Transferring RSU Shares: Moving Assets from a Morgan Stanley Stock Plan Account to Firstrade — My Experience with a GOOG RSU DTC Transfer (Updated July 2026)

Disclaimer: This article shares personal experience only and does not constitute investment, financial or professional advice. Everything described is based on my own experience and does not represent the official position of Google or any other organisation. Assess your own situation carefully before acting and seek professional advice where needed. Also make sure you understand and follow your company’s and stock plan’s policies, especially any employee trading restrictions.

This article shares how I moved the Google shares from the Morgan Stanley Stock Plan Account, where Google deposits RSUs (Restricted Stock Units), to my own Firstrade account.

What is a Morgan Stanley stock plan account?

A Morgan Stanley stock plan account mainly holds assets granted through a company stock plan, such as RSUs. A transfer moves the shares from the Morgan Stanley account to another brokerage account, such as Firstrade, so you can manage them in one place. It is the same idea as moving shares between two brokers in Taiwan.

Transfer steps

Step 1: Add a brokerage account in the Morgan Stanley stock plan account

Click “Manage brokerage account details” (in the red box below) to add your other brokerage account to your Morgan Stanley account.

In the example below I entered Firstrade’s details. For the DTC code, brokerage firm and brokerage email address, refer to Firstrade’s official instructions; for the account number, enter your own Firstrade account number.

Step 2: Look up the receiving broker’s DTC details (Firstrade as an example)

When adding the brokerage account you need the DTC code and the receiving broker’s details. Firstrade provides them on its help page, “Can I transfer assets from a stock plan account or ESPP to Firstrade?” (in Chinese).

Step 3: Submit the transfer

On the Portfolio page of the Morgan Stanley stock plan account you can see how many units are available to trade, with a “Sell or transfer” button on the right.

Note that when you choose to transfer to another broker, only whole shares can be transferred. I’m not sure whether this is a Morgan Stanley restriction.

After choosing to transfer, enter the number of shares, and you will be asked to confirm the receiving broker’s account details again.

Step 4: Wait for the transfer to complete

On my first transfer I worried it might fail, so I moved just 1 share. There is little information online about the exact process; I only went ahead after seeing on the company intranet that many colleagues transfer to their own brokers (Firstrade, IB and others).

Step 5: Reply to Firstrade’s confirmation email

Two days after the shares reached Firstrade, I received Firstrade’s DTC review email asking for information about the incoming assets (see below). A few days after I replied, the cost basis of my GOOG shares in Firstrade was updated with the information carried over from Morgan Stanley.

Actual timeline

I requested a transfer of 1 share on Sunday, 16 February 2025. Because that was a weekend day and Monday, 17 February was Presidents Day (US markets closed), the incoming share only appeared in Firstrade on Tuesday, 18 February.

Once I knew it worked, I requested the transfer of the remaining shares on 18 February, and a second incoming record appeared in Firstrade within two to three hours.

This article only shares my experience transferring from Morgan Stanley to Firstrade. Keep track of RSU restrictions and your company’s employee trading rules yourself, and confirm the process and policies with the relevant teams before transferring.

Why move from Morgan Stanley to Firstrade?

Google’s RSUs are deposited with Morgan Stanley. I moved them to keep my shares in the broker I use day to day, so at least the dividends can be put to use right away.

Latest transfers in 2026

After the first transfer, I made two more in 2026 the same way. Both went smoothly and both arrived the same day:

The outgoing records on the Morgan Stanley side:

The incoming records on the Firstrade side match the dates and share counts:

FAQ

Is there a fee to transfer RSU shares from Morgan Stanley to Firstrade?

My transfers from the Morgan Stanley stock plan account to Firstrade were free.

How long does an RSU transfer to Firstrade take?

On my first transfer in 2025, I requested it on a business day and saw the GOOG shares in Firstrade within two to three hours, then received Firstrade's confirmation email within a day or two. My two transfers in May and July 2026 both arrived the same day.

What are Firstrade's DTC transfer details?

I entered DTC Code 0158, receiving firm Apex Clearing Corporation, brokerage email transfer@firstrade.com, and my own Firstrade account number. Check Firstrade's official help page for the latest details before transferring.

Can Morgan Stanley transfer fractional shares?

When I transferred, the Morgan Stanley stock plan account only allowed whole shares.

Does the cost basis carry over after the transfer?

In my transfers, the cost basis from Morgan Stanley was carried over to Firstrade. On the first transfer, the cost basis updated a few days after I replied to Firstrade's DTC review email.

Are there tax issues when transferring RSU shares?

Transferring shares may involve tax matters such as capital gains. Learn the relevant rules first and consult a professional tax adviser if unsure.

Are dividends affected during the transfer?

Keep an eye on how dividends are handled during the transfer so you don't miss a payout.