Morgan Stanley Strategists Recommend Profit Taking as Bitcoin Market Enters Fall Season
Morgan Stanley strategists advised investors to take profits from their cryptocurrency holdings as Bitcoin enters what they describe as the "fall season" of its four-year market cycle. According to Cointelegraph, Denny Galindo, an investment strategist at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, explained the timing on the firm's Crypto Goes Mainstream podcast episode. Galindo referenced historical data showing a consistent three-up, one-down pattern in Bitcoin price cycles. The strategist stated the market is currently in fall season, which represents harvest time for gains.
Michael Cyprys, head of US brokers at Morgan Stanley Research, noted institutional investors increasingly view Bitcoin as a legitimate portfolio component. He explained that despite volatility, large investors have begun treating Bitcoin as digital gold or a macro hedge against inflation. The advisory comes as Bitcoin fell below $99,000 on November 5, breaching its 365-day moving average. CryptoQuant head of research Julio Moreno confirmed this technical indicator generally shows the market's overall direction. Bitrue research analyst Andri Fauzan Adziima told Cointelegraph the price movement officially marked a technical bear market.
Market Liquidity Dynamics Show Mixed Signals
The profit-taking recommendation reflects broader market conditions affecting crypto liquidity. Market-maker Wintermute reported that key liquidity drivers have reached a plateau in recent months. The company identified stablecoins, exchange-traded funds, and digital asset treasuries as major liquidity sources that have slowed their inflows. This slowdown coincides with Bitcoin spot ETFs accumulating total net assets exceeding $137 billion, according to SoSoValue data. Ethereum spot ETFs currently hold $22.4 billion in assets.
Binance Research data revealed that stablecoin supply reached a record $277.8 billion by August 2025. The analysis showed that 60 percent of Binance stablecoin inflows convert to spot crypto purchases within 72 hours. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attracted more than $28 billion in net flows during 2025. We previously reported that institutional Bitcoin adoption accelerated significantly in 2025, with Bitcoin ETFs accumulating over $65 billion in assets under management by April. BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust alone attracted over $18 billion, demonstrating strong institutional demand.
Institutional Adoption Continues Despite Market Caution
The Morgan Stanley advisory highlights a shift in how traditional financial institutions approach cryptocurrency markets. Cyprys emphasized that institutional allocations move slowly due to internal processes and risk committees. Long-term mandates prevent immediate strategy changes for large investors. However, he confirmed adoption is increasing as regulation and ETF infrastructure lower entry barriers. The firm's recognition of Bitcoin market cycles using seasonal metaphors shows major Wall Street executives now apply cyclical investment frameworks to digital assets.
The market faces a tension between institutional conviction and technical indicators. Institutional investors continue viewing Bitcoin as a strategic asset despite recent price weakness. The debate centers on how long the current "fall season" will last before winter arrives. Galindo suggested investors prepare for a potential crypto winter by harvesting current gains. Meanwhile, institutional capital continues flowing into regulated crypto products at unprecedented rates. Public companies now hold over 989,000 Bitcoin in corporate treasuries, representing a fundamental shift in how corporations manage inflation risk.
The cryptocurrency market's maturation creates new dynamics between retail sentiment and institutional strategy. Traditional finance professionals increasingly analyze Bitcoin using frameworks from commodity and liquidity cycles. This integration of crypto into mainstream financial analysis represents a departure from earlier dismissal of digital assets. The question remains whether institutional adoption will provide sufficient support during the next market downturn or if historical cycle patterns will repeat regardless of new capital sources.
