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Franklin Templeton and Ondo Finance Launch Tokenized ETFs for Crypto Wallets

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Brian Armstrong's Bold Prediction: AI Agents Will Soon Dominate Global Financial

TLDR:

  • Franklin Templeton and Ondo Finance are tokenizing five ETFs spanning equities, bonds, and gold. 
  • Tokens trade 24/7 through crypto wallets, removing the need for traditional brokerage accounts. 
  • The tokenized real-world asset market has surged 360% since 2025, now valued at $26.5 billion. 
  • US availability remains on hold pending regulatory clarity on on-chain fund distribution rules.

Tokenized ETFs are entering a new phase as Franklin Templeton teams up with Ondo Finance on a new product line. The partnership will bring blockchain-based versions of Franklin’s exchange-traded funds to international markets.

These products will trade around the clock through crypto wallets, removing the need for traditional brokerage accounts.

Initial availability covers Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. US access depends on further regulatory guidance from authorities.

How the Tokenized ETF Structure Works

Under the arrangement, Ondo Finance will purchase shares of the Franklin Templeton ETFs directly. It will then issue tokens through a special-purpose vehicle that transfers financial exposure to holders.

Investors will own rights to the return stream, not the underlying fund shares. This structure allows the tokens to serve as collateral or within decentralized finance applications.

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Five funds are lined up for tokenization as part of this rollout. They include a growth-oriented US equity strategy, a systematic large-cap equity fund, and a gold fund.

A high-yield corporate bond fund and an income-focused US equity strategy also make the list. These products span equities, fixed income, and commodities.

Ondo’s market makers will provide liquidity for the tokens at all hours. This includes periods when traditional stock and bond markets remain closed.

As a result, investors gain continuous access without the trading restrictions tied to standard ETFs. The setup also removes the need for cross-border brokerage accounts entirely.

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Franklin Templeton already offers international versions of its US strategies through conventional brokerage channels. However, those products still require investors to hold brokerage accounts.

The tokenized versions remove that barrier entirely. Sandy Kaul, Franklin’s head of innovation, described the initiative plainly: “You can think of this as a new distribution channel. These ETFs represent a good mix of different exposures.”

Market Growth and Regulatory Challenges

The tokenized real-world asset market has grown roughly 360% since 2025, reaching $26.5 billion according to rwa.xyz. Despite this growth, the US has not established formal rules for distributing registered funds on-chain.

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This regulatory gap remains the primary obstacle for products targeting US investors. Both firms are watching how regulators respond before expanding further.

Ian De Bode, president of Ondo Finance, addressed the regulatory gap directly. “This is an area where the US risks falling behind other jurisdictions,” he said.

He also described the potential user base as “meaningful,” with millions of investors relying on crypto wallets. Franklin Templeton manages approximately $1.7 trillion in assets, while Ondo holds around $2.7 billion in tokenized assets.

Other major firms are also pursuing tokenized fund strategies. BlackRock and WisdomTree have announced plans for tokenizing ETFs in the US.

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The New York Stock Exchange recently partnered with Securitize to support tokenized securities. Nasdaq also teamed up with digital-asset firm Talos to connect crypto trading tools.

Integrating blockchain ownership with traditional ETF systems remains a technical challenge. Broker-dealers and authorized participants handle share creation under current market rules.

Accommodating non-KYC wallets while complying with securities laws adds further complexity to product design. Still, firms continue advancing these structures as demand from crypto-native investors grows.

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Crypto World

Swan Bitcoin Seeks Subpoena For Howard Lutnick

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Swan Bitcoin Seeks Subpoena For Howard Lutnick

Bitcoin financial services firm Swan Bitcoin has filed an ex parte application in moves to subpoena Cantor Fitzgerald and its former CEO, Howard Lutnick, seeking discovery tied to a failed mining venture involving former employees. 

Swan sued several ex-staff in September 2024, alleging that they stole confidential documents, resigned, and then founded “counterfeit competitor” firm Proton Management days later while convincing Tether, one of Swan’s funding partners at the time, to cut ties with Swan and work with them instead. The ex-staff allegedly referred to this as the “rain and hellfire” plan.

Swan’s application for a subpoena, filed in the Southern District of New York on Monday, targets Cantor Fitzgerald and Lutnick because Swan believes they are in possession of key documents relevant to Swan’s failed mining venture with Tether, 2040 Energy, in addition to the coordinated employee exodus and alleged data exfiltration.

The subpoena application against Lutnick, who now serves as US secretary of commerce, comes as Democratic senators like Elizabeth Warren continue to press him over potential conflicts of interest tied to Tether.

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Source: Cory Klippsten

Cantor Fitzgerald is Tether’s investment banker and has advised the stablecoin issuer with its push into the Bitcoin mining industry, Swan noted in the filing.

Due to this link, Swan alleged that Cantor Fitzgerald likely knew about the undervalued sale of Swan’s crypto mining assets to a Tether subsidiary.

Swan alleges that Cantor ghosted them after a meeting

Swan said its CEO, Cory Klippsten, met with Lutnick in June 2024, before the alleged events took place, as Swan was considering an initial public offering and Cantor Fitzgerald was interested in being Swan’s lead investment banker.

During those discussions, Swan said it shared a “highly confidential and proprietary slide deck” with Cantor Fitzgerald and showed them its mining facilities.

“After the mass resignations and asset diversion, Cantor broke off contact with Swan without explanation,” Klippsten said on X.

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