Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit and asset manager Franklin Templeton have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at expanding access to tokenised investment products for both institutional and retail investors.
The partnership launches with a new off-exchange collateral programme that enables eligible institutional clients to use tokenised money market fund shares as collateral when trading on Bybit.
The shares are issued through Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform and can be pledged through ByCustody, Bybit’s institutional custody solution, to access USDT or USDC trading credit lines while the underlying assets remain held in custody.
The initiative is designed to improve capital efficiency by allowing investors to maintain exposure to regulated, yield-bearing investment products while simultaneously accessing liquidity for digital asset trading.
“As institutional adoption of digital assets accelerates, investors increasingly expect the same flexibility, capital efficiency, and risk management standards they are accustomed to in traditional markets,” said Yoyee Wang, Global Head of RWA and TradFi at Bybit.
“By expanding the range of high-quality collateral available through our off-exchange infrastructure, we are helping clients deploy capital more effectively while maintaining exposure to trusted, regulated investment products.”
Beyond institutional trading, the collaboration will also focus on developing tokenised wealth solutions for wallet-based investors. The firms plan to launch a tokenised wealth product on Bybit and the Mantle blockchain, providing access to Franklin Templeton investment strategies through digital asset ecosystems.
The partnership will also include educational content and investor engagement initiatives designed to introduce retail digital asset investors to traditional investment concepts such as diversification, portfolio construction and goals-based investing.
“Tokenization continues to reshape finance, and we’re excited to partner with Bybit to increase access to actively managed retail investment solutions that meet the evolving needs of the wallet ecosystem,” said Sandy Kaul, Head of Digital Assets and Innovation at Franklin Templeton.
“For institutions, extending connectivity of the Benji Technology Platform to Bybit offers a trusted venue to put regulated, yield-bearing assets to work in digital markets, and is a great example of how blockchain-integrated solutions can drive innovation and efficiency across markets.”
