Institutions
can now use Benji-issued tokenized money market funds as off-exchange
collateral to trade on Binance using Ceffu’s custody layer.
Mumbai, India, February
18, 2026 : Franklin Templeton,
a global investment leader and Binance,
the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users, today
announced a new institutional off-exchange collateral program, making digital
markets more secure and capital-efficient. Now live, eligible clients can use
tokenized money market fund shares issued through Franklin Templeton’s Benji
Technology Platform as off-exchange collateral when trading on Binance.
The program alleviates
a long-standing pain point for institutional traders by allowing them to use
traditional regulated, yield-bearing money market fund assets in digital
markets without parking those assets on an exchange. Instead, the value of
Benji-issued fund shares is mirrored within Binance’s trading environment,
while the tokenized assets themselves remain securely held off-exchange in
regulated custody. This reduces counterparty risk, letting institutional
participants earn yield and support their trading activity without hedging on
custody, liquidity, or regulatory protections.
“Since partnering in
2025, our work with Binance has focused on making digital finance actually work
for institutions,” said Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets
at Franklin Templeton. “Our off-exchange collateral program is just
that: letting clients easily put their assets to work in regulated custody
while safely earning yield in new ways. That’s the future Benji was designed
for, and working with partners like Binance allows us to deliver it at scale.”
“Partnering with
Franklin Templeton to offer tokenized real-world assets for off-exchange
collateral settlement is a natural next step in our mission to bring digital
assets and traditional finance closer together,” said
Catherine Chen, Head of VIP & Institutional at Binance. “Innovating
ways to use traditional financial instruments on-chain opens up new
opportunities for investors and shows just how blockchain technology can make
markets more efficient.”
Assets participating in
the program remain held off-exchange in a regulated custody environment, with
tokenized money market fund shares pledged as collateral for trading on
Binance. Custody and settlement infrastructure is supported by Ceffu, Binance’s
institutional crypto-native custody partner.
“Institutions increasingly
require trading models that prioritize risk management without sacrificing
capital efficiency,” said Ian Loh, CEO of Ceffu. “This
program demonstrates how off-exchange collateral can support institutional
participation in digital markets while maintaining strong custody and control.”
Launching the
institutional off-exchange collateral program expands on both Franklin
Templeton’s and Binance’s growing networks of off-exchange program partners and
represents another effort since announcing Franklin Templeton and Binance’s
strategic collaboration in September 2025.
By using Benji to
bridge tokenized money market funds, Franklin Templeton is taking trusted
investment products and making them work in modern markets—allowing
institutions to trade, manage risk, and move capital more efficiently as
digital finance becomes an everyday part of the financial system.
Offering more tokenized
real-world assets on Binance meets the increasing institutional demand for
stable, yield-bearing collateral that can settle 24/7. This gives investors
greater choice and enhances their trading experience on the world’s largest
regulated digital asset exchange.
Franklin
Templeton is a pioneer in digital asset investing and blockchain innovation,
combining tokenomics research, data science, and technical expertise to deliver
cutting-edge solutions since 2018. Learn more at Franklin Templeton Digital Assets.
About Binance
Binance is a leading
global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange
by trading volume and registered users. Binance is trusted by more than 300
million people in 100+ countries for its industry-leading security, transparency,
trading engine speed, protections for investors, and unmatched portfolio of
digital asset products and offerings from trading and finance to education,
research, social good, payments, institutional services, and Web3 features.
Binance is devoted to building an inclusive crypto ecosystem to increase the
freedom of money and financial access for people around the world with crypto
as the fundamental means.
For more information,
visit: https://www.binance.com
About Ceffu
Ceffu
is a compliant, institutional-grade custody platform offering custody and
liquidity solutions that are ISO 27001 & 27701 certified and SOC2 Type 2
attested. Our multi-party computation (MPC) technology, combined with a
customizable multi-approval scheme, provides bespoke solutions allowing
institutional clients to safely store and manage their virtual assets.
For
the purposes of this program, custody services for Benji-issued tokenized money
market fund shares are provided by Ceffu Custody FZE, a virtual asset custodian
licensed and supervised in Dubai.
About Franklin
Templeton
Franklin Templeton is a
trusted investment partner, delivering tailored solutions that align with
clients’ strategic goals. With deep portfolio management expertise across
public and private markets, we combine investment excellence with cutting-edge
technology. Since our founding in 1947, we have empowered clients through
strategic partnerships, forward-looking insights, and continuous innovations –
providing the tools and resources to navigate change and capture opportunity.
With more than $1.7
trillion in assets under management as of January 31, 2026, Franklin Templeton
operates globally in more than 35 countries.
To learn more, visit franklintempleton.com
and follow us on LinkedIn
Franklin Resources, Inc.
[NYSE:BEN]
