VanEck adds staking to BNB ETF, potentially boosting Binance Coin

Key facts

• VanEck has added staking to its spot BNB ETF (VBNB).
• The ETF will stake all BNB holdings except for a reserve for redemptions.
• Figment has been appointed as the validator for the staking program.
• The VanEck BNB ETF launched in May 2026 with a 0.39% sponsor fee.
• The ETF currently has total net assets of $1.20 million and total assets under management near $2.70 million.

Investment management firm VanEck has introduced staking to its spot BNB ETF (VBNB), a move that could potentially attract institutional interest and drive inflows into the fund. This development follows the ETF's launch in May 2026.

The revised investment objectives now include staking as a secondary goal. This is facilitated by a new custody agreement with BitGo Bank & Trust, which will work with Figment as the validator. The staking program intends to stake all of the trust's BNB holdings, with the exception of a reserve set aside for redemptions. The unbonding period on the BNB Smart Chain is seven days, during which staked tokens will not earn rewards and cannot be moved.

The VanEck BNB ETF, which launched on Nasdaq, charges a 0.39% sponsor fee. The staking feature was initially removed from the proposal before launch due to regulatory concerns regarding staking rewards and their potential impact on the trust's status. The appointment of Figment and the agreement with BitGo address these requirements.

Data from SoSoValue indicates that the VanEck BNB ETF currently holds $1.20 million in total net assets and has approximately $2.70 million in total assets under management. The introduction of staking could lead to increased inflows into the ETF and potentially boost the price of Binance Coin. However, the actual impact will depend on the ETF's future performance.

Binance Coin is currently trading around $775, having seen a nearly 15% increase in the past month and over 42% since the ETF's inception. While the ETF launch did not immediately result in a sustained rally due to broader market conditions, the recent recovery in the crypto market offers a positive outlook. Data from CoinGlass shows increased buying activity in the derivatives market, with BNB futures open interest rising across major exchanges like Binance, OKX, and Bybit.