Franklin Templeton Digital Holdings Trust 8-K

What Happened

• Franklin Templeton Digital Holdings Trust filed an 8‑K on May 8, 2026 reporting leadership changes at Franklin Holdings, LLC (the Sponsor of the Franklin Bitcoin ETF).
• Christopher Berarducci (age 51) was appointed Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of the Sponsor, and Christopher Kings (age 51) was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor, both effective May 8, 2026.
• Effective the same date, Vivek Pai resigned as Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer, and Matthew Hinkle resigned as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor. The filing states the resignations were not the result of any dispute or disagreement with the Sponsor or the Fund.

Key Details

• Filing date: May 8, 2026 (Form 8‑K, Item 5.02).
• Appointments: Christopher Berarducci — CAO & Treasurer; Christopher Kings — CFO of Franklin Holdings, LLC.
• Resignations: Vivek Pai — CAO & Treasurer; Matthew Hinkle — VP & CFO; resignations not due to disagreement on Fund matters.
• Backgrounds: Berarducci has been with Franklin Templeton in fund accounting/reporting roles since 2020 and held treasurer/principal financial officer roles at Legg Mason affiliates dating to 2010; Kings has served in senior fund administration and reporting roles within Franklin Templeton, including Senior VP of Franklin Templeton Services, LLC since 2024.

Why It Matters

• These are sponsor‑level finance leadership changes for the Franklin Bitcoin ETF; they affect who oversees accounting, treasury and financial reporting for the Fund.
• The filing signals continuity — both appointees have prior Franklin Templeton/industry experience and the departures were not due to disputes — which may reduce operational risk for investors.
• The 8‑K does not report changes to the Fund’s investment strategy, financial results, or any disagreements that would raise governance concerns.