Franklin Templeton teams up with ChinaAMC for its first ETFs in Asia

Franklin Templeton has finally planted its ETF flag in Asia. It brought a local guide along for the trip. The US asset manager is partnering with China Asset Management, better known as ChinaAMC, on two cross-border exchange-traded funds. Both are listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on September 29, 2026, and they are Franklin Templeton’s first ETF listings anywhere in Asia. The firm frames the deal as an opening move, not a one-off. David Mann, Franklin Templeton’s Global Head of ETFs & Market Structure, described the ChinaAMC partnership as the first step in a broader plan to collaborate with local asset managers and gain exposure to investment themes in mainland China. Two funds, two very different bets The first product is the ChinaAMC Franklin HK-US Equity Cash Flow Focus ETF. It aims for approximately 60% exposure to Hong Kong equities and 40% to US equities. The selection filter centers on companies with strong cash flows. Put simply, the fund favors businesses that actually generate cash, rather than ones that mostly generate investor presentations. The second fund is the ChinaAMC Franklin FTSE Innovative Drugs ETF. This one targets pharmaceutical firms, with roughl...