Morgan Stanley Launches Digital Asset Lab to Explore DeFi and Tokenization

Morgan Stanley has launched a Digital Asset Lab to test decentralized finance, tokenization, and stablecoins. Amy Oldenburg, who leads the bank's digital asset team, confirmed the initiative in an interview with Bloomberg.

The lab operates within the bank's existing innovation-lab network. This setup allows teams to evaluate emerging technologies in controlled environments before integrating them into the firm's core systems.

The facility will focus on digital money and cash equivalents, including central-bank digital currencies, tokenized deposits, and tokenized money market funds. The team is also exploring DeFi vaults, which use blockchain software to deploy capital through automated strategies.

Morgan Stanley's innovation labs span roughly 20,000 square feet across New York, Glasgow, and Bangalore. These facilities host permanent teams and specialists who manage up to 270 projects annually, with previous work covering machine learning, cybersecurity, and electronic trading.

Oldenburg has led the bank's digital asset strategy since January 2026, overseeing operations across wealth and investment management. The bank previously filed for a national trust charter through Morgan Stanley Digital Trust to offer direct staking, custody, and trading services.

The firm's recent activity includes launching the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust in April and adding Ether and Solana ETPs in July. Additionally, the bank partnered with Zerohash to provide spot trading for Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana on E*TRADE and introduced a government money market fund designed for stablecoin issuers.

The bank's current strategy emphasizes the efficiency gains offered by blockchain technology. Morgan Stanley is now positioned alongside firms like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock in the effort to bring traditional financial products onchain.