Franklin Templeton expands Benji tokenization platform to Canton Network

Franklin Templeton just dropped a major move in the institutional blockchain game — they've connected their Benji tokenization platform to the Canton Network. This isn't just another integration — it's opening up regulated onchain assets to big players who want to use tokenized funds as collateral. Think: real institutional money flowing through blockchain rails.

The integration, announced Wednesday, links Franklin Templeton's proprietary Benji Technology Platform directly to Canton — a blockchain network built specifically for regulated financial institutions. This means Benji's tokenized assets, including their onchain US government money market fund, can now 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 onchain.

This collab is all about bridging regulated tokenized investment products with institutional digital-asset markets. As more traditional finance giants dive into blockchain (thanks to clearer regulatory frameworks), this move positions Franklin Templeton at the forefront.

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

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

Franklin Templeton is part of a growing wave of major financial institutions turning to real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. Hashgraph CEO Eric Piscini attributes this shift partly to 'rules getting clearer in major markets.' He 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 onchain, citing benefits like faster settlement, improved transparency, lower operational costs, and enhanced liquidity. But as Pharos CEO Alex Zhang noted in a recent Cointelegraph op-ed, building a compliant and interoperable foundation for tokenized finance takes time.

The total value of tokenized real-world assets excluding stablecoins has climbed to roughly $36.6 billion. Institutional funds make up about $3 billion of that figure, while tokenized US Treasurys account for approximately $8.4 billion.