The traditional 9-to-5 banking day is officially dying, says Morgan Stanley execs
Morgan Stanley executives argue that the financial industry is shifting away from traditional 9-to-5 banking hours toward an always-on, 24/7 economy driven by blockchain technology and asset tokenization. The firm is actively expanding its digital asset offerings, including ETFs and tokenized funds, to meet growing institutional and retail demand for modernized financial infrastructure.
Why it matters
The transition to 24/7 tokenized financial rails represents a fundamental shift in global market infrastructure that could increase capital efficiency and liquidity for both institutional and retail investors.
Speaking during a panel discussion on digital assets, Betsy Graseck, Morgan Stanley's global head of banks and diversified finance research, argued that the move to tokenized assets is about far more than cryptocurrencies. Instead, she said, the focus is on rebuilding financial infrastructure for an always-on economy.
"I do phrase it as, look, this is the end of banker hours," Graseck said. "Your batch processing mentality is going to be a thing of the past."
The comment reflects a broader trend taking shape across financial markets. Banks, exchanges and custodians are investing in technology that allows assets to move 24 hours a day, seven days a week rather than only during business hours. While cryptocurrencies demonstrated that round-the-clock markets were possible, executives said the same infrastructure is increasingly being applied to traditional assets.
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