Government shutdown puts potential Solana ETF approval timeline in uncertainty
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 10 2025
0mins
Should l Buy BEN?
Source: MarketWatch
Approval Anticipation: Major Wall Street firms are expecting approval to launch exchange-traded funds (ETFs) investing in solana, a lesser-known cryptocurrency, but a partial U.S. government shutdown has delayed the process.
SEC Decision Deadline: The Securities and Exchange Commission has a deadline to decide on ETF applications from firms like Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Invesco, which could signify a significant step towards the mainstream acceptance of digital assets.
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 over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BEN is 23.83 USD with a low forecast of 21.00 USD and a high forecast of 31.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
6 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
1 Hold
4 Sell
Moderate Sell
Current: 27.550
Low
21.00
Averages
23.83
High
31.00
Current: 27.550
Low
21.00
Averages
23.83
High
31.00
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.

- AUM Milestone: Franklin Templeton's Franklin Lexington PE secondaries strategy has surpassed $3.5 billion in assets under management in less than a year since its launch, highlighting strong demand from global wealth channel clients for institutional-quality private market solutions.
- Global Investor Access: Initially launched to U.S. investors in December 2024, the strategy was extended to international investors in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and APAC in March 2025, broadening access to private market investment opportunities worldwide.
- Innovative Investment Structure: The strategy aims to provide simplified access to a diversified portfolio of private equity investments through secondary transactions and co-investments alongside leading sponsors, enhancing client diversification and potential returns.
- Validation of Market Leadership: The partnership with Lexington underscores the strong demand for high-quality private market exposure, validating the momentum building across Franklin Templeton's global private markets platform and laying the groundwork for future business expansion.
See More
- Program Launch: Franklin Resources and Binance have announced an institutional off-exchange collateral program that allows eligible clients to use tokenized money market fund shares issued through Franklin Templeton's Benji Technology Platform as collateral when trading on Binance, addressing a significant pain point for institutional traders.
- Increased Asset Flexibility: This program enables institutional traders to utilize traditional regulated, yield-bearing money market fund assets in digital markets without the need to park those assets on an exchange, thereby enhancing asset liquidity and operational efficiency.
- Market Demand Response: By introducing this innovative mechanism, Franklin Resources not only meets the demand for flexible trading from institutional clients but also has the potential to attract more institutional investors into the digital asset market, further driving the company's growth in this emerging sector.
- Strategic Partnership Deepening: This collaboration with Binance signifies Franklin Resources' strategic positioning in the digital asset space, expected to enhance its competitiveness in the fintech sector and lay the groundwork for future business expansion.
See More
- Collateral Program Launch: Franklin Templeton and Binance have launched a new institutional off-exchange collateral program, allowing eligible clients to use tokenized money market fund shares as collateral when trading on Binance, thereby enhancing security and capital efficiency in digital markets.
- Risk Management Optimization: This program addresses a long-standing pain point for institutional traders by enabling them to utilize traditional regulated, yield-bearing money market fund assets for trading without parking those assets on an exchange, thus reducing counterparty risk and increasing trading flexibility.
- Deepening Partnership: Since their partnership began in 2025, Franklin Templeton and Binance have been deepening their collaboration aimed at integrating traditional financial instruments with blockchain technology, opening up new investment opportunities for clients.
- Market Demand Response: The launch of this program meets the increasing institutional demand for stable, yield-bearing collateral that can settle 24/7, enhancing the trading experience for investors on the world’s largest regulated digital asset exchange.
See More
- Program Launch: The new institutional off-exchange collateral program launched by Franklin Templeton and Binance allows eligible clients to use tokenized money market fund shares issued through the Benji Technology Platform as collateral, significantly enhancing security and capital efficiency in digital markets.
- Risk Mitigation: This program alleviates a long-standing pain point for institutional traders by enabling them to utilize traditional regulated, yield-bearing money market fund assets for trading without needing to park those assets on an exchange, thereby reducing counterparty risk.
- Technological Partnership: Ceffu, as Binance's institutional-grade custody partner, provides secure custody and settlement infrastructure, ensuring that tokenized money market fund shares are held securely in a regulated environment, which enhances client trust and participation.
- Market Demand Response: The launch of this program addresses the increasing institutional demand for stable, yield-bearing collateral, offering investors greater choice and enhancing their trading experience on the world's largest regulated digital asset exchange.
See More
- AUM Growth: As of January 31, 2026, Franklin Resources reported a 1.4% increase in assets under management (AUM) to $1.71 trillion compared to $1.68 trillion at the end of December 2025, driven by market appreciation and positive long-term net inflows.
- Net Inflows Analysis: Despite experiencing approximately $1.5 billion in long-term net outflows at Western Asset Management, excluding this, Franklin's long-term net inflows were around $3 billion, indicating the resilience of its core business.
- Asset Class Performance: The company saw a 1.7% increase in equity AUM to $709.2 billion, a 0.6% rise in fixed income AUM to $440.1 billion, a 0.9% growth in alternative AUM to $276.2 billion, and a 3.3% climb in multi-asset AUM to $205.3 billion, showcasing the success of its diversified investment strategy.
- Year-over-Year Comparison: Compared to January 31, 2025, Franklin's AUM increased by 7.6%, reflecting a sustained growth momentum in asset management, even as its stock slipped 0.2% in after-hours trading on Wednesday.
See More
- AUM Growth: As of January 31, 2026, Franklin Resources reported preliminary assets under management (AUM) of $1.71 trillion, reflecting a growth of approximately 0.18% from $1.68 trillion at the end of December 2025.
- Net Inflows: Despite experiencing approximately $1.5 billion in long-term net outflows at Western Asset Management, the firm achieved overall long-term net inflows of about $1.5 billion this month, indicating a positive market impact.
- Asset Class Distribution: As of January 31, equity assets totaled $709.2 billion, fixed income assets reached $440.1 billion, and alternative investments amounted to $276.2 billion, showcasing the stability of a diversified investment portfolio.
- Market Environment Impact: The growth in AUM this month reflects positive market performance, and while Western Asset Management faced outflows, the overall market conditions continue to positively influence Franklin Resources' business development.
See More





