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Morgan Stanley Moves to Undercut Bitcoin ETF

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Crypto Breaking News

Morgan Stanley is preparing to launch a Bitcoin ETF with a 0.14% fee, undercutting major competitors. The fund aims to compete directly with BlackRock’s IBIT dominance. The listing progress suggests a likely April debut as competition intensifies.

Key Highlights

  • Morgan Stanley sets 0.14% fee to rival BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF dominance
  • MSBT filing signals aggressive pricing strategy ahead of April launch
  • Low-cost structure may attract both advisors and external capital flows
  • ETF approval progress points to imminent debut on NYSE Arca exchange
  • Bank expands crypto push with filings for Ethereum and Solana ETFs

Bitcoin ETF Pricing War Intensifies

Bitcoin traded near $67,000 during the latest session, reflecting ongoing market volatility and uneven ETF flows. Morgan Stanley positioned its ETF with a 0.14% management fee, placing it below most competitors in the current market.

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The fee undercuts BlackRock’s IBIT, which charges 0.25%, and slightly beats Grayscale’s Mini Bitcoin Trust. As a result, the pricing strategy signals a direct challenge to established leaders. It also reinforces growing competition among issuers seeking market share.

Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas described the move as strategic and timely. He noted that lower fees could remove internal friction among advisors. Additionally, the structure could attract external allocations due to cost efficiency.

Morgan Stanley Expands Crypto Strategy

Morgan Stanley has steadily increased its exposure to digital asset products in recent years. The firm already allows client allocations to Bitcoin related funds through advisory channels. This ETF marks its first direct issuance in the spot Bitcoin ETF market.

The bank manages trillions in advisory assets and maintains a large network of financial advisors. Therefore, the ETF launch could unlock significant distribution potential. It also positions the firm as a direct competitor rather than a facilitator.

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James Seyffart highlighted the broader implications of the pricing decision. He suggested that similar fee reductions could apply to future products. The firm has already filed for Ethereum and Solana ETFs, signaling continued expansion.

Launch Timeline and Market Context

The ETF has secured a listing on NYSE Arca, which often signals an imminent launch window. Current expectations point to a debut within weeks, possibly in April. This timeline aligns with regulatory progress and final preparation stages.

Bitcoin ETF flows have shown mixed patterns amid recent price weakness. Some funds have recorded outflows, while others maintain steady inflows. Despite this trend, new entrants continue to pursue market share through aggressive pricing.

Morgan Stanley’s entry stands out due to its scale and distribution reach. The firm operates a large advisor network managing substantial client assets. Consequently, its ETF could influence allocation trends within traditional wealth channels.

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The broader ETF market has evolved rapidly since initial approvals earlier in the year. Large asset managers have dominated early inflows, led by BlackRock. However, new issuers now compete through differentiation, mainly via fees.

Morgan Stanley’s approach reflects this shift toward cost leadership and accessibility. Lower fees reduce barriers for adoption and improve long term competitiveness. This strategy may reshape pricing standards across future crypto ETFs.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Steakhouse Financial front-end breach exposes users to phishing scam

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Steakhouse Financial front-end breach exposes users to phishing scam

DeFi risk curator Steakhouse Financial has been hacked and its website and app are now being used to host a phishing scam.

Steakhouse disclosed the breach Monday morning and warned that any new users interacting with the website or app are likely interacting with a malicious version implemented by the hackers. 

The attack appears to have affected just the front-end of operations, as Steakhouse assured users, “No deposits are at risk. No contracts are affected. All Steakhouse depositors are safe.”

A statement from the official Steakhouse Financial X account.

Read more: Fake Uniswap phishing ad on Google steals trader’s life savings

“We are working to restore the frontend as soon as possible,” the firm said. 

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Steakhouse co-founder, Sébastien Derivaux, warned crypto users to avoid the website until further notice.  

Various crypto firms offered alternative services and safety assurances for customers with funds at Steakhouse. 

Others found humor in the incident, with one user asking, “Does phishing on Steakhouse make this a surf and turf attack?”

At the time of writing, neither Steakhouse Financial or its CEO have shared any further updates on the incident.

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Steakhouse Financial housing a crypto drainer

Crypto security firm Blockaid claims that the Steakhouse attackers are utilizing code from one of the “largest active wallet drainer operations onchain” known as Angelferno, or Angel Drainer.

Read more: Fears of $27M Venus Protocol hack turn out to be phishing attack on power user

Earlier this month, AI crypto firm GAIB fell victim to a social engineering scheme that gave hackers access to its domain, where they implemented a copycat website kitted with Angelferno. 

Drainers work by stealing a user’s crypto after they sign a malicious transaction that gives hackers full access to withdraw their funds.

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Blockaid was able to help GAIB detect the malware, and the malicious site was gone in roughly seven hours, with no apparent user losses. 

Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news and investigations, follow us on XBluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Bitcoin Hashrate falls 6%, US bond yields up 4%: Month in charts

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Bitcoin Hashrate falls 6%, US bond yields up 4%: Month in charts

This month, Bitcoin’s hashrate fell 6% after the US and Israel attacked Iran, highlighting Iran’s significant crypto mining activity.

Bitcoin price, meanwhile, remains lackluster. Higher 4% yields on US Treasury bonds have added pressure, and investors are seeking less risky prospects amid geopolitical tension.

Less appetite for crypto trading has proven problematic for Robinhood. The trading platform’s stock is down 16% on the month, and leadership has announced a stock buyback program. 

Prediction markets marked a record number of transactions, representing a more than 2,800% increase since this time last year. 

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Here’s March by the numbers:

Bitcoin lacks momentum as 4% US Treasury bond yields put pressure on price

Yields on five-year US Treasury bonds are up 4% in March, putting pressure on Bitcoin price. While showing some gains in mid March, the asset ended the month much where it started, around $67,000.

As per an analysis from Cointelegraph, fears of a drawn-out conflict between the US and Israel against Iran have led investors to cut out risk. A sell-off in bonds, along with a nine-month high of 4% in yields, suggests that traders are building cash positions.

Bitcoin hashrate falls nearly 6% after US and Israel attack Iran

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint special military operation in Iran called “Operation Epic Fury.” One month later, the Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate is down almost 6%.

Bloomberg crypto and digital assets strategist Dushyant Shahrawat said in a recent interview that Iran is one of the world’s largest Bitcoin miners, accounting for some 6-8% of global hashrate, and 70% of mining activities are conducted by the military. 

Disruptions to the country’s energy infrastructure and diversion of military priorities to defense have thus hit Iran’s ability to mine Bitcoin. 

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Prediction market transaction top 192 million

Transactions on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi topped 192 million in March. That represents a 24% increase from last month and a 2,880% increase compared to the same time last year, according to Dune analytics. 

Related: Lawmakers push another bill to curb prediction market insider trading

Prediction markets are growing in popularity, but in the United States, they face state regulators who say they facilitate a form of gambling. At least 11 states have taken legal action against them.

On March 20, Carson City District Court Judge Jason Woodbury upheld a regulator’s move to temporarily ban prediction market Kalshi in Nevada. 

Arizona has brought criminal charges against Kalshi for allegedly “running an illegal gambling operation and taking bets on Arizona elections, both of which violate Arizona law.”

Other states like Utah and Pennsylvania are currently considering legislation that would bring prediction markets under state gambling or gaming laws. Kalshi says that it answers only to federal regulation under the Commodity Futures Exchange Commission (CFTC). 

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Euro-denominated stablecoins account for 85% of non-dollar volume

Stablecoins backed by the euro have emerged as a favorite alternative to assets backed by US dollars. Some 85% of non-dollar stablecoin volumes occur in euros, according to a March report from Dune.

While euro-denominated coins initially only represented some 50-70% of the non-dollar market, they began expanding significantly in 2024. Now they represent 85% of total transferred volume. Euro stablecoins are also dominant in regard to participation, with user share rising to over 78%.

Dune attributes this increase to more confidence in stablecoins among institutions, thanks in large part to the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulatory package (MiCA). 

Robinhood stock down 16% on month

Robinhood stock has decreased over 16% in March, from nearly $80 to $66 as of publishing time. 

The stock and crypto trading company’s share price has been struggling in recent months. Over the last six months, it dropped over 50%. Uncertainty over the regulation of new verticals like prediction markets and social trading, along with a collapse in crypto trading revenues are creating structural obstacles for the company.

Revenue from crypto transactions reportedly dropped 38% year-over-year as of Q4 2025. Crypto app volumes dropped 58%.

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To address the problem, Robinhood has approved a $1.5 billion share buyback program in March, which will execute over the next three years. 

Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings are 11% in the red

Amid a lackluster price action on the month, Strategy’s Bitcoin portfolio is at an 11% loss. The average cost of Bitcoin in its portfolio is $75,669. Bitcoin is trading around $67,800 at publishing time. 

Data collected March 30.

Still, the company has continued its regular Bitcoin purchases. It made two this month: one for 17,994 Bitcoin on March 9 and another for 22,337 Bitcoin on March 16, amounting to roughly $2.7 billion at publishing time.

The software company has financed most of its Bitcoin purchases through high-yield stock offerings, like Stretch (STRC). This allows the company to buy Bitcoin without diluting its MSTR common shares.

The company’s chair, Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor, said recently that 80% of STRC buyers are retail investors. “Retail investors prefer low-volatility, high-yield digital credit,” he said.

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