Tokens are a new financial wrapper, akin to the exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that debuted on US exchanges in 1993, Christopher Perkins said. Real-world asset (RWA) tokens can democratize access to investments previously inaccessible to retail traders, similar to how exchange-traded funds (ETFs) expanded retail access to financial instruments when they debuted in 1993, according to Christopher Perkins, president and managing partner of investment firm CoinFund. “I believe tokens are the new ETFs,” Perkins told Cointelegraph in an interview. The executive said tokenized RWAs, which trade 24/7 on globally accessible markets, reduce the information asymmetry that has typically kept retail investors out of private placements under existing accreditation laws. He added: Essentially, that leaves ordinary people, normal people, very little access to what are the most exciting, the most innovative companies,” he continued. Read more
Franklin Templeton has agreed to acquire CoinFund spinoff 250 Digital to launch Franklin Crypto, a dedicated crypto arm targeting institutional crypto investment management. Global asset manager Franklin Templeton is set to expand its crypto footprint by acquiring a spinoff of the crypto-native investment firm CoinFund. Franklin Templeton said Wednesday it plans to acquire 250 Digital, a CoinFund spinoff that runs liquid crypto investment strategies, expanding the asset manager’s digital asset business. The deal will form part of a new unit called Franklin Crypto once it closes. The move follows CoinFund’s decision earlier this year to spin out its liquid strategies business into 250 Digital as the company sharpened its focus on venture investing. Read more