Franklin Resources Acquires 250 Digital to Enter Crypto Market
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 01 2026
0mins
Traditional finance is no longer observing the digital asset economy from a distance, it is writing checks in it, listing on Nasdaq alongside it, and building payment rails directly into it. The unifying thread across today's news is institutional commitment: to crypto infrastructure, to on-chain settlement, and to U.S. market access. Stay up on the crypto news that matters with "Crypto Currents," daily from The Fly. Join us at 2 PM ET for your essential briefing on the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency on FlyCast radio.LEGACY ASSET MANAGERS MOVE DEEPER INTO CRYPTO VIA ACQUISITION AND NASDAQ LISTING:The $1.7T asset manager Franklin Resourcesis making a definitive push into active digital management through a structural first for the industry., Franklin has agreed to acquire 250 Digital, the active crypto arm recently spun off from CoinFund, using BENJI tokens, blockchain-based shares of Franklin's own money fund, as payment consideration, forming a new "Franklin Crypto" division and marking the first on-chain M&A settlement in traditional asset management. On the same day, Europe's largest digital asset manager, CoinShares (CSHR),. With $6B in assets under management and a 34% share of the European ETP market, CoinShares now competes on the same exchange as BlackRockand Fidelity, extending the geography of institutional crypto competition directly onto U.S. screens.BLOCK ENABLES AUTOMATIC BITCOIN PAYMENTS FOR FOUR MILLION MERCHANTS:Mainstream merchant adoption received a massive boost as Blockintegrated digital assets natively into its payment ecosystem.how Block has auto-enabled bitcoinpayments for approximately 4M U.S. merchants. This material operational development, coupled with CEO Jack Dorsey's public push to replace certain middle management layers with artificial intelligence, marks a significant shift in the investment story for Block shareholders.SPOT FUND FLOWS AND ETP DISTRIBUTION SIGNAL INSTITUTIONAL PRODUCT DEMAND:Institutional demand for spot products showed renewed strength to start Q2.that U.S. spot funds saw $117.5M in net inflows for bitcoin and $31.2M for ethertoday, led by BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust, which recorded $98.42M in new capital, a constructive demand signal for equities with heavy sector exposure, such as Coinbase. On the distribution side, DeFi Technologiesof its Valour subsidiary to lead Nordic and European ETP expansion, a complementary signal that appetite for regulated crypto exposure products is deepening across both sides of the Atlantic.MINING OPERATOR REDOMICILIATION AND MICRO-CAP COMPLIANCE PRESSURE:Major mining operators are evolving their corporate structures to better serve U.S. investors. Bitfarms., with shares expected to begin trading under the new ticker KEEL on April 6, aligning the company closer to U.S. capital markets and GAAP reporting as it expands its data center strategy. At the micro-cap end of the sector, compliance risk is surfacing as Cango, giving the company a six-month cure period to rectify the deficiency.PRICE ACTION:As of time of writing, bitcoin was trading at $68,813.65, while ether was trading at $2,134.30,.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy BEN?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on BEN
Wall Street analysts forecast BEN stock price to fall
6 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
1 Hold
4 Sell
Moderate Sell
Current: 33.290
Low
22.00
Averages
26.83
High
36.00
Current: 33.290
Low
22.00
Averages
26.83
High
36.00
About BEN
Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management company with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Through its specialist investment managers, the Company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing capabilities in equity, fixed income, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. It provides its investment management and related services to retail, institutional and high-net-worth investors in jurisdictions worldwide. Its investment products include its sponsored funds, as well as institutional and high-net-worth separate accounts, retail separately managed account programs, sub-advised products, and other investment vehicles. Its funds include registered funds (including exchange-traded funds) and unregistered funds. It offers its services and products under its various distinct brand names, including, but not limited to, Alcentra, Benefit Street Partners, Brandywine Global Investment Management, Canvas, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Bitcoin Declines as Fed Signals Rate Hikes Ahead
- Bitcoin Price Fluctuation: Bitcoin traded around $63,000 on June 19, down from $65,000 at the week's start, reflecting market sensitivity to the Fed's interest rate hike signals, which may further weaken investor confidence.
- Bearish Options Traders: Options traders are betting that Bitcoin's price could fall to $52,000 in the coming weeks, indicating a panic sentiment in the market regarding interest rate hikes, potentially leading to more investors exiting digital assets.
- Ethereum Foundation Executive Resignation: Hsiao-Wei Wang, the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, has resigned, marking turmoil in the organization's leadership that could impact its strategic direction and project advancement.
- New ETF Plans: Franklin Templeton is planning to launch ETFs that convert corporate dividends into Bitcoin, which, if approved, would provide investors with new investment avenues and potentially boost Bitcoin demand.
See More
Morningstar Partners with Apollo and Others to Launch Investment Portfolios
- Portfolio Innovation: Morningstar's wealth division has partnered with Apollo Global Management, Franklin Templeton, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management to launch new investment portfolios aimed at providing retail investors access to both private and public markets, catering to diverse investment needs.
- Broad Market Coverage: The new portfolios will encompass multiple asset classes, aiming to enhance return potential by combining the strengths of private and public markets while mitigating risks associated with market volatility, thereby increasing portfolio stability.
- Strategic Collaboration Significance: This partnership not only showcases Morningstar's innovative capabilities in asset management but also highlights the synergistic effects with leading industry institutions, which is expected to attract more retail investors and drive business growth for the company.
- Retail Investor Benefits: By offering a diversified range of investment options, the new portfolios will assist retail investors in better risk diversification and seizing market opportunities, thereby enhancing their overall investment returns and further promoting the democratization of financial markets.
See More
Franklin Templeton Launches Preferred Partner Program for Tax-Managed Strategies
- Program Expansion: Franklin Templeton's launch of the Preferred Partner Program (P3) allows third-party asset managers to offer tax-managed versions of investment strategies through the Canvas platform, enhancing its personalization and tax management capabilities, which is expected to attract more advisors to the platform.
- Partnerships: Companies like MFS Investment Management, Federated Hermes, and T. Rowe Price will now offer systematically tax-managed strategies via CanvasP3, enriching Franklin Templeton's product suite and providing advisors with more options to meet client needs.
- Tax Management Features: The Canvas platform supports tax-loss harvesting, tax-aware transitions, and annual tax budgets, enabling advisors to tailor investment portfolios to individual client circumstances while preserving the intent of the underlying strategies, which is expected to enhance client satisfaction.
- Technology-Driven Personalization: Franklin emphasizes Canvas's scalable implementation capabilities, aiming to transform traditional performance discussions into a more personalized portfolio experience, thereby strengthening the interaction and trust between advisors and their clients.
See More
Franklin Resources to Join SpaceX IPO This Week
- IPO Participation Confirmed: Franklin Resources CEO Jenny Johnson confirmed during a CNBC interview that the firm will participate in SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO), marking an active positioning in the innovation market.
- Asset Management Scale: With nearly $1.7 trillion in assets under management, Franklin Resources demonstrates significant market influence while reflecting its ongoing focus on high-potential investments.
- Strong Investor Demand: SpaceX's IPO is expected to raise $75 billion, with over $250 billion in investor demand already, indicating high market anticipation for the company's future growth.
- Potential Investor Relations: Discussions between SpaceX and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund for a potential $5 billion anchor stake could enhance the IPO's appeal and potentially open more investment opportunities for Franklin.
See More
Franklin Resources Appoints New CIO Amid SEC Settlement
- Executive Change: Franklin Resources has appointed Michael Buchanan as the new Chief Investment Officer, effective immediately, replacing Ken Leech who is on leave to address regulatory matters, indicating a significant management shift to tackle current challenges.
- SEC Settlement: The company reached a $100 million settlement with the SEC due to allegations against Leech for cherry-picking trades, which has raised regulatory scrutiny and impacted market confidence in its governance structure.
- Asset Management Strategy Shift: In light of Leech's absence, Franklin Resources is closing its Macro Opportunities strategy, which had approximately $2 billion in assets under management as of July 31, 2024, reflecting a major strategic pivot to address internal issues.
- Leadership Restructuring: With Leech's leave, Western Asset Management CEO Thomas Gahan is expected to step down on June 30, further indicating a comprehensive management overhaul aimed at restoring investor confidence and improving the company's image.
See More
Franklin Resources to Pay $100M to Settle SEC Investigation
- Settlement Amount: Franklin Resources' Western Asset Management unit has agreed to pay $100 million to settle the SEC's investigation into former CIO Kenneth Leech, highlighting significant compliance failures within the firm.
- Alleged Misconduct: Leech was accused of engaging in a practice known as cherry-picking, where he allocated hundreds of millions in profitable trades to favored portfolios while assigning losing trades to others, indicating severe internal management deficiencies.
- Compliance Failures: The SEC noted that Western Asset failed to take reasonable steps to detect and prevent Leech's misconduct, despite being aware that his trading and allocation practices diverged from those of other portfolio managers, which could undermine investor trust.
- Business Decision: Franklin Resources stated that the settlement was a strategic decision to avoid the distractions of prolonged litigation, allowing the firm to focus on its clients, while also concluding investigations by both the DOJ and SEC, although the company's stock remained relatively unchanged in premarket trading.
See More
Bitcoin Declines as Fed Signals Rate Hikes Ahead
- Bitcoin Price Fluctuation: Bitcoin traded around $63,000 on June 19, down from $65,000 at the week's start, reflecting market sensitivity to the Fed's interest rate hike signals, which may further weaken investor confidence.
- Bearish Options Traders: Options traders are betting that Bitcoin's price could fall to $52,000 in the coming weeks, indicating a panic sentiment in the market regarding interest rate hikes, potentially leading to more investors exiting digital assets.
- Ethereum Foundation Executive Resignation: Hsiao-Wei Wang, the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, has resigned, marking turmoil in the organization's leadership that could impact its strategic direction and project advancement.
- New ETF Plans: Franklin Templeton is planning to launch ETFs that convert corporate dividends into Bitcoin, which, if approved, would provide investors with new investment avenues and potentially boost Bitcoin demand.
See More
Morningstar Partners with Apollo and Others to Launch Investment Portfolios
- Portfolio Innovation: Morningstar's wealth division has partnered with Apollo Global Management, Franklin Templeton, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management to launch new investment portfolios aimed at providing retail investors access to both private and public markets, catering to diverse investment needs.
- Broad Market Coverage: The new portfolios will encompass multiple asset classes, aiming to enhance return potential by combining the strengths of private and public markets while mitigating risks associated with market volatility, thereby increasing portfolio stability.
- Strategic Collaboration Significance: This partnership not only showcases Morningstar's innovative capabilities in asset management but also highlights the synergistic effects with leading industry institutions, which is expected to attract more retail investors and drive business growth for the company.
- Retail Investor Benefits: By offering a diversified range of investment options, the new portfolios will assist retail investors in better risk diversification and seizing market opportunities, thereby enhancing their overall investment returns and further promoting the democratization of financial markets.
See More
Franklin Templeton Launches Preferred Partner Program for Tax-Managed Strategies
- Program Expansion: Franklin Templeton's launch of the Preferred Partner Program (P3) allows third-party asset managers to offer tax-managed versions of investment strategies through the Canvas platform, enhancing its personalization and tax management capabilities, which is expected to attract more advisors to the platform.
- Partnerships: Companies like MFS Investment Management, Federated Hermes, and T. Rowe Price will now offer systematically tax-managed strategies via CanvasP3, enriching Franklin Templeton's product suite and providing advisors with more options to meet client needs.
- Tax Management Features: The Canvas platform supports tax-loss harvesting, tax-aware transitions, and annual tax budgets, enabling advisors to tailor investment portfolios to individual client circumstances while preserving the intent of the underlying strategies, which is expected to enhance client satisfaction.
- Technology-Driven Personalization: Franklin emphasizes Canvas's scalable implementation capabilities, aiming to transform traditional performance discussions into a more personalized portfolio experience, thereby strengthening the interaction and trust between advisors and their clients.
See More
Franklin Resources to Join SpaceX IPO This Week
- IPO Participation Confirmed: Franklin Resources CEO Jenny Johnson confirmed during a CNBC interview that the firm will participate in SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO), marking an active positioning in the innovation market.
- Asset Management Scale: With nearly $1.7 trillion in assets under management, Franklin Resources demonstrates significant market influence while reflecting its ongoing focus on high-potential investments.
- Strong Investor Demand: SpaceX's IPO is expected to raise $75 billion, with over $250 billion in investor demand already, indicating high market anticipation for the company's future growth.
- Potential Investor Relations: Discussions between SpaceX and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund for a potential $5 billion anchor stake could enhance the IPO's appeal and potentially open more investment opportunities for Franklin.
See More
Franklin Resources Appoints New CIO Amid SEC Settlement
- Executive Change: Franklin Resources has appointed Michael Buchanan as the new Chief Investment Officer, effective immediately, replacing Ken Leech who is on leave to address regulatory matters, indicating a significant management shift to tackle current challenges.
- SEC Settlement: The company reached a $100 million settlement with the SEC due to allegations against Leech for cherry-picking trades, which has raised regulatory scrutiny and impacted market confidence in its governance structure.
- Asset Management Strategy Shift: In light of Leech's absence, Franklin Resources is closing its Macro Opportunities strategy, which had approximately $2 billion in assets under management as of July 31, 2024, reflecting a major strategic pivot to address internal issues.
- Leadership Restructuring: With Leech's leave, Western Asset Management CEO Thomas Gahan is expected to step down on June 30, further indicating a comprehensive management overhaul aimed at restoring investor confidence and improving the company's image.
See More
Franklin Resources to Pay $100M to Settle SEC Investigation
- Settlement Amount: Franklin Resources' Western Asset Management unit has agreed to pay $100 million to settle the SEC's investigation into former CIO Kenneth Leech, highlighting significant compliance failures within the firm.
- Alleged Misconduct: Leech was accused of engaging in a practice known as cherry-picking, where he allocated hundreds of millions in profitable trades to favored portfolios while assigning losing trades to others, indicating severe internal management deficiencies.
- Compliance Failures: The SEC noted that Western Asset failed to take reasonable steps to detect and prevent Leech's misconduct, despite being aware that his trading and allocation practices diverged from those of other portfolio managers, which could undermine investor trust.
- Business Decision: Franklin Resources stated that the settlement was a strategic decision to avoid the distractions of prolonged litigation, allowing the firm to focus on its clients, while also concluding investigations by both the DOJ and SEC, although the company's stock remained relatively unchanged in premarket trading.
See More
