Franklin Templeton Bets Bigger on Crypto After Major Acquisition

Franklin Templeton completed its acquisition of 250 Digital on June 22, 2026, formally launching Franklin Crypto as its dedicated active digital asset management division.

The $1.78 trillion asset manager is integrating crypto-native active strategies with its institutional infrastructure to meet growing demand from large investors.

Acquisition Closes with Targeted Integration

The deal transfers the full 250 Digital investment team and all liquid cryptocurrency strategies previously managed under CoinFund.

Franklin Templeton will invest capital directly into these strategies.

This closes the transaction announced on April 1, 2026. The move underscores Franklin Templeton’s multi-year commitment to digital assets, building on its early experiments with blockchain infrastructure since 2018, including launching one of the first U.S. registered funds to use public blockchains for transactions and share ownership.

Leadership Team Anchors New Division

Christopher Perkins serves as Head of Franklin Crypto, with Seth Ginns as Chief Investment Officer. They partner with Franklin Templeton Digital Assets veteran Tony Pecore. The division reports to Sandy Kaul, Head of Innovation.

CEO Jenny Johnson stated:

“This is an exciting addition for Franklin Templeton, and we’re pleased to welcome Chris, Seth and the 250 Digital team to our firm. Together, their investment talent and differentiated strategies strengthen our capabilities in digital assets and position us among a small group of global asset managers with a dedicated, institutional-grade crypto investment management team.”

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Institutional Scale Meets Active Crypto Capabilities

Franklin Templeton reported $1.78 trillion in assets under management as of May 31, 2026.

Franklin Crypto builds directly on the firm’s existing dedicated digital asset unit, which focuses on fundamental research, active portfolio construction, and institutional-grade risk oversight.

The new division targets institutional clients seeking actively managed cryptocurrency exposure within a regulated, globally distributed framework.

It combines specialized crypto execution with Franklin Templeton’s established infrastructure and client base.

Franklin Crypto will roll out actively managed cryptocurrency strategies to institutional investors worldwide.

The integration positions the firm to capture demand for sophisticated digital asset solutions as institutions allocate more capital to the asset class through established managers.