1.VanEck and 21Shares Solana ETF Form 19b-4 Suspected to be Removed from CBOE Website

On August 17th, Franklin Templeton, an asset management company, is seeking to launch a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) that aims to be a one-stop-shop cryptocurrency investment portfolio, according to a document dated August 16th. The document states that the Franklin Crypto Index ETF will track the performance of the CF Benchmarks Digital Asset Index, which currently only includes Bitcoin and Ethereum. The document states that "the fund will achieve its investment objective by investing in digital assets with weights that are roughly similar to those of the underlying index," and that the ETF may hold other types of cryptocurrencies in the future.

Jenny Johnson, President and CEO of Franklin Templeton, said that the progress of cryptocurrencies should not be ignored, as companies built on first-tier platforms such as Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano are real companies that will compete with traditional companies. As long as there is the ability to exchange for legal tender, it has value and may threaten some old models because it can make people almost part of the network. When you expand the network, you will receive rewards like shareholders, which changes the relationship between asset owners and assets. Jenny Johnson added that whether it is a mutual fund or an ETF, the technology that ultimately drives them will be blockchain, and traditional exchanges need to update computer systems to settle funds in batches at night, which will be eliminated by blockchain. Blockchain basically does three things: payment mechanisms, smart contract capabilities, and a ledger that ensures ownership.

Franklin Templeton's digital asset manager, Roger Baston, stated that financial innovators are engaged in a long-term game with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Compared to last year, the situation with the SEC is changing this year, and Franklin Templeton has had a pleasant cooperation with the SEC. They are pleased to see the SEC changing its attitude and tone.

Sandy Kaul, Digital Asset Director at Franklin Templeton, said in an interview that we see the potential of the entire cryptocurrency field, so we will continue to develop our product line and continue to provide more opportunities for our investors to obtain this innovation and capture what we call the test version of this new protocol economy. When asked about Franklin Templeton's inclination towards Ethereum, Kaul did not provide specific details, but she said that the public should expect the company to submit more Exchange Traded Products (ETP) filings. You can expect to see us submit more documents at some point.

Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, said in an interview with CNBC that the company has decided to launch a physical Bitcoin ETF because the demand for Bitcoin continues to increase. The launch of Franklin Templeton's Bitcoin ETF is a strategic response to Bitcoin's increasing use in trading and its integration into a wider financial system. The industry is still in its early stages, and holding Bitcoin is very complicated for ordinary people who do not understand the technology. Bitcoin ETFs allow people to access Bitcoin without dealing with the complexity of the technology. She added that ETFs make Bitcoin more accessible, which is ultimately a good thing for adopting Bitcoin. Johnson also said that Franklin Templeton has been bullish on the crypto industry for many years and conducted in-depth research on asset tokenization on public blockchains for the first time in 2021. The company will continue to create investment products that customers need, whether in the form of crypto ETFs or mutual funds. However, she did not further elaborate on the company's future plans.

Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, said that she has seen a great demand for Bitcoin from investors in its spot Bitcoin ETF, and there are many reasons for this, such as the increasing popularity of Bitcoin payment scenarios. She said, "Bitcoin is almost considered an insurance or safe investment component, but I also believe that it is very important to drive the next real opportunity in the blockchain world."

Franklin Templeton has lowered the expense ratio of its Bitcoin ETF (EZBC) from 0.29% to 0.19%, according to a filing submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday. Franklin Templeton lowered its fees by 10 basis points, making its fund the lowest-cost option, replacing Bitwise's 0.2% fee.

Asset management company Franklin Templeton, with a market value of $1.5 trillion, changed the avatar of its X account after the approval of its bitcoin spot ETF by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company added a laser eye to its logo with 18th century figure Ben Franklin on it.

According to the SEC website, Franklin updated its Bitcoin spot ETF S-1 document, with an ETF fee set at 0.29%.