Franklin Resources Accelerates Tokenized Finance Push With MoonPay

Franklin Resources Inc.’s BEN latest digital asset initiative, announced through its Franklin Templeton brand, reflects a continued effort to strengthen its position in the emerging market for tokenized assets. The company announced a partnership with MoonPay aimed at expanding distribution, deepening institutional adoption and strengthening Franklin Templeton's presence within the rapidly evolving digital asset ecosystem.The partnership will integrate Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform with MoonPay’s institutional-grade trading infrastructure. This integration is expected to allow eligible institutions to move more efficiently between stablecoins and Franklin Templeton’s tokenized money market funds. For Franklin Templeton, the partnership provides access to MoonPay’s established network of crypto-native firms, institutional traders, fintech companies and on-chain treasury managers. This could broaden the potential investor base for BEN’s tokenized funds and enhance the company’s ability to capture flows from institutions seeking regulated, yield-generating products within the digital asset markets.The move also strengthens Franklin Templeton’s competitive positioning in tokenized finance. While several traditional asset managers are still testing blockchain-based applications, Franklin Templeton has already invested in infrastructure and launched tokenized investment products. By integrating those products with a major digital asset platform, the company is moving beyond product creation and toward ecosystem participation, wherein distribution, liquidity access and user experience are increasingly important competitive factors.From a long-term perspective, the collaboration supports BEN's broader strategy of participating in the evolution of capital markets infrastructure. Tokenized money market funds are emerging as a key bridge between traditional finance and on-chain finance, offering institutions a way to access familiar investment products through blockchain-based rails. Embedding Franklin Templeton’s products within this infrastructure could help the company benefit if tokenized assets become a larger part of institutional portfolio management and treasury operations.BEN’s Broader Digital Asset PushThe MoonPay partnership is the latest in a series of initiatives highlighting BEN’s expanding digital asset ambitions. In April 2026, the company agreed to acquire 250 Digital, a cryptocurrency investment firm spun out of CoinFund, expanding its capabilities and strengthening its presence in active digital asset management. The company is also launching Franklin Crypto, a dedicated unit aimed at expanding its institutional-grade crypto capabilities. In February 2026, the company partnered with Binance to launch an off-exchange institutional collateral program designed to improve capital efficiency and reduce counterparty risks in digital asset trading. The initiative aligns with BEN's long-term strategy of expanding beyond traditional mutual funds and actively diversifying its revenue streams. Overall, BEN’s series of partnerships and efforts will strengthen the company’s distribution network, expand access to its tokenized funds and reinforce its position as a leading traditional asset manager in the growing blockchain-enabled capital markets ecosystem.Other Firms Push Into Digital AssetsMajor finance firms, including Robinhood Markets, Inc. HOOD and Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. IBKR, have also been expanding into digital assets.Robinhood introduced U.S. stock and exchange-traded fund (ETF) tokens for European Union (EU) investors. This will enable eligible HOOD clients to gain exposure to U.S. equities with zero commissions, dividend support and 24/5 access. This aligns with Robinhood’s strategy to grow in the cryptocurrency space through increased tokenization, enhanced capabilities and expansion into the EU markets.Interactive Brokers has launched a unified crypto trading platform for eligible individual investors in the European Economic Area through its regulated Ireland-based entity, Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited. The platform enables clients to trade digital assets and traditional securities within a single interface.BEN’s Price Performance & Zacks RankThe company’s shares have gained 34.5% in the past six months against the industry’s 10.4% decline. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Currently, BEN carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). 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