BTC 10-Year Return Beats Stocks, Gold: E*TRADE Report Shows

Bitcoin has outperformed major traditional assets over the past decade, according to a Morgan Stanley E*TRADE report. The report showed Bitcoin posted an average annual return of 85.5% over 10 years, far ahead of the Nasdaq-100 Index at 19.4%, the S&P 500 Index at 13.3%, and gold at 13.2%.

Source: Morgan Stanley E*TRADE report

The data, highlighted by CoinDCX co-founder Sumit Gupta, showed how sharply Bitcoin’s early growth separated it from traditional markets. Gupta said the next 10 years may not mirror the last decade, but added that this shift reflects Bitcoin’s move into a more mature phase.

Bitcoin’s 85.5% Annual Return Highlights a Decade of High-Risk Growth

The E*TRADE report presented Bitcoin’s long-term performance as exceptional, but it also warned that past returns are unlikely to repeat at the same pace. Consequently, the firm acknowledged that cryptocurrencies are not suitable for every investor due to high volatility and forecasting challenges.

In the report, Morgan Stanley noted that crypto’s annualized volatility is around 55%. That level is roughly four times higher than the S&P 500 Index, showing that Bitcoin’s gains came with much larger price swings.

The comparison gives useful context for investors. U.S. equities and gold delivered steady gains over the same 10-year period, but Bitcoin rose from a smaller starting base. Its performance was supported by early adoption, limited supply, retail demand, and rising institutional interest.

Mainstream Access Expands Through Financial Platforms

Gupta said future growth may depend more on larger financial channels than early retail demand. He pointed to pensions, wealth platforms, sovereign reserves, and institutional allocation as possible drivers of broader market participation.

That shift is already visible in Morgan Stanley’s crypto activity. In April, Morgan Stanley Investment Management launched the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust. The firm described it as the first cryptocurrency exchange-traded product offered by a U.S. bank-affiliated asset manager.

Morgan Stanley has also moved closer to direct crypto access through E*TRADE. The firm initially planned to offer crypto trading through a Zerohash partnership, giving clients access to Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana.

These developments show how digital assets are entering mainstream investment channels. However, the report stressed that high historical returns do not remove the risk of sharp drawdowns.

$BTC Stalls Near $80K Resistance as Momentum Signals Short-Term Balance

Meanwhile, the $BTC token has also shown stronger short-term price action, rising in five of the past six weeks. The rally started after the asset touched the $65K to $59K support zone. That move triggered a 27% rise toward the $80K to $85K zone, which now acts as support-turned-resistance.

The area also aligns with the 38.20% Fibonacci level. At press time, $BTC traded at $80,043, down 3.26% from this week’s peak and 1% on the day. Trading volume stood at $37.16 billion, down 1.61%, suggesting profit-taking near resistance.

Source: TradingView

Momentum indicators, on the other hand, pointed to short-term balance. The RSI stood at 49.03, showing neither overbought nor oversold conditions. The reading suggested that bulls and bears were nearly even, although the recovery from oversold levels showed improved buying momentum.

A move above the neutral 50 RSI level would be needed to confirm stronger upside momentum. The next key resistance zone sits around $94K to $98K if the current resistance breaks.

Related: Bitcoin Price Prediction: Tom Lee Says One Monthly Close Ends the Bear Market for Good