Key HighlightsThe acquisition of 250 Digital by Franklin Templeton has been finalized, with the crypto company originally emerging from CoinFund at the beginning of 2026A newly established division named Franklin Crypto will be overseen by Christopher Perkins and Seth GinnsBENJI tokens — representing tokenized shares of Franklin Templeton’s U.S. Government Money Fund — were used as partial payment for the transactionOver the past twelve months, Franklin Templeton’s tokenized asset portfolio has expanded from $768 million to surpass $2.5 billionThe new unit will focus on serving institutional clients including pension funds, sovereign wealth entities, and major asset allocatorsFranklin Templeton has successfully completed its purchase of 250 Digital, simultaneously introducing a new business segment dubbed Franklin Crypto. This represents a significant strategic advancement by a leading asset management firm into the institutional cryptocurrency investment space.$1.6T FRANKLIN TEMPLETON LAUNCHES "FRANKLIN CRYPTO"Franklin Templeton completed its acquisition of crypto investment firm 250 Digital and officially launched Franklin Crypto.The new division will focus on actively managed digital asset strategies for institutional… pic.twitter.com/njx7t0FW4L— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) June 22, 2026The initial announcement of this transaction came in April 2026. 250 Digital emerged as an independent entity in early 2026 when CoinFund decided to concentrate on venture capital activities, spinning off its liquid cryptocurrency investment operations into a standalone organization.Leadership of Franklin Crypto will fall to Christopher Perkins, the former head of 250 Digital. Seth Ginns maintains his position as chief investment officer within the newly formed division. Both executives accumulated substantial experience at CoinFund prior to the spinout.While complete financial details remain undisclosed, Franklin Templeton confirmed that a portion of the purchase price was settled through BENJI tokens — digital representations of its Franklin OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund.This transaction stands as a pioneering example of a significant financial services merger being partially completed with tokenized fund shares instead of conventional cash or securities.Strategic Focus of Franklin CryptoThe newly established division targets major institutional investors such as pension systems, sovereign wealth organizations, and substantial asset management firms. Its service offerings will encompass actively managed cryptocurrency investment strategies, including liquid digital token markets, venture capital exposure, and structured financial products connected to blockchain technology infrastructure.Franklin Templeton emphasized that this division merges the specialized investment expertise from the previous 250 Digital personnel with the company’s extensive global distribution capabilities, which reach across more than 35 nations.The investment management firm oversees approximately $1.78 trillion in total assets under management.Expanding Digital Asset Initiatives at Franklin TempletonThe creation of Franklin Crypto represents another milestone in the firm’s comprehensive digital asset expansion strategy. Earlier this year in February, Franklin Templeton established a collaboration with Binance enabling institutional clients to utilize tokenized money market fund shares as collateral for cryptocurrency transactions.By March, the organization had formed a partnership with Ondo Finance to deliver tokenized exchange-traded funds across blockchain platforms.Most recently, Franklin Templeton submitted proposals for two ETF products designed to redirect equity dividends into Bitcoin-related investments, establishing an innovative hybrid instrument bridging traditional stocks and digital currencies.According to RWA.xyz analytics, Franklin Templeton’s tokenized asset holdings have surged from approximately $768 million in June 2025 to exceed $2.5 billion currently.The overall tokenized asset marketplace has experienced parallel expansion, climbing from roughly $11.8 billion to $32.2 billion during the same timeframe.Franklin Templeton’s Chief Executive Officer Jenny Johnson has openly discussed how blockchain technology challenges traditional Wall Street fee models. The firm submitted applications for Bitcoin ETF products well ahead of mainstream institutional adoption.Through the 250 Digital transaction, Franklin Templeton now possesses its own specialized cryptocurrency executive team and investment infrastructure, moving beyond merely incorporating digital assets into existing investment vehicles.The post Franklin Templeton Completes 250 Digital Buyout, Unveils Franklin Crypto Unit appeared first on Blockonomi.