JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 16, 2026/APO Group/ –Franklin Templeton, a global investment leader and Binance (www.Binance.com), the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users, announced a new institutional off-exchange collateral program, making digital markets more secure and capital-efficient. Now live, eligible clients can use tokenized money market fund shares issued through Franklin Templeton’s Benji Technology Platform as off-exchange collateral when trading on Binance.

The program alleviates a long-standing pain point for institutional traders by allowing them to use traditional regulated, yield-bearing money market fund assets in digital markets without parking those assets on an exchange. Instead, the value of Benji-issued fund shares is mirrored within Binance’s trading environment, while the tokenized assets themselves remain securely held off-exchange in regulated custody. This reduces counterparty risk, letting institutional participants earn yield and support their trading activity without hedging on custody, liquidity, or regulatory protections.

“Since partnering in 2025, our work with Binance has focused on making digital finance actually work for institutions,” said Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton. “Our off-exchange collateral program is just that: letting clients easily put their assets to work in regulated custody while safely earning yield in new ways. That’s the future Benji was designed for, and working with partners like Binance allows us to deliver it at scale.”

“Partnering with Franklin Templeton to offer tokenized real-world assets for off-exchange collateral settlement is a natural next step in our mission to bring digital assets and traditional finance closer together,” said Catherine Chen, Head of VIP & Institutional at Binance. “Innovating ways to use traditional financial instruments on-chain opens up new opportunities for investors and shows just how blockchain technology can make markets more efficient.”

Assets participating in the program remain held off-exchange in a regulated custody environment, with tokenized money market fund shares pledged as collateral for trading on Binance. Custody and settlement infrastructure is supported by Ceffu, Binance’s institutional crypto-native custody partner.

“Institutions increasingly require trading models that prioritize risk management without sacrificing capital efficiency,” said Ian Loh, CEO of Ceffu. “This program demonstrates how off-exchange collateral can support institutional participation in digital markets while maintaining strong custody and control.”

Launching the institutional off-exchange collateral program expands on both Franklin Templeton’s and Binance’s growing networks of off-exchange program partners and represents another effort since announcing Franklin Templeton and Binance’s strategic collaboration in September 2025.

By using Benji to bridge tokenized money market funds, Franklin Templeton is taking trusted investment products and making them work in modern markets—allowing institutions to trade, manage risk, and move capital more efficiently as digital finance becomes an everyday part of the financial system.

Offering more tokenized real-world assets on Binance meets the increasing institutional demand for stable, yield-bearing collateral that can settle 24/7. This gives investors greater choice and enhances their trading experience on the world’s largest regulated digital asset exchange.

Franklin Templeton is a pioneer in digital asset investing and blockchain innovation, combining tokenomics research, data science, and technical expertise to deliver cutting-edge solutions since 2018. Learn more at Franklin Templeton Digital Assets.

LAGOS, Nigeria, February 10, 2026/APO Group/ —Identy.io (www.Identy.io), a global biometric authentication technology company specializing in secure, mobile-first identity verification, announced today its expansion plans for Africa. This expansion will enhance Identy.io’s service offerings in key markets on the continent, including Kenya and Nigeria. To facilitate this growth, the company has appointed a regional leadership team to engage with key stakeholders across government, financial services, telecommunications, and other regulated sectors.  Additionally, Matus Kapusta has been appointed as the Product Director for Identy.io’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) product portfolios.

 

As governments across Africa implement national digital identity systems to improve service delivery, promote financial inclusion, and develop digital public infrastructure, the need for effective identity solutions becomes increasingly urgent. The World Bank’s ID4D data indicates that approximately 80% of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa possess basic identification. However, there are significant disparities between countries, with many having coverage below 70%. These gaps hinder access to essential services and economic opportunities. Countries like Kenya and Nigeria are making significant investments in public digital infrastructure by integrating identity systems with public services, financial access, and mobile connectivity as part of their broader economic development agendas.

“Identy.io is committed to being the leading long-term partner in digital public and private infrastructure for our African clients. We are transforming the traditional industry model, which often relies on expensive and inflexible digital infrastructure. Instead, Identy.io adopts a software-first approach, minimizing reliance on specialized biometric hardware. Our technology supports biometric capture using standard smartphones, processes identity documents, issues digital identities to individuals lacking formal identification, and facilitates large-scale biometric verification and deduplication. This innovative yet simplified approach allows our clients to reach underserved communities by providing individuals with multimodal access to secure their digital identities and explore new economic opportunities,” stated Antony Vendhan, Co-founder of Identy.io.

Identy.io is currently focusing its expansion in Africa on Kenya and Nigeria, with plans to expand into additional African markets as part of a phased regional growth strategy. The company’s regional leadership team will collaborate with clients across the public and private sectors to support responsible, scalable identity implementations aligned with national digital transformation priorities.

As part of Identy.io’s industry validation strategy, the company’s ABIS system has completed MOSIP’s partner compliance process and is listed on the MOSIP Marketplace. This platform offers compliant technologies that governments and ecosystem partners can evaluate for MOSIP-aligned deployments. MOSIP helps governments conceive, develop, implement, and own foundational digital ID systems tailored to their unique needs.

To further support its regional expansion, Identy.io has made several key leadership appointments:

• Dr. Olajide Olasiyan-Ola, Regional Head for West Africa: With over 20 years of experience in biometric identity and digital infrastructure, Dr. Olasiyan-Ola has held senior leadership roles in various identity initiatives, including Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number program. He holds a PhD in Leadership, an MBA with Distinction from Keller Graduate School, and a BSc in Information Technology.
• Edwin Mutisya, Senior Sales Manager: Based in Kenya, Edwin has extensive experience working with banks and telecom operators to implement secure identity solutions. He has a deep understanding of Africa’s regulatory environments and specializes in translating advanced technologies into cost-effective deployments.
• Matus Kapusta, Product Director: With over 16 years in biometric innovation, Matus will lead Identy.io’s ABIS product portfolio, focusing on the strategic development and delivery of biometric solutions at scale. Known for his technical expertise, Matus is recognized for delivering biometric solutions on a national scale and will be instrumental in shaping the future of digital identity at Identy.io.