Franklin Templeton announced on April 1, 2026 that it will acquire 250 Digital, a cryptocurrency investment‑management firm spun off from CoinFund, and will launch a new Franklin Crypto unit to house the acquisition. The deal brings the 250 Digital investment team and its liquid cryptocurrency strategies into Franklin’s digital‑asset platform, expanding the firm’s product offering in the rapidly growing crypto market.
The acquisition terms were not disclosed, but the transaction adds 250 Digital’s experienced team—led by former CoinFund executives Christopher Perkins and Seth Ginns—to Franklin’s leadership. Tony Pecore, a veteran of Franklin Templeton’s Digital Assets group, will also join the new unit. The unit will report to Sandy Kaul, head of innovation, and will focus on institutional‑grade crypto strategies, tokenized assets, and market‑making services for clients worldwide.
Franklin’s move is a strategic effort to strengthen its active crypto capabilities and complement its existing digital‑asset lineup, which includes spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs and the Franklin OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund (BENJI). By adding an active management team, Franklin positions itself among a small group of global asset managers with a dedicated, institutional‑grade crypto investment team, enhancing its ability to serve clients worldwide.
The announcement comes amid a volatile crypto market. Bitcoin has fallen roughly 45% from its October 2025 peak above $126,000, yet Franklin’s senior leadership remains bullish, with Tony Pecore forecasting new all‑time highs for Bitcoin in 2026. The firm’s digital‑asset assets under management totaled about $1.8 billion as of December 31, 2025, and the acquisition is expected to accelerate growth in this segment.
Franklin will use BENJI tokens as part of the payment consideration for the acquisition, marking a notable instance of on‑chain M&A. The new Franklin Crypto unit will integrate with Franklin’s existing products, offering clients a broader suite of active and passive crypto solutions and positioning the firm to capture a larger share of institutional demand.
"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, enhancing our ability to serve clients worldwide," said Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton.
"Crypto's institutional moment has arrived, and Franklin Crypto will help our global clients navigate this complex and rapidly evolving asset class by delivering the expertise, knowledge and digital asset products that meet their sophisticated investment needs. In partnership with Seth, Tony and our teams, we will position Franklin Crypto as the global leader in digital asset management," said Christopher Perkins, Head of Franklin Crypto.
"The recent crypto market selloff created a 'unique opportunity' to bring in specialized trading talent," said Sandy Kaul, head of innovation for Franklin Templeton.
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