Franklin Resources to Acquire 250 Digital, Launches Franklin Crypto

In a significant move to deepen its presence in digital assets, Franklin Resources, Inc. BEN, has announced plans to acquire 250 Digital, an active cryptocurrency investment management firm spun out of CoinFund. The acquisition includes 250 Digital’s investment team and its liquid cryptocurrency strategies, marking a strategic step toward expanding the company’s digital asset platform.

Additionally, Franklin Resources is launching a new dedicated unit, Franklin Crypto, to scale its institutional digital asset capabilities. Following the closure of the deal, the new unit will integrate crypto-native investment expertise with its global distribution network to target institutional investors across the rapidly expanding digital asset market.

This development builds on Franklin Resources’ ongoing efforts in digital assets, where it managed approximately $1.8 billion through its digital asset platform as of Dec. 31, 2025. The addition of 250 Digital’s strategies enhances BEN’s active management capabilities while broadening its suite of crypto and blockchain-based investment offerings.

The transaction, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, is subject to customary conditions and client approvals. Also, the deal will incorporate BENJI tokens as part of the payment consideration, marking an innovative step toward executing mergers and acquisitions using blockchain-based mechanisms. BENJI is associated with the Franklin OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund, a blockchain-integrated mutual fund launched in 2021.

The growing institutional focus on digital assets continues to accelerate as firms like BEN expand through both acquisitions and strategic initiatives. In March 2026, Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. IBKR 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 alongside traditional securities within a single interface. To support this offering, IBKR has partnered with Zerohash, a regulated provider of digital asset infrastructure, for secure trade execution and asset custody.

In the same month, Bloomberg reported that Morgan Stanley MS applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a de novo national trust bank charter for its proposed digital asset unit, Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association. The application, filed on Feb. 18, will allow MS to provide custody of digital assets for its clients and support related activities such as buying, selling, swapping, transferring, and staking under a regulated framework, while reducing reliance on third-party custodians and tightening governance. Together, these developments highlight a broader industry shift toward integrating digital assets into mainstream financial services.

BEN’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank

Over the past year, shares of BEN have gained 21.4% against the industry’s decline of 13.8%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Franklin Resources currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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