Franklin Templeton Expands Benji Platform to Canton Network for Institutional Digital Assets

Franklin Templeton Enhances Benji Platform Capabilities via Canton Network

Franklin Templeton has taken a significant leap forward in the realm of institutional digital assets by expanding its tokenization and investor platform, Benji, to include the Canton Network. This strategic move enhances the growth of institutional blockchain infrastructure for tokenized investment products.

The integration, announced on Wednesday, connects Franklin Templeton’s proprietary Benji Technology Platform to Canton, a blockchain network specifically designed for regulated financial institutions. This allows Benji's tokenized assets, including its on-chain US government money market fund, to be used as collateral and liquidity within Canton’s Global Collateral Network.

Each Benji token represents a share of Franklin Templeton’s tokenized money market fund, with yields calculated intraday and ownership recorded on-chain. The collaboration aims to link regulated tokenized investment products with institutional digital-asset markets, as more traditional financial institutions explore blockchain adoption amid clearer regulatory frameworks.

Canton Network: A Nexus Between Traditional and Digital Finance

Canton’s Global Collateral Network connects banks, market makers, and asset managers, enabling them to tokenize and mobilize assets for collateral management and settlement. The network's institutional focus has attracted major backers, including HSBC and BNP Paribas. Digital Asset, the developer behind Canton, recently raised $135 million to expand Canton’s infrastructure and ecosystem.

By joining Canton, Franklin Templeton adds regulated, on-chain investment products to a growing roster of tokenized instruments on the network, further bridging the divide between traditional finance and digital-asset markets.

Growing Trend Towards Tokenization of Real-World Assets

Franklin Templeton is among a growing number of major financial institutions turning to the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). Hashgraph CEO Eric Piscini attributes this shift partly to “rules getting clearer in major markets.”

Piscini pointed to BlackRock’s tokenized fund initiatives, Citi’s exploration of digital asset custody, and Franklin Templeton’s Benji platform as examples of traditional finance embracing blockchain-based infrastructure.

Proponents argue that trillions of dollars in RWAs could eventually move on-chain, citing benefits such as faster settlement, improved transparency, lower operational costs, and enhanced liquidity. However, as Pharos CEO Alex Zhang noted in a recent Cointelegraph op-ed, building a compliant and interoperable foundation for tokenized finance takes time.

According to industry data, the total value of tokenized real-world assets, excluding stablecoins, has climbed to approximately $36.6 billion. Institutional funds account for about $3 billion of that figure, while tokenized US Treasuries represent approximately $8.4 billion.