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Franklin Templeton and Singapore-regulated DigiFT just announced a strategic partnership. The goal: push the Benji Technology Platform and its tokenisation products into the hands of institutional investors across Asia. It’s a big move for both firms, and the timing isn’t accidental.
The Benji platform — Franklin Templeton’s blockchain-based investment infrastructure — will now live on DigiFT’s digital asset exchange. DigiFT targets institutional-grade real-world assets and holds licenses in both Singapore and Hong Kong, including Type 1 and Type 4 licenses from the Securities and Futures Commission. That dual regulatory footprint matters a lot in a region where compliance is basically the price of admission. Franklin Templeton, for its part, manages $1.74 trillion in assets globally. Not a small player. Back in 2021, it ran the first U.S.-registered mutual fund on a public blockchain — using the Benji Technology Platform — so this isn’t the firm’s first rodeo with tokenisation.
The partnership opens access to tokenised investment solutions for accredited and institutional investors. No retail free-for-all here.
Benji Platform and the Intraday Yield Angle
The Benji Technology Platform has a feature that’s been quietly turning heads: an Intraday Yield mechanism. Most investors think of yield as something that accrues daily or monthly. Benji lets investors earn yield continuously — even within a single trading day. That’s a genuinely different proposition, and it’s probably one reason tokenised U.S. government securities became one of the fastest-growing categories in the real-world asset space. Institutional investors chasing efficient cash management found something useful there.
DigiFT’s platform is set up to distribute exactly these kinds of products. Its regulatory licenses in Singapore and Hong Kong aren’t just checkboxes — they’re the infrastructure that lets tokenised securities actually move to institutional buyers in a compliant way. Asia’s two biggest financial hubs, covered. That’s a solid base to build from.
And the market they’re building into? It’s growing fast. In 2025, the tokenised real-world asset market expanded from $5.5 billion to $18.6 billion. That’s not a rounding error. The space more than tripled in a single year, driven partly by the kind of U.S. government securities tokenisation that Franklin Templeton has been pushing through Benji. Institutional appetite for blockchain-based financial instruments has shifted from curious to serious.
Why Asia, Why Now
Stablecoin and tokenised asset adoption across Asia has grown sharply in recent years. Institutional infrastructure has started catching up with that demand — and regulators in Singapore and Hong Kong have been among the more proactive globally in building frameworks that let licensed exchanges actually operate. DigiFT sits squarely inside that regulated lane.
Franklin Templeton’s experience in traditional asset management is the other half of the equation. The firm knows how to structure investment products that institutional buyers will actually use. Benji wasn’t built as a proof of concept — it’s been running a live mutual fund on a public blockchain since 2021. Four-plus years of operational history on-chain is more than most competitors can claim.
So the partnership isn’t just two companies shaking hands for a press release. It’s Franklin Templeton’s distribution reach and product depth meeting DigiFT’s regional regulatory access and institutional client base. Both sides bring something real.
Unclear yet whether the rollout hits Singapore first, Hong Kong, or both simultaneously. The companies haven’t disclosed a schedule or named additional markets they’re targeting. No details on pricing structures either. Probably more clarity comes later.
What’s not murky is the product focus. Tokenised U.S. government securities, facilitated through Benji’s Intraday Yield mechanism, are the anchor. That’s the asset class that drove most of the market’s growth from $5.5 billion to $18.6 billion last year, and it’s the product category where Franklin Templeton has the clearest track record.
What the Deal Actually Means for Institutional Investors
For institutional investors in Asia, the practical upshot is access. Benji’s tokenised products — previously harder to reach through DigiFT’s platform — become available through a licensed, regulated exchange that already operates in the markets they’re in. That lowers friction. It doesn’t eliminate the complexity of tokenised investing, but it narrows the gap between wanting exposure and actually getting it.
DigiFT’s Type 1 and Type 4 licenses from the Securities and Futures Commission cover dealing in securities and advising on securities, respectively. That’s the regulatory scaffolding needed to distribute these products properly. Without it, you’re basically just running a demo.
Franklin Templeton’s $1.74 trillion AUM gives the Benji platform credibility that newer tokenisation players can’t easily replicate. Institutional buyers care about counterparty strength. They’re not handing capital to a startup with a whitepaper.
The two firms said they share a commitment to advancing institutional tokenisation. No further details on the rollout schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Benji Technology Platform?
The Benji Technology Platform is Franklin Templeton’s blockchain-based system for managing and transferring tokenised investments, including the first U.S.-registered mutual fund launched on a public blockchain in 2021.
How much did the tokenised real-world asset market grow in 2025?
The market expanded from $5.5 billion to $18.6 billion in 2025, with tokenised U.S. government securities among the leading growth categories.
What licenses does DigiFT hold?
DigiFT holds licenses in Singapore and Hong Kong, including Type 1 and Type 4 licenses from the Securities and Futures Commission.
