Franklin Templeton Digital Holdings Trust 10-K

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the condensed financial statements and the notes thereto of the Trust and the Fund, included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. Forward-Looking Information This annual report on Form 10-K, including this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All statements (other than statements of historical fact) included in this Form 10-K that address activities, events or developments that may occur in the future, the Trust’s and the Fund’s operations, the Sponsor’s plans and references to the Trust’s and the Fund’s future success and other similar matters are forward-looking statements. Words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “predict,” and variations on such words or negatives thereof, and similar expressions that reflect our current views with respect to future events and Trust and Fund performance, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control, and actual results could differ materially from those discussed. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed therein. We express our estimates, expectations, beliefs, and projections in good faith and believe them to have a reasonable basis. However, we make no assurances that management’s estimates, expectations, beliefs, or projections will be achieved or accomplished. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors are discussed in: Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this Form 10-K; Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of this Form 10-K, and other parts of this Form 10-K. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future, except as required by the federal securities laws. Organization and Trust Overview The Franklin Templeton Digital Holdings Trust (the “Trust”) was formed as a Delaware statutory trust on September 6, 2023, and is governed by the provisions of an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as of January 5, 2024. The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and is not a commodity pool for purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”). The Trust currently offers a single series, the Franklin Bitcoin ETF (the “Fund”), which is the sole series of the Trust. The Sponsor of the Trust and the Fund (the “Sponsor”) is Franklin Holdings, LLC. The Sponsor is not subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a commodity pool operator with respect to the Fund, or a commodity trading advisor with respect to the Fund. The Fund issues shares (the “Shares”), which represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in the Fund. The Shares of the Fund are listed on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe BZX Exchange” or the “Exchange”). On December 15, 2023, the Seed Capital Investor purchased 4,000 Shares at a per-Share price equal to $25.00 (the “Initial Seed Shares”). Delivery of the Initial Seed Shares was made on December 15, 2023. Total proceeds to the Fund from the sale of the Initial Seed Shares were $100,000. On January 8, 2024, the Initial Seed Shares were redeemed for $100,000 and the Seed Capital Investor purchased two creation units in a cash transaction comprised of a total of 100,000 Shares at a per-Share price based on 29.00000000 bitcoins per Creation Unit (or 0.00058 bitcoins per Share), for a total of 58.00000000 bitcoins (the “Seed Creation Units”). The cash proceeds to the Fund from the sale of the Seed Creation Units were used by the Fund to purchase 58.00000000 bitcoins at the price of $44,973.58 per bitcoin on January 8, 2024. The transaction and other costs incurred in connection with the Seed Creation Units were paid by the Seed Capital Investor and not borne by the Fund. Thus, the ultimate total proceeds to the Fund from the sale of the Seed Creation Units were $2,608,467.81 (an amount representing 58.00000000 bitcoins). The Shares were first listed for trading and the Fund commenced operations on January 11, 2024. The Fund seeks to reflect generally the performance of the price of bitcoin. The Fund seeks to reflect such performance before payment of the Fund’s expenses and liabilities. The Shares are intended to constitute a simple means of making an investment similar to an investment in bitcoin rather than by acquiring, holding, and trading bitcoin directly on a peer-to-peer or other basis or via a digital asset exchange. The Fund is a passive investment vehicle and is not a leveraged product. The Sponsor does not actively manage the bitcoin held by the Fund. The Fund issues Shares only in Creation Units of 50,000 or multiples thereof. Creation Units are issued and redeemed in exchange for cash. Individual Shares will not be redeemed by the Fund but the Shares are listed and traded on the Exchange under the ticker symbol “EZBC.” The Fund issues Shares in Creation Units on a continuous basis at the applicable NAV per Share on the creation order date. 58 Table of Contents The Fund’s only ordinary recurring expense is expected to be the Sponsor’s fee. In exchange for the Sponsor’s fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume the ordinary fees and expenses incurred by the Fund, including but not limited to the following: the fees charged by the Administrator, Marketing Agent, the Custodians and the Trustee, Cboe BZX Exchange listing fees, typical maintenance and transaction fees of the DTC, SEC registration fees, printing and mailing costs, tax reporting fees, audit fees, license fees and expenses, up to $500,000 per annum in ordinary legal fees and expenses. The Sponsor will also pay the costs of the Fund’s organization and the initial offering costs, and may not seek reimbursement of such costs. The Sponsor’s fee is accrued daily at an annualized rate equal to 0.19% of the net asset value of the Fund and is payable at least quarterly in arrears in U.S. dollars or in-kind or any combination thereof. The Sponsor may, at its sole discretion and from time to time, waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s fee for stated periods of time. The Sponsor is under no obligation to waive any portion of its fees and any such waiver shall create no obligation to waive any such fees during any period not covered by the waiver. The Fund will sell bitcoin as needed to pay the Sponsor’s fee. The Fund bears transaction costs, including any bitcoin network fees or other similar transaction fees, in connection with any sales of bitcoin necessary to pay the Sponsor’s fee, as well as other Fund expenses (if any) that are not assumed by the Sponsor (expenses assumed by the Sponsor are specified above). Any bitcoin network fees and similar transaction fees incurred in connection with the creation or redemption of Creation Units are borne by the Authorized Participant. For a period from January 12, 2024 to August 2, 2024, the Sponsor will waive a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee so that the Sponsor’s Fee after the fee waiver will be equal to 0.00% of the net asset value of the Fund for the first $10.0 billion of the Fund’s assets. Prior to the implementation of the waiver, for the one day period January 11, 2024, the Fund accrued the Sponsor fee of 0.29% ($21). In the future, if the Sponsor decides to waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee, Shareholders will be notified in a prospectus supplement, in the Fund’s periodic reports and/or on the Sponsor’s website for the Fund. The Fund is an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, as such, the Fund may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements. The NAV of the Trust is used by the Trust in its day-to-day operations to measure the net value of the Trust’s assets. The NAV is calculated on each business day and is equal to the aggregate value of the Trust’s assets less its liabilities based on the Index price. In determining the NAV of the Trust on any business day, the Administrator will calculate the price of the bitcoin held by the Trust as of 4:00 PM ET on such day. The Administrator will also calculate the “NAV per Share” of the Trust, which equals the NAV of the Trust divided by the number of outstanding Shares. For purposes of making these calculations, a business day means any day other than a day when the Exchange is closed for regular trading. The Administrator will rely on the Index as the index price to be used when determining NAV. However, determining the value of the Trust’s bitcoin using the Index is not in accordance with GAAP, and therefore is not used in the Trust’s financial statements. The Trust’s bitcoins are carried, for financial statement purposes, at fair value, as required by GAAP. The Trust determines the fair value of bitcoin based on the price provided by the bitcoin market that the Trust considers its “principal market” as of 4:00 PM, ET on the valuation date. The net asset value of the Trust determined on a GAAP basis is referred to as the “Principal Market NAV” and the net asset value of the Trust per Share determined on a GAAP basis is referred to as the “Principal Market NAV per Share.” The Sponsor identifies and determines the Fund’s principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for bitcoin consistent with the application of fair value measurement framework in FASB ASC 820-10. The principal market is the market where the reporting entity would normally enter into a transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability. The principal market must be available to and be accessible to the reporting entity. The reporting entity is the Trust, on behalf of the Fund. Under ASC 820-10, a principal market is generally the market with the greatest volume and activity level for the asset or liability. The determination of the principal market will generally be based on the market with the greatest volume and level of activity that can be accessed. NAV and NAV per Share are not measures calculated in accordance with GAAP and are not intended as substitute for Principal Market and Principal Market NAV per Share, respectively. Critical Accounting Policy The financial statements and accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements relies on estimates and assumptions that impact the Fund’s as well as the Trust’s financial position and results of operations. These estimates and assumptions affect the Fund’s as well as the Trust’s application of accounting policies. A description of the valuation of bitcoin, a critical accounting policy that is important to understanding the results of operations and financial position presented herein, is provided in the section entitled “Calculation of Net Asset Value, Valuation of Bitcoin and The CF Benchmark Index,” above. In addition, please refer to Note 2 to the financial statements included in this report for further discussion of the Trust’s and the Fund’s accounting policies. Discussion of Operations (Financing Activities) On December 15, 2023, the Seed Capital Investor purchased 4,000 Shares at a per-Share price equal to $25.00 (the “Initial Seed Shares”). Delivery of the Initial Seed Shares was made on December 15, 2023. Total proceeds to the Fund from the sale of the Initial Seed Shares were $100,000. On January 8, 2024, the Initial Seed Shares were redeemed for $100,000 and the Seed Capital Investor purchased two creation units in a cash transaction comprised of a total of 100,000 Shares at a per-Share price based on 29.00000000 bitcoins per Creation Unit (or 0.00058 bitcoins per Share), for a total of 58.00000000 bitcoins (the “Seed Creation Units”). The cash proceeds to the Fund from the sale of the Seed Creation Units were used by the Fund to purchase 58.00000000 bitcoins at the price of $44,973.58 per bitcoin on January 8, 2024. The transaction and other costs incurred in connection with the Seed Creation Units were paid by the Seed Capital Investor and not borne by the Fund. Thus, the ultimate total proceeds to the Fund from the sale of the Seed Creation Units were $2,608,467.81 (an amount representing 58.00000000 bitcoins). The Shares were first listed for trading and the Fund commenced operations on January 11, 2024. The Fund had no operations prior to the commencement of operations of the Fund on January 11, 2024. At March 31, 2024, the Custodian held 4,842.9986 of bitcoin on behalf of the Fund, with a market value of $341,901,126 (cost: $280,623,942) based on the Lukka Prime Price at period end. 59 Table of Contents For the Period January 11, 2024 (Commencement of operations) to March 31, 2024 * For the period January 11, 2024 (Commencement of operations) to March 31, 2024, 8,350,000 Shares were issued in exchange for 4,842.9986 of bitcoin and no Shares were redeemed. The Fund’s NAV per Share began the period at $26.65 and ended the period at $40.95. The increase in NAV per Share was due to a higher price of bitcoin of $70,596.99 at period end, which represented an increase of 53.62% from $45,956.16 at January 11, 2024^. The change in net assets from operations for the period January 11, 2024 (Commencement of operations) to March 31, 2024 was $61,277,163, which was due to (i) the Sponsor’s Fee of $(54,280), (ii) Less waiver and reimbursement $54,259 and (iii) a net change in unrealized appreciation on investment in bitcoin of $61,277,184. * No comparative period presented as Commencement of operations was January 11, 2024. ^ The Fund’s financial statements are prepared in accordance GAAP for financial information. Bitcoin is priced based on the Lukka Prime Price at 11:59:59PM ET. Accordingly, certain adjustments were made to the net assets of the Fund at 01/11/2024 and at 03/31/2024 for financial reporting purposes. The net asset values calculated for transactions with Authorized Participants would differ from the net asset values reported here. Liquidity and Capital Resources The Fund is not aware of any trends, demands, commitments, events, or uncertainties that are reasonably likely to result in material changes to its liquidity needs.   The Fund’s only ordinary recurring expense is expected to be the Sponsor’s fee. In exchange for the Sponsor’s fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume the ordinary fees and expenses incurred by the Fund, including but not limited to the following: the fees charged by the Administrator, Marketing Agent, the Custodians and the Trustee, Cboe BZX Exchange listing fees, typical maintenance and transaction fees of the DTC, SEC registration fees, printing and mailing costs, tax reporting fees, audit fees, license fees and expenses, up to $500,000 per annum in ordinary legal fees and expenses. The Sponsor will also pay the costs of the Fund’s organization and the initial offering costs, and may not seek reimbursement of such costs. The Sponsor’s fee is accrued daily at an annualized rate equal to 0.19% of the net asset value of the Fund and is payable at least quarterly in arrears in U.S. dollars or in-kind or any combination thereof. The Sponsor may, at its sole discretion and from time to time, waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s fee for stated periods of time. The Sponsor is under no obligation to waive any portion of its fees and any such waiver shall create no obligation to waive any such fees during any period not covered by the waiver. The Fund will sell bitcoin as needed to pay the Sponsor’s fee. For a period from January 12, 2024 to August 2, 2024, the Sponsor will waive a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee so that the Sponsor’s Fee after the fee waiver will be equal to 0.00% of the net asset value of the Fund for the first $10.0 billion of the Fund’s assets. Prior to the implementation of the waiver, for the one day period January 11, 2024, the Fund accrued the Sponsor fee of 0.29% ($21). In the future, if the Sponsor decides to waive all or a portion of the Sponsor’s Fee, Shareholders will be notified in a prospectus supplement, in the Fund’s periodic reports and/or on the Sponsor’s website for the Fund. The Fund bears transaction costs, including any bitcoin network fees or other similar transaction fees, in connection with any sales of bitcoin necessary to pay the Sponsor’s fee, as well as other Fund expenses (if any) that are not assumed by the Sponsor (expenses assumed by the Sponsor are specified above). Any bitcoin network fees and similar transaction fees incurred in connection with the creation or redemption of Creation Units are borne by the Authorized Participant. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements At March 31, 2024, the Fund as well as the Trust do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements. Historical Bitcoin Prices Analysis of Movements in the Price of Bitcoin As movements in the price of bitcoin are expected to directly affect the price of the Fund’s shares, it is important for investors to understand and follow movements in the price of bitcoin. Past movements in the bitcoin price are not indicators of future movements. The following chart shows movements in the price of bitcoin based on the CME CF Bitcoin Price in U.S. dollars per ounce over the period from January 8, 2024 to March 31, 2024. 60 Table of Contents The average, high, low and end-of-period bitcoin prices based on the CME CF Bitcoin Price for are as below: Period Average High Date Low Date End of period Last business day (1) January 8, 2024 to March 31, 2024 54,023.25 73,127.23 March 13, 2024 39,238.43 January 23, 2024 70,761.62 March 28, 2024 (1) The end of period bitcoin price is the CME CF Bitcoin Price on the last business day of the period. 61 Table of Contents Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk The Fund is a passive investment vehicle. It is not actively managed. The investment objective of the Fund is to seek to reflect generally the performance of the price of bitcoin before payment of the Fund’s expenses. Fluctuations in the price of bitcoin will affect the value of the Fund’s Shares.