Morgan Stanley announced the launch of a dedicated private‑company research page on November 11, 2025, adding a new hub that aggregates curated data, in‑depth analysis, and deal‑flow insights for unlisted companies. The platform is positioned to serve institutional investors and high‑net‑worth clients who are increasingly seeking exposure to high‑growth private firms.
The new research hub is part of a broader private‑markets strategy that also includes the firm’s recent acquisition of EquityZen, announced on October 29, 2025 and expected to close in early 2026. EquityZen’s secondary‑transaction platform, which has processed more than 49,000 trades across 450 private companies, provides the data backbone that will feed the research page and enable Morgan Stanley to offer liquidity solutions and deeper market intelligence to its clients.
Private‑market activity has accelerated as companies choose to stay private longer, creating a sizable opportunity for research and investment services. By launching the platform, Morgan Stanley aims to capture fee‑based flows, deepen relationships with institutional and high‑net‑worth investors, and strengthen its competitive stance against peers such as JPMorgan and Citigroup, who have similar private‑market research initiatives. The move also aligns with the firm’s integrated‑firm strategy, which seeks to cross‑sell wealth‑management and investment‑management products to a broader client base.
Katy Huberty, Morgan Stanley’s global director of research, said the launch is “a strategic imperative to focus on private‑company coverage.” She added that the firm is hiring to support this priority, underscoring the importance of expanding thematic leadership in the research department. Jed Finn, head of wealth management, highlighted the synergy between EquityZen and the new platform, noting that the combination will “uniquely address client needs as companies stay private much longer, delivering liquidity solutions for employees and early investors.” Michael Gaviser, head of private markets, emphasized that the acquisition “accelerates our already robust and growing private‑markets business” and expands the toolset available to workplace clients and advisors.
No immediate market reaction has been reported in the fact‑check sources, so the article does not speculate on investor sentiment or stock performance. The focus remains on the strategic significance of the launch and its expected impact on Morgan Stanley’s private‑market footprint.
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