Franklin Templeton has partnered with MoonPay to enhance its tokenized money market offerings, allowing eligible institutions to seamlessly transition stablecoin holdings into yield-bearing fund investments without venturing off-chain. This collaboration integrates Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform with MoonPay Trade, facilitating the movement of supported stablecoins into the firm’s tokenized money market fund and back via blockchain workflows.
The initiative specifically targets institutions seeking cash-like assets that remain liquid while generating yields, extending beyond the traditional market hours. This deal marks a significant milestone in Franklin Templeton’s ongoing efforts to make regulated funds more accessible within the digital asset landscape.
In 2021, the firm launched its Franklin OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund, represented by the BENJI token, which made history as the first U.S.-registered mutual fund utilizing a public blockchain for official recordkeeping. As of late April, the broader BENJI suite reportedly managed assets totaling approximately $1.98 billion.
Sandy Kaul, Franklin Templeton’s head of innovation and digital assets, highlighted the year 2026 as potentially transformative, envisioning it as “the year of the universal liquidity layer.” This concept emphasizes the seamless integration of stablecoins, tokenized funds, and digital currencies, aimed at simplifying their use across various financial activities such as trading, lending, and collateral markets.
MoonPay is poised to facilitate this access through its MoonPay Trade platform, which launched in May following its acquisition of Decent.xyz. The platform offers banks, fintechs, and enterprises a streamlined path into the realm of digital assets, enabling liquidity in stablecoins and tokenized products across more than 200 blockchain protocols.
Franklin Templeton’s strategy includes an expansion of its infrastructure for tokenized fund distribution, the creation of a dedicated Franklin Crypto division, and the acquisition of crypto investment firm 250 Digital. The integration with MoonPay raises questions about the viability of tokenized funds evolving from mere proof points for asset managers into essential cash management tools for institutional investors.
