutional sentiment.
Ongoing Wall Street expansion into crypto via new filings like Morgan Stanley’s, contrasted with short-term outflow pressure on existing ETFs tied to price action. Bitcoin’s price remains sensitive to ETF flows as a key demand driver. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs (approved in mid-2024) continue to see active institutional interest, with recent flows showing momentum after earlier volatility.
Key developments include strong inflow streaks, the launch of yield-generating (staked) products, and overall positive trends amid broader crypto market recovery.
Spot Ethereum ETFs have experienced a resurgence in inflows during mid-March 2026, they recorded $138.2 million in net inflows—a three-week high—extending a six-consecutive-day inflow streak totaling $385 million. This contributed to combined spot crypto ETF inflows (Bitcoin + Ethereum) of $361 million that day, with Ethereum products capturing a significant portion.
Earlier in the month: Net inflows of $57 million on March 11, $12.6 million on March 10, and weekly positives. However, flows remain volatile— led by Fidelity’s FETH at ~$37 million, and occasional single-day negatives earlier in March like ~$51 million on March 9 in prior data points.
Cumulative since inception: Total net inflows exceed $11–12 billion across products, with total AUM around $12–14 billion; representing ~4.7–5% of Ethereum’s market cap, Major issuers’ performance approximate recent highlights: BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA): Often leads inflows e.g., $81.7 million on March 17
Fidelity’s Wise Origin Ethereum Fund (FETH): Strong cumulative (~$2.3+ billion) but mixed daily (outflows on some days like March 18). Grayscale products (ETHE/ETH Mini): Ongoing conversions/redemptions, with mixed but generally positive recent contributions.
A major March 2026 development is BlackRock’s launch of the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB) on Nasdaq around March 12–13: It holds spot ETH, stakes a portion; pass-through of 82% of staking rewards to holders, and debuted strongly with $100–155 million in day-one AUM/inflows and solid trading volume ($15–16 million).
This addresses a key demand for yield-bearing regulated exposure, differentiating from plain spot ETFs and attracting institutional capital seeking passive staking without direct node management. It builds on BlackRock’s dominance in crypto ETFs similar to their Bitcoin products and signals broader acceptance of staking in regulated wrappers.
Ethereum spot ETFs have helped stabilize and support ETH price action, with ETH trading in the $2,000–$2,300 range recently recovering from early-March lows near $2,000. Flows correlate with macro factors and network upgrades. While not as explosive as Bitcoin ETFs’ ~$90+ billion AUM, Ethereum products show growing traction, especially with staking innovations enhancing appeal.
March 2026 reflects renewed institutional momentum for Ethereum ETFs—positive weekly/monthly inflows, new product launches, and resilience despite occasional outflows—positioning them as a maturing channel for regulated ETH exposure.