Roger Bayston, the firm’s head of digital assets, framed the move as a response to growing institutional demand for regulated funds that function within digital market infrastructure, rather than an attempt to reinvent money market products themselves.
For now, Franklin Templeton’s update reads less like a leap into the unknown and more like a careful retrofit—modern rails added to old engines, with regulators firmly in the driver’s seat.
FAQ What did Franklin Templeton announce?The firm updated two Western Asset institutional money market funds to support stablecoin reserves and blockchain-based distribution. Which law does the update align with?One fund was restructured to meet reserve requirements under the GENIUS Act, the U.S. stablecoin framework enacted in 2025. Are these funds fully onchain?No, the funds remain traditional SEC-registered products, with blockchain used for share distribution and recordkeeping. Who is the target audience?Institutional investors, stablecoin issuers, and intermediaries seeking regulated liquidity products compatible with digital infrastructure.
