Morgan Stanley to acquire digital transfer agent Vinyl Equity

Morgan Stanley said it has entered into an agreement to acquire Vinyl Equity, a digital-first SEC-registered transfer agent and shareholder recordkeeping platform. The acquisition will add transfer agency capabilities to Morgan Stanley at Work, the bank's equity compensation and administration business.

Vinyl Equity was founded in 2022 and has built a digital platform that automates transfer agent work through digital workflows, real-time reporting and streamlined administration. It works with issuers, counsel and banking partners, particularly during demanding events such as IPOs.

Scott Whatley, Head of Morgan Stanley at Work, said Vinyl helps the firm meet client demand for more innovation in the space. Jed Finn, Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, said Vinyl's technology will help the firm advance how ownership is recorded and transferred, including through tokenization.