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Franklin Crypto Launch
Franklin Templeton completed its acquisition of crypto asset manager 250 Digital and launched a dedicated crypto investment organization called Franklin Crypto.
“Franklin Templeton has completed its acquisition of 250 Digital, the crypto investment firm spun out of CoinFund in January 2026, and used the closing to launch a new institutional business line called Franklin Crypto”
Cointelegraph reported on June 22 that 250 Digital's investment team has been folded into the new unit as part of the deal.
Franklin Crypto will be jointly led by Christopher Perkins (크리스토퍼 퍼킨스) and Seth Ginns (세스 긴스), both from 250 Digital, and Tony Peccore (토니 페코어), a Franklin Templeton digital assets executive.
Franklin Templeton said it plans to use the unit to provide actively managed crypto investment strategies to institutional investors, and the acquisition also expanded its digital assets business.
Tokenized Deals and ETFs
Cointelegraph said Franklin Templeton's onchain product suite expanded from roughly $768 million to more than $2.5 billion over the past year as the firm closed the 250 Digital deal.
In February, Franklin Templeton worked with Binance to introduce a system that allows institutional investors to use tokenised money market fund shares as collateral for crypto trading, with the tokenized fund shares remaining in regulated custody while their collateral value is reflected within Binance's trading system.
In March, Franklin Templeton agreed with Ondo Finance to offer tokenised exchange-traded funds on a blockchain network, expanding access to its investment products beyond traditional brokerage accounts.
Last week, Cointelegraph said the firm proposed 2 ETFs that would reinvest stock dividends into bitcoin-linked investments, creating a hybrid strategy spanning equities and digital assets.
Institutional Shift
TradingView reported that institutional investment in cryptocurrencies increases as retail investors retreat, saying small investors have virtually disappeared from Bitcoin trading.
“Franklin Crypto, the newly established digital asset division of Franklin Templeton, has launched following the completion of the firm’s acquisition of 250 Digital, an active crypto investment management firm led by industry veterans Christopher Perkins and Seth Ginns”
According to CryptoQuant data cited by TradingView, cryptocurrency inflows from accounts with less than 1 BTC fell to a record low on Binance earlier this month, representing the weakest retail participation in nine years.
TradingView also pointed to Wall Street moves including Morgan Stanley launching a Bitcoin ETF and Charles Schwab opening a waitlist for cash-settled Bitcoin trading alongside Franklin Templeton's dedicated cryptocurrency division.
Exodus CEO JP Richardson wrote on X, "This may be the first cycle in the history of cryptocurrencies in which institutions are in a bull market, and retail investors don't even know it," as the article tied the shift to the absence of retail energy and macro pressures.
