Solana News Today: Institutional Confidence Rises as BNB Staking ETF Filing Sparks Market Optimism

Rex has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the launch of a BNB staking Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, following a similar initiative by the REX-Osprey partnership for a Solana (SOL) staking ETF. This move aligns with growing institutional interest in blockchain-based assets, as several major corporations have adopted Binance Coin (BNB) as part of their treasury management strategies. The REX-Osprey BNB staking ETF application comes after VanEck's earlier filing for a spot BNB ETF, signaling an uptick in demand for exposure to the cryptocurrency among institutional investors. The BNB market responded positively, with the token seeing a 2.5 percent price increase to approximately $861 in the late North American session following the filing [1].

The growing interest in BNB as a strategic treasury tool underscores the broader trend of institutional adoption in the crypto space. For instance, the BNB Network Company (tBNC) has allocated $500 million through a private investment in public equity (PIPE) offering to bolster its BNB treasury strategy. Similarly, U.S.-listed biotech firm Windtree Therapeutics has secured financing for a BNB treasury project, while Hong Kong-based Web3 infrastructure provider Nano Lab is pursuing a $500 million convertible note offering aimed at acquiring up to $1 billion in BNB [1].

This surge in institutional interest coincides with a broader push among ETF issuers to secure SEC approval for staking-enabled ETFs. The regulatory environment has recently evolved with the SEC clarifying that certain staking activities and receipt tokens do not constitute securities offerings, removing a key barrier for such products. Following this development, VanEck and Jito filed for a Solana liquid staking ETF, reflecting the importance of regulatory clarity in enabling institutional capital to flow into the space [2].

Industry experts suggest that most ETF issuers are likely to begin with centralized staking partners, as this approach aligns with existing compliance frameworks and offers clearer accountability. This is evident in the partnership between Canary Capital and Marinade, where Canary amended its Solana ETF filing to include Marinade Select as its staking provider. However, analysts expect a gradual transition toward decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols as the regulatory landscape matures. While centralized custodians like Coinbase and Fidelity are likely to play a role in the early stages, they are also building bridges to DeFi infrastructure, enabling smoother integration as regulations evolve [2].

The increasing regulatory clarity has also encouraged new entrants into the space, including Tidal Trust II, which filed for leveraged ETFs offering 150% to 200% exposure to XRP and Solana. These products aim to combine aggressive growth potential with income-generating strategies through options-based techniques such as credit call spreads. The timing of the application aligns with growing optimism about potential approvals for altcoin ETFs, with analysts anticipating that the SEC may approve some applications by October 2025. This optimism is supported by recent milestones, such as the Teucrium 2x Long Daily XRP ETF (XXRP) reaching over $400 million in net assets, and the REX Shares Solana Staking ETF (SSK) attracting more than $160 million in net inflows [3].

Despite these developments, the SEC has maintained a cautious stance, delaying several crypto ETF decisions to October 2025. This includes approvals for the 21Shares Bitwise Solana ETF, the 21Shares Core XRP Trust, and the WisdomTree XRP Fund. These delays highlight the ongoing challenges in navigating regulatory scrutiny while fostering innovation in the crypto space. However, the filing of the REX-Osprey BNB staking ETF and similar applications represents a significant step forward in the institutional adoption of digital assets, with potential implications for market dynamics and investor behavior [4].

Source:

[1] Binance Coin Rebounds After REX-Osprey Filed for BNB Staking ETF (https://coinpedia.org/news/binance-coin-rebounds-after-rex-osprey-filed-for-bnb-staking-etf/)

[2] Crypto Staking ETF Launch Strategy Prioritizes Centralized Partners Over Immediate DeFi Adoption (https://cryptoslate.com/crypto-staking-etf-launch-strategy-prioritizes-centralized-partners-over-immediate-defi-adoption/)

[3] New crypto ETFs offer leveraged bets on XRP and Solana (https://cryptoslate.com/tidal-trust-ii-files-with-sec-for-leveraged-xrp-and-solana-etfs/)

[4] Canary Capital Files for U.S.-Focused Crypto ETF Amid SEC Delays (https://coinnews.com/news/canary-capital-files-for-u-s-focused-crypto-etf-amid-sec-delays/)