Jenny Johnson, the CEO of asset management company Franklin Templeton, has announced personal investments in crypto assets including Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as investments in Uniswap and Sushi. In an interview with Fortune magazine, Johnson stated that these investments are in small amounts. This interview marks the first time Johnson has publicly shared her crypto investments.
In the interview, Jenny Johnson also shared her thoughts on NFTs. She expressed a preference for mature investments that provide financial returns, stating that NFTs do not align with her personal investment philosophy. She mentioned that there are opportunities in areas like art, where market prices can be found if two people love it.
Franklin Templeton, which manages over $1.3 trillion in assets, applied for a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the SEC in September. The SEC has not yet approved a spot Bitcoin ETF. Johnson noted that the approval process is uncertain and that the regulatory agency is trying to determine the best approach.
Franklin Templeton is known for its focus on researching and adopting blockchain technology. The company began working on tokenized money market funds and separately managed accounts focused on crypto in 2021. Johnson stated in the interview that Franklin Templeton has a strong belief in crypto and blockchain and that blockchain technology can help democratize private markets, offering many benefits.
Johnson explained that technology can eliminate transactional friction costs, making things that are considered difficult to transact easily secure or divisible.