Morgan Stanley (MS.N) announced plans to acquire EquityZen, a leading platform for trading private company shares, as Wall Street accelerates efforts to meet rising investor demand for access to pre-IPO and high-growth startups.
The deal enables Morgan Stanley to strengthen its position in private markets by connecting its 20 million clients to exclusive opportunities and providing liquidity for early-stage equity.
“We are seeing rising interest in private markets exposure across our clients. EquityZen is the link that connects supply and demand,” said Michael Gaviser, Head of Private Markets at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.
Founded in 2013, EquityZen has over 800,000 registered users and has processed 49,000+ transactions across 450+ private companies. The acquisition, expected to close in early 2026, follows Morgan Stanley’s partnership with Carta, expanding its reach into private-market infrastructure.
With private valuations of firms like OpenAI, SpaceX, and Bytedance rivaling major public companies, the move reflects a growing convergence between public and private capital markets.