Franklin Templeton Brings Benji Platform to BNB Chain

Franklin Templeton, the global investment firm managing $1.6 trillion in assets, announced the expansion of its proprietary Benji Technology Platform to the BNB Chain ecosystem. This integration allows Benji to leverage BNB Chain’s scalable, low-cost infrastructure and high transaction throughput to deliver tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) at scale.

The move connects Franklin Templeton’s institutional-grade tokenization stack to one of the fastest-growing blockchain communities, offering both institutional and retail investors access to fully on-chain investment products.

Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, emphasized:

“Our goal is to meet more investors where they’re active, while delivering tokenized assets with security and compliance at the forefront.”

Why This Expansion Matters

ince 2021, Franklin Templeton has been bringing real-world assets onchain, launching the first U.S.-registered mutual fund using blockchain for transactions and ownership records. Today, Benji powers fully onchain investment products across mutual funds, money market funds, equities, and more.

By expanding to BNB Chain, Franklin Templeton gains:

• Scale and Speed: Sub-second transaction finality with ultra-low fees makes tokenized RWAs feasible at high volume.
• Compliance-Ready Infrastructure: Built-in tools and data solutions that meet regulatory requirements.
• Ecosystem Reach: Direct integration with leading protocols, liquidity hubs, and blockchain developers.

Benji Technology Platform Overview

Benji Technology Platform is Franklin Templeton’s proprietary blockchain stack for tokenizing RWAs. It supports issuance, management, and trading of assets such as mutual funds, money market instruments, and government-backed securities.

Currently, Benji operates across eight blockchains, including Stellar, Ethereum, Arbitrum, and Solana. According to RWA.xyz, the platform manages $731.8 million in on-chain assets, with $467 million on Stellar alone. The Franklin OnChain US Government Money Fund (BENJI) is the third-largest tokenized U.S. Treasury fund.

Benji’s capabilities include:

• Issuing tokenized US Treasury and money market instruments.
• Managing multi-chain holdings with consolidated compliance reporting.
• Providing institutional investors with secure, auditable on-chain transactions.

Sarah Song, Head of Business Development at BNB Chain, stated:

“BNB Chain has a purpose-built environment that issuers can’t find elsewhere: fast settlement, low fees, and compliant data tooling in one ecosystem. Franklin Templeton’s decision to expand the Benji Technology Platform to our network underscores BNB Chain’s role as the leading destination for tokenized financial products.”

The total value of RWAs tokenized on BNB Chain currently exceeds $542 million, making it the eighth-largest RWA blockchain globally. The broader on-chain RWA market has grown fivefold in three years, now estimated to reach $30 trillion by 2030.

The platform’s expansion to BNB Chain allows Franklin Templeton to combine its institutional tokenization experience with a blockchain that already demonstrates liquidity and adoption at scale. By doing so, the firm can deploy tokenized products across a network optimized for both retail and institutional participation.

BNB Chain as a Tokenized Asset Hub

BNB Chain debuted in 2020 as Binance Smart Chain and now functions as a layer-1 network. It operates alongside opBNB, a layer-2 network, and BNB Greenfield, a blockchain for decentralized data storage.

Recent metrics highlight the chain’s growth:

• $12.5 billion in stablecoins on the network.
• 2.27 million active addresses in a single day.
• Market capitalization around $140.65 billion, making it the fifth-largest blockchain globally.
• Native token BNB trading near $1,010, up 17% over the past month.

These factors make BNB Chain a viable platform for institutional tokenization, bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Accelerating Institutional Adoption

BNB Chain is becoming a central hub for onchain financial products. Integration with Benji Technology Platform allows Franklin Templeton to expand offerings such as:

• Tokenized money market funds.
• Public equities and credit instruments.
• Alternative investments for global investors.

The collaboration also focuses on:

• Expanding compliant tokenized products.
• Exploring cross-chain composability and liquidity solutions.
• Building user-friendly experiences for both institutional and retail investors.

The tokenized RWA sector has seen consistent growth, surpassing $30 billion in on-chain value, nearly double from January 2025. RWA.xyz reports 400,880 individual holders globally. While total monthly transfers reached $63.18 billion, the figure represents a 20% drop from the previous month, indicating slower trading activity despite growing investor participation.

The stablecoin market also shows healthy expansion, with $286.40 billion in circulation and over 192 million holders, underscoring its role as the backbone of DeFi liquidity.

Conclusion

Franklin Templeton’s expansion of the Benji Technology Platform to BNB Chain enhances the firm’s ability to issue and manage tokenized RWAs efficiently. By merging Franklin Templeton’s institutional tokenization experience with BNB Chain’s scalable infrastructure, low fees, and compliance-focused tools, the partnership delivers fully on-chain investment products that are faster, more accessible, and efficient.

Resources:

1. Announcement by BNB Chain - Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform Onboards BNB Chain, Unlocking the Next Era of Tokenized Finance: https://www.bnbchain.org/en/blog/franklin-templetons-benji-technology-platform-onboards-bnb-chain-unlocking-the-next-era-of-tokenized-finance

2. BNB Chain blog: https://www.bnbchain.org/en/blog/

3. RWA tokenization data: rwa.xyz