Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) has decided not to pursue a plan to exclude companies with significant digital asset holdings from its indices for the time being. According to Aggr News, MSCI plans to maintain the current index inclusions until its 2026 regular review.
Last October, MSCI began gathering market input on the possibility of removing companies with a majority of their balance sheet assets held in cryptocurrencies from its indexes. Concerns spread throughout the market that if this proposal materialized, it could trigger a forced rebalancing of passive funds, leading to selling pressure on cryptocurrencies worth up to $15 billion (approximately 22 trillion won).
This decision has bought time for companies facing the greatest uncertainty. Matthew Sigel, head of digital asset research at VanEck, explained, "MSCI's decision means that Strategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), a leading Bitcoin strategic reserve company, will not be removed from the index immediately."
Some market observers interpret MSCI's decision as reflecting a shift in perception toward viewing cryptocurrencies as part of corporate financial strategy rather than a "speculative asset." In particular, with the growing number of listed companies incorporating Bitcoin as a long-term holding and inflation hedge, there have been persistent concerns that blanket index exclusion could actually widen the gap with global capital markets.
However, the discussion is not completely over. MSCI is leaving open the possibility of a comprehensive review of digital asset weighting, accounting transparency, and volatility management at the 2026 review. For companies strategically hoarding cryptocurrencies, this decision is seen as less of a "free pass" and more of a measure that provides time to comply with institutional standards.
