Franklin Templeton has invested in Asian crypto media company Blockhead

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Franklin Templeton, a global asset management firm with more than $1.5 trillion in client assets, has made an undisclosed investment in Singapore-based blockchain-focused media publication Blockhead.

In the year Launched in 2022, Blockhead currently operates a news site with a regional focus in Asia covering international stories from the digital asset industry.

The new investment from Franklin Templeton supports Blockhead's plans to grow its business by developing an institutional-grade digital asset research platform, dubbed BRN.

BRN aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for institutional and high net worth investors seeking insightful analysis, market intelligence and other information on blockchain technology. Leveraging its position as a specialized crypto publication, Blockhead intends for the new platform to provide leading research capabilities and infrastructure to the financial industry.

“Our position as a digital asset-focused publisher gives us a unique perspective on the direction of the industry, and we can now tailor our ideas to include in-depth and market-leading research, tools and capabilities,” said Mark. Tan, CEO of Blockhead. “A strategic partnership with a financial institution like Franklin Templeton is a testament to the potential of our projects.”

BRN offers subscribers views of the crypto ecosystem not easily available through public channels. It plans to provide independent market commentary to help guide institutional investors interested in the digital asset space. Initial coverage will focus on major tokens, current industry trends, and the macroeconomic environment.

Kevin Farrelly, director of digital asset management at Franklin Templeton, said: “We see significant growth potential for digital assets in Asia and believe Blockhead's insights and future business plans are at an exciting time. “This investment will strengthen the global ecosystem of digital asset operators that can take advantage of the many benefits that blockchain technology can offer. It's part of our efforts to develop the ecosystem.”

Franklin Templeton's move comes as the asset manager enters the crypto space. Just last week, the investment firm joined major asset managers such as BlackRock, ArchInvest, 21Share and Greyscale in seeking regulatory approval for the spot Ethereum ETF in recent months.

This latest investment builds on Franklin Templeton's growing crypto portfolio. In the year In 2020, the company participated in an extended Series A funding round for Curv, a crypto security startup. He also led the 2019 seed funding round for Proof of Impact, a blockchain platform that allows impact organizations to record and sell verified impact events to donors.

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