Franklin Templeton launches Franklin Crypto division after 250 Digital acquisition
In brief
- Franklin Templeton acquired crypto asset manager 250 Digital and launched Franklin Crypto division
- Franklin Crypto led by Christopher Perkins, Seth Ginns, and Tony Pecore from 250 Digital
- Onchain product suite grew from $768M to $2.5B in one year
- Franklin Templeton manages $1.78 trillion in assets across 35+ countries
New Crypto Division Takes Shape
Franklin Crypto is led by Christopher Perkins and Seth Ginns, former executives at 250 Digital, alongside Franklin Templeton digital assets executive Tony Pecore. The acquisition was first announced in April and closed this month.
Franklin Templeton manages approximately $1.78 trillion in assets and operates in more than 35 countries. The firm's move into dedicated crypto management reflects a broader institutional push into tokenized assets and blockchain-based strategies.
Rapid Growth in Tokenized Assets
Franklin Templeton's onchain product suite expanded from approximately $768 million in June 2025 to more than $2.5 billion. That growth mirrors a wider market shift. The broader tokenized asset market has expanded from roughly $11.8 billion to $32.2 billion over the past year.
Franklin Templeton's crypto footprint has accelerated through recent partnerships. In February, the company announced a partnership with Binance allowing institutional investors to use tokenized money market fund shares as collateral for cryptocurrency trading. In March, Franklin Templeton partnered with Ondo Finance to offer tokenized exchange-traded funds on blockchain networks. The firm also proposed two ETFs that would reinvest stock dividends into Bitcoin-linked investments.
CoinFund Spinout
The acquisition follows CoinFund's decision earlier this year to spin out its liquid strategies business into 250 Digital as the crypto investment firm sharpened its focus on venture investing. Franklin Templeton did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition.
The new Franklin Crypto division arrives at a moment when traditional asset managers are racing to build institutional-grade crypto capabilities. Franklin Templeton's scale (nearly $1.8 trillion under management) positions the firm to compete with specialized crypto-native platforms while leveraging its established distribution to institutional clients.
