Editor’s note: The collaboration between Binance and Franklin Templeton highlights a pivotal step toward institutional-grade efficiency in digital markets. By enabling tokenized real-world assets to function as off-exchange collateral, the partnership aims to combine regulated custody with flexible yield opportunities, reducing counterparty risk for traders and asset managers. As institutions seek safer, more scalable models for on-chain activity, this program demonstrates how traditional finance instruments can operate within crypto rails while preserving safeguards. Crypto Breaking News will monitor the rollout and its implications for liquidity, risk management, and custody standards.
Key points
- Tokenized Benji fund shares used as off-exchange collateral on Binance.
- Assets stay off-exchange in regulated custody; value mirrored in Binance.
- Reduces counterparty risk while enabling yield for institutional participants.
- Custody and settlement backed by Ceffu.
Why this matters
By enabling tokenized real-world assets to settle on-chain with off-exchange collateral, the program strengthens risk controls and liquidity for institutions, illustrating a practical path to integrate traditional instruments into digital markets while preserving custody protections.
What to watch next
- More institutions participate in off-exchange collateral programs.
- Expansion of tokenized real-world assets available on Binance for collateral settlement.
- Ongoing collaboration between Franklin Templeton and Binance expands the network of program partners.
Disclosure: The content below is a press release provided by the company/PR representative. It is published for informational purposes.
Binance and Franklin Templeton Advance Strategic Collaboration with Institutional Collateral Program
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 16, 2026/ — Franklin Templeton, a global investment leader and Binance (www.Binance.com), the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users, 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: http://www.Binance.com
About Ceffu
Ceffu is an 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 http://www.FranklinTempleton.com
Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN]
All investments, including money funds, involve risk, including loss of principal. There are risks associated with the issuance, redemption, transfer, custody, and record keeping of shares maintained and recorded primarily on a blockchain. For example, shares that are issued using blockchain technology would be subject to risks, including the following: blockchain is a rapidly-evolving regulatory landscape, which might result in security, privacy or other regulatory concerns that could require changes to the way transactions in the shares are recorded.
