VanEck’s BNB Spot ETF proposal could bring BNB to U.S. markets, expanding access and marking a key milestone for BNB Chain's growth in regulated finance.

After the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) products based on 

 (ETH) in 2024, a flurry of new altcoin ETF applications emerged in early 2025. Many prominent asset management firms are vying for the approval of their ETF products, based on coins like 

 (AVAX) and others. Even some smaller-cap meme coins, specifically Pudgy Penguins' 

, have joined the SEC's ETF waiting list.

Given that most top cryptos already have their ETF applications filed with the country's financial regulator, it's little surprise that BNB Chain's 

, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has joined the bandwagon. In late March 2025, the New York–based global investment management giant VanEck registered a trust entity named VanEck BNB ETF in the US state of Delaware. The registration is an early sign that the acclaimed investment manager is planning to lodge a BNB ETF application with the SEC.

If approved, it will be the first US-based BNB ETF product on the market, likely leading to significant growth within BNB Chain's already well-established ecosystem.

On Mar 31, 2025, one of the leading asset managers in the world, VanEck, registered a trust named VanEck BNB ETF in the US state of Delaware. This is the strongest imaginable indicator that the company plans to subsequently launch an application with the SEC for the ETF’s approval. If approved by the regulator, the product will be the first spot ETF in the US to track BNB coin. As of the time of this writing (Apr 23, 2025), VanEck hasn't formally applied with the SEC, but this step is likely imminent.

Following the SEC filing, BNB coin will join a long list of other leading cryptocurrencies whose spot ETF applications have been lodged with the US regulator. Over the past few months, the SEC has received spot ETF applications for Solana, 

The VanEck BNB Spot ETF will track BNB coin, allowing holders to invest in the asset without directly holding it. While BNB is among the most popular assets in the crypto market, many investors are eschewing it and other cryptocurrencies due to their unregulated nature. Upon approval, the ETF product would be available for trading on regulated stock exchanges.

The exact composition of a crypto ETF product is usually unknown before its application is filed with the SEC. Therefore, we can assume that at this stage the ETF will be based entirely upon tracking BNB coin. Any additional components, such as minor holdings of other assets such as cash equivalents, could theoretically be included, but this will only be known upon VanEck’s formal application to the SEC.

VanEck itself is among the leading ETF issuers in the finance industry and is a pioneer of crypto ETFs. The firm already offers approved 

, and has filed applications with the SEC for spot ETFs based on several other cryptocurrencies, including a 

Currently, there’s no ETF in the US based on the BNB coin. In that respect, VanEck’s registration is the first serious effort to introduce such a product. Internationally, there is one exchange-traded product (ETP) that tracks BNB — the 21Shares Binance BNB ETP (ABNB), listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange. This ETP is offered by 21Shares, a leading digital asset management firm based in Zurich, Switzerland.

. ETPs may be based on various assets, such as stocks, bonds, commodities or cryptocurrencies. However, ETFs often offer better liquidity, lower fees and greater tax efficiency than other types of ETPs.

In short, despite the presence of the ABNB ETP on the market, the BNB ETF landscape remains an empty niche, as the 21Shares product isn’t a full-fledged ETF and has no regulatory approval in the US.

Current impact of BNB ETF applications on the crypto market

VanEck’s BNB ETF application — or, to be precise, its registration in Delaware — has so far had no immediate impact on the coin’s market price. In fact, BNB coin is currently trading at $615.68, barely different from its price of $600 in the early days of April when news of the ETF’s registration first surfaced.

BNB is a major cryptocurrency featuring at least one billion dollars in daily trading volumes. The news of VanEck's initiative is unlikely to seriously affect BNB’s price. However, if the ETF ultimately gains approval from the SEC, such a development may have a significant positive impact on the crypto's future price.

What will it mean if a Spot BNB ETF application is approved?

If the SEC approves the Spot BNB ETF, it will likely lead to higher demand for BNB coin — as demand from investors for the product rises, VanEck will need to source more BNB to back its ETF shares. This increased demand would push the price of BNB higher. As noted above, BNB is one of the market's largest cryptos and features substantial trading volumes. Therefore, it's unlikely that a Spot BNB ETF would cause drastic rises in the coin’s price. However, a certain positive price effect is a safe bet, and the magnitude of the effect will be directly related to the popularity of the ETF among investors.

Additionally, the ETF will improve the visibility of the BNB ecosystem, potentially leading to more 

 (DApps) and projects launched on its blockchain.

If approved by the SEC, the Spot BNB ETF by VanEck would usher in a new era for the coin. For the first time ever, BNB as a financial asset would become available through the regulated environment of US stock exchanges. This would not only help support the coin’s price and expand the chain’s ecosystem, but would also be a major reputational gain for Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange and the corporate entity behind BNB Chain.

Over the years, Binance has had its fair share of troubles and arguments with US regulators. A fully approved spot ETF based on Binance’s own coin would, therefore, send a signal to the crypto market that the major components of the Binance ecosystem — BNB crypto, BNB Chain’s blockchain and the Binance crypto exchange — aren’t as risky to deal with as some Americans may believe.

Intermediate

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BNB Spot ETF: A new gateway as BNB Chain evolves

In this article, we explore liquid staking protocol StakeStone's key features, the STO token launch, tokenomics and how to trade STO on Bybit.

StakeStone (STO) is a next-gen omnichain liquidity infrastructure protocol designed to optimize yield and cross-chain liquidity. Its introduction of liquid yield-bearing versions of ETH and BTC — STONE and STONEBTC — enables users to earn sustainable yield while enhancing capital efficiency. This article explores StakeStone’s architecture, core assets, founding team, tokenomics and recent market performance.

 is a decentralized liquidity infrastructure protocol that issues liquid, 

-bearing assets like STONE (Ethereum) and STONEBTC (Bitcoin). Designed for omnichain integration, it empowers users and protocols with composable 

 solutions and efficient cross-chain liquidity.

Launched in 2024, StakeStone was built to address the fragmented and capital-inefficient nature of ETH and BTC staking by introducing secure, flexible and modular primitives. StakeStone’s mission is to maximize on-chain yield while ensuring deep liquidity across ecosystems.

StakeStone was founded in 2023 by a team of DeFi-native builders led by Charles K, a crypto veteran with over 10 years of experience in centralized exchanges (CEXs), hardware wallets and DeFi infrastructure The core team includes Rose Li, Chief Strategy Officer, and Ivan K, Chief Marketing Officer.

The project has secured funding from notable crypto funds, including Polychain Capital, Binance Labs, OKX Ventures, Amber Group, HashKey Capital and Bankless Ventures. These backers not only provide capital but also strategic ecosystem access — positioning StakeStone as a serious player in omnichain liquidity and yield infrastructure.

StakeStone converts ETH and BTC into liquid, yield-bearing assets — STONE (ETH) and STONEBTC (respectively) — through a modular and omnichain framework. When ETH is staked, it flows into the StakeStone Vault and is allocated to the Strategy Pool, and STONE is minted via the Minter.

Yield is generated through strategies such as:

Users can deploy STONE across chains via the 

 (LP) rewards, with optional LP locking for enhanced returns. SBTC is the liquid BTC asset mirroring Bitcoin’s value, with STONEBTC adding a yield layer to BTC and unlocking passive income without sacrificing liquidity.

StakeStone implements key security measures, including the following:

STONE (ETH): Omnichain yield-bearing asset

 derivative. It’s minted when users stake ETH, and is backed by underlying yield from stETH, EigenLayer restaking and additional DeFi strategies.

STONE supports seamless cross-chain bridging, enabling deployment across supported networks and STONE-Fi Pools for additional rewards. Users benefit from passive yield, cross-chain utility, governance participation and on-demand liquidity.

SBTC is a liquid Bitcoin asset that mirrors BTC’s value and enables seamless use within EVM-compatible chains. STONEBTC, on the other hand, enhances SBTC by adding a yield layer, empowering users to earn yield from BTC-based strategies while preserving liquidity.

 utility by unlocking native BTC liquidity and enabling new use cases, such as cross-chain lending and borrowing, LP participation in BTC-based DeFi pools and composable integration across multichain DeFi protocols.

Together, SBTC and STONEBTC aim to position Bitcoin as an active capital layer across Ethereum and beyond.

 of StakeStone, with a total supply of 1 billion. It underpins protocol governance via OPAP proposals, voting-escrowed STO (veSTO) staking and 

Emissions are set to taper gradually until 2031, aligning incentives with long-term ecosystem growth.

According to CoinGecko, as of Apr 24, 2025, 

with a market cap of over $25 million. The token has recently shown strong momentum, rallying 85.4% over the past two weeks. Furthermore, StakeStone’s value could benefit from various catalysts, such as the rise in demand for 

 the STOUSDT Perpetual futures contract in the Innovation Zone, with up to 20x leverage.

 a Bybit account, complete identity verification and fund your 

 using crypto deposits or fiat currencies. 

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StakeStone (STO): Cross-chain liquid staking protocol

The MANTRA (OM) token’s wild crash on Apr 13, 2025, shocked the crypto world. Discover the causes, fallout, and what’s next in MANTRA’s road to recovery.

In the morning and daytime hours of Apr 13, 2025, the MANTRA blockchain's native token, OM, sat at a respectable market cap of $6 billion, making it the third-highest-ranked cryptocurrency in the 

 (RWA) category, the area the platform specializes in. Everything seemed like smooth sailing for the token.

Then, just after 6 PM UTC, the price of the OM token suddenly began to free-fall, declining from nearly $6 to about $0.50 in the space of just two hours.

A project that started the day as one of the top players in the RWA field was now worth 90% less as the evening approached. OM's abrupt, sharp crash immediately caught the market's attention, with speculation of a 

However, MANTRA's CEO, John Patrick Mullin, immediately sprang into action for PR damage control on social media, reassuring the public that the team members weren’t dumping OM tokens at all. Instead, MANTRA's founder and CEO alleged that deliberate actions of some 

 (CEXs) had caused the catastrophic plunge.

As of our coverage date of Apr 23, 2025, this is a developing story. In this article, we’ll establish what actually happened, who's involved and what awaits the OM token in the foreseeable future.

 decentralized network dedicated to RWA tokenization and utilization in compliance with real-world regulatory requirements.

 It features high scalability and low transaction fees. The project is one of the earliest initiatives dedicated to RWA use via blockchain technology. Originally, MANTRA debuted as a 

 (ETH) in August 2020. In October 2024, the project migrated to its own dedicated Layer 1 platform, the MANTRA Chain. The MANTRA blockchain is based on the Cosmos SDK framework, and is part of the wider 

The MANTRA ecosystem's main products include MANTRA DEX, a 

 (DEX); a digital identity (DID) management tool; a compliant token development and management solution; and a comprehensive compliance and permissioning system. MANTRA has also partnered with global powerhouses like Google Cloud, and with DAMAC Properties, one of Dubai's most prominent developers, to propel innovative solutions for 

Starting in late 2024, right after its own dedicated mainnet launch, MANTRA had become a significant player in the RWA corner of 

 (DeFi). By late February 2025, the platform’s native OM token had climbed to a value of nearly $9, with its market cap peaking at around $8.2 billion. Before the fateful events of Apr 13, 2025, OM was the third-highest-capped crypto in the RWA category, trading at $6.27, with a market cap of slightly over $6 billion, according to the CoinGecko portal.

In the evening hours (UTC time) of Apr 13, 2025, OM began to lose its value precipitously, dive-bombing from over $6 to about $0.52 in the space of two hours. The token’s market cap fell to slightly under half a billion dollars — a loss of more than 90%.

CEO John Mullin was quickly online, reassuring the crypto community that no team member had sold their OM holdings, and that this wasn’t a case of the bad ol’ rug pull. Instead, Mullin alluded that after OM tokens were moved to two leading CEXs (Binance and OKX) to use as collateral, the exchanges initiated a cascade of 

 of positions backed by the token. Both exchanges refuted the allegations, and connected OM’s price collapse to its recent unusually high price 

, and significant tokenomics changes made to OM in October 2024 that greatly undermined its value.

As a chain of liquidations took place, the token’s price started to plummet, causing significant panic that quickly led to further price drops. The situation only stabilized closer to the end of the day, with OM’s price remaining under $1. As of Apr 23, it’s trading at $0.5543 — a far cry from its rate of over $6 just two weeks ago.

After investigating, crypto analytics firm Lookonchain concluded that 17 wallets had deposited 43.6 million OM tokens (4.5% of the token's circulating supply) into the implicated exchanges. Two of these wallets are believed to belong to Laser Digital, one of MANTRA's investors. Another investor in the project, Shorooq Partners, is also suspected to be among the 17 wallets. Both Shorooq and Laser Digital have denied the allegations.

Although the price plunge was immediately compared to the 2022 collapse of the 

 (LUNA) blockchain, many analysts point out that the two crashes are fundamentally different. Terra's crash resulted from structural abnormalities in the 

 regulating UST, the project's stablecoin. In contrast, OM's fiasco is suspected to be the direct result of market-driven manipulation by 

, and possibly exchanges. No security breach, disruption to services or data, or other adverse structural events have occurred on the platform.

While this development is unprecedented for the project, MANTRA has been embroiled in other controversies throughout its history. One of these was its 

, first announced in August 2024 and then delayed multiple times. Around 50% of the wallets believed to be bots were cut off from the airdrop list. However, many considered the bot-culling process to have been conducted without much proof.

There have also been reports of vote rigging in the project's governance system in a bid to obscure MANTRA’s centralized model of profit allocation. Additionally, some analysts have accused the project of "forced bridging" to manipulate the market price. Platform users had to migrate their Ethereum-based OM tokens to MANTRA's native OM tokens via 

, which would increase gas fees and allow the project team to control the token's circulation pace.

How is MANTRA (OM) headed toward recovery?

MANTRA’s CEO rapidly reassured users that the team is now working hard to jump-start the token’s recovery. On Apr 14, 2025, Mullin unveiled plans to initiate a buyback scheme, along with the intent to burn all OM tokens held by the project team. The team's supply totals 300 million tokens, representing about 17% of the total supply.

He also denied factually incorrect assertions circulating online that the team effectively controls 90% of OM's supply. Mullin further assured the public that no large-scale selling events by investors have occurred.

As OM’s value has stayed firmly under $1, it remains to be seen how these PR efforts — as well as the planned buyback and burn — will affect the token’s future.

 as a swap pair with USDT, or on the Derivatives market as the 

Naturally, given the ongoing situation with the OM token, buying OM is at your own discretion, as right now the token is truly for the adventurous and brave at heart.

As of Apr 23, 2025, the OM token is trading at $0.5543, 93.8% lower than its ATH of $8.99 on Feb 23, 2025, and 3,138.8% higher than its ATL of $0.01726 on Oct 12, 2023.

Curiously, most crypto price prediction portals are optimistic about the OM token's long-term prospects. DigitalCoinPrice 

 of $1.81 in 2027 and $2.82 in 2030, whilePricePrediction 

It's hard to verify all the allegations flying around regarding the involvement of exchanges and key investors in the MANTRA OM incident. What matters at this stage is that the project team has been quick and proactive in injecting transparency and clarity into the situation.

The free fall in the token's price seems to be over by now. In fact, OM’s decline was over within hours of the incident. Moreover, unlike Terra's LUNA and UST coins, OM hasn't become worthless. All these factors point to potential stabilization and recovery ahead. The question now is: Will the pace and magnitude of the recovery be enough to save the project in the long term? At this early stage after the collapse, few people could answer the question with confidence. We'll eagerly await the developments over the next few weeks to see if MANTRA finds its way out of the woods. 

mantra om crypto.png

MANTRA (OM): Understanding its wild ride and road to recovery

In this article, we explore WalletConnect's features, its native token (WCT) and how you can trade WCT on Bybit Spot and Futures.​

WalletConnect is an open source bridging protocol that facilitates secure connections between digital wallets and 

 (DApps). With over 38 million unique active wallets and 57,000 supported apps, it’s getting noticed by the crypto community. In this article, we explore WalletConnect's features, its native token (WCT) and how you can trade WCT on Bybit.​

 protocol that allows users to connect their mobile wallets to DApps via QR code. This eliminates the need for browser extensions, and enhances security by keeping 

The protocol supports a wide range of wallets and DApps, making it a versatile tool for users navigating DeFi and web3.

 is essentially a decentralized infrastructure that facilitates a uniformed way for users to easily connect their crypto wallets with thousands of DApps. It operates through a network of

 that relay messages, ensuring reliable and secure connections. The network's design emphasizes scalability and resilience, catering to the growing demands of DeFi. 

When a user initiates a connection between their wallet and a DApp, WalletConnect establishes a secure session through a relay server that enables encrypted communication, allowing users to interact with DApps directly from their wallets. 

The network's architecture ensures that messages are transmitted efficiently, maintaining a seamless user experience.​

The WalletConnect ecosystem comprises various stakeholders, including node operators, wallet providers and DApp developers. Node operators play a crucial role by maintaining the network's infrastructure and relaying messages. 

To incentivize participation, the network implements a rewards mechanism whereby node operators earn WCT tokens, based on their performance and contribution. Prominent organizations like Consensys, Ledger and Figment are among the network's node operators, underscoring its robustness and reliability.​

 is the native utility and governance token of the WalletConnect network. It has a total supply of 1 billion, 

Initially, WCT is nontransferable to ensure that tokens remain within the WalletConnect ecosystem, supporting its focus on network functionality and development. Based on discussions within the community, transfers will be enabled based on community consensus and future governance decisions.

Where to buy the WalletConnect token (WCT)

 on Bybit Spot, and as a Perpetual contract with up to 75x 

. Bybit provides a secure and user-friendly platform for buying and selling WCT, allowing users to participate in the WalletConnect ecosystem. 

How to trade the WalletConnect token (WCT) on Bybit

Bybit's platform ensures efficient execution and provides various tools to assist users in their trading journey with ease.​ 

walletconnect wct.png

WalletConnect (WCT): Bridging web3 beyond wallets and DApps

Bybit Learn

NFTs are all the rage in 2022. Whether you own a sizeable collection already or are just starting out, Hashmasks NFTs might just pique your interest. Here's everything you need to know about the collection.

With the recent craze surrounding non-fungible tokens (

), it's no surprise that crypto enthusiasts are looking for ways to get in on the action. As opposed to traditional art forms, NFTs are digital assets which provide an alternative means to earn from the market during times of extreme volatility. New projects are released on a daily basis, but only a few go on to make the trends table.

One of the latest trends is Hashmask, developed by Suum Cuique Labs. It’s an NFT project that can be used as avatars on decentralized apps (

). While some people buy Hashmasks for their collectible value, others are using them as a way to represent themselves online. Either way, they're becoming a popular choice for those looking to add an NFT to their portfolio. So, what exactly are 

s, and how can you get your hands on one? Read on to find out.

Starting as whispers and rumors on Discord, things quickly escalated when the price chart of Hashmasks took an upward trajectory. Within the first four days of its launch, the project sold over $10 million worth of digital collectibles using fair distribution means. 

There are over 16,384 unique digital art pieces on Hashmasks, each with a unique identifiable trait. The project is a result of 240 days of planning and preparation, 70 artists from all over Europe, great 

, and several homages to historical artists. 

There are five primary features in each artwork spearheaded by Suum Cuique Labs: mask, eye color, background, skin color, and an extra item held or worn. Some other attributes are classified under the “mystery” tag. 

These aspects differentiate the Hashmasks project from other projects:

The initial distribution period of the tokens was totally random for everyone, including the founder and his team, and no one could predict which tokens they would get before the launch. The sales were hierarchically determined, which meant that the earlier purchases had different amounts of Ether. The 

 was not something that was incorporated in the art, as each piece grew organically. The best example was one that 

 after it had been originally purchased for $750 (0.3 ETH at the time of purchase).

Within the Hashmasks project, NCT is the base asset that allows the current holders of masks to change their names and store them publicly on the Ethereum network. Launched in January 2021, Hashmasks (and, subsequently, NCT) uses rarity to value a project. Each mask has a unique name, which increases its overall rarity level. 

According to the naming rules, a name must be unique, contain alphanumeric symbols; have a maximum of 25 characters, including spaces; be case insensitive; and not contain any trailing spaces. Names are available for selection once a previous user replaces it for another. 

The relevance of the NCT is that it allows holders of the tokens to name their Hashmasks as they want. This name is then permanently stored on the 

, where the project is launched. Instead of being named “Project 1” or “Project 27,” etc., they can be renamed using the native token of the Hashmasks artwork. This has improved receptiveness with public users.

With the NCT, the first collectible is presented with a whole new dimension — where consumer preferences heavily influence the value hierarchy of individual pieces within a collective art form.

Within certain limits, the artwork can be renamed using a token associated with each Hashmask, and as a complement to Hashmask, the naming tokens allow owners to build artwork on top of them.

You can claim the NCTs that the Hashmask sales accumulate if you own one. Every year, each NFT accumulates roughly 3,660 NCTs. You will receive an additional 1,830 NCTs if you participate in the initial contribution period. It takes about 12 years of NFT emission to modify the name of an NFT by submitting 1,830 NCTs to the Hashmasks contract and destroying them.

There are two layers to Hashmasks rarity: Explicit rarity and implicit rarity.

The explicit rarity explains the features that can be seen without any interpretation. A creator provides a list of explicit characteristics, with varying degrees of rarity for each digital art collectible piece.

A common example is that of “man” and “robots.” In the Hashmasks project, you would be more likely to see “men” tokens than “robots,” so tokens with “men” have less explicit rarity than the tokens with “robots.”

Unlike many other NFTs projects, Hashmasks are more related to arts than to collectibles. This way, you cannot predict their value with known variables; rather, the value that accrues to them is difficult to understand. Most of the traits on the Hashmasks tokens are of implicit rarity. The consumer is the one to project their own explanation and interpretation onto the subtle details of the artwork.

In addition to that, the ability to name each project makes it unique and helps to improve both the creator/consumer and consumer/art relationship. Comparison between details — like varying masks, colors, clothing and background designs — makes for subtle yet distinguishable differences between each artwork. 

The Hashmask NFTs have a unique stroke that isn’t predefined, which makes them different from most other projects.

Along with holding the artwork, users accumulate NCT tokens daily, which they can use to name their Hashmasks portraits on the Ethereum network. 

Each Hashmask is produced by more than one artist. This collaborative approach to making digital art with several different artists allows for more inclusiveness. If you’re on

, you would recognize the hype around the project — and it’s the same across other crypto platforms such as 

. Hidden features on each network, and having buyers name the tokens, add to the thrill. 

All Hashmasks NFTs are unique. Allowing community-built growth has allowed for different attributes like varying masks, eye color and backgrounds. Since each one of them is created by a combination of several artists, the means of fair distribution are also unique. At the time of the launch, users didn’t know which Hashmasks NFT they would be assigned until two weeks had passed.

With the NFT space being highly inflated, it’s believed that 95% of all 

 will go bust. Hashmasks NFTs belong to the remaining 5% that would surely make good money for its holders. Everything you need to look for in an NFT project is there: Unique designs, strong community backing and unique value proposition.

Ideally, users would have gotten into the project from the outset … but, as the saying goes: The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second-best time is now. Replace the word “tree” with “Hashmask,” and you’re good to go.

The NCT is integral to the Hashmasks project, as it allows users to not only own their unique living digital art collectible, but also to change the name of that work to whatever they choose. This is where the element of rarity comes in. There are only so many unique names that can be assigned, which means that there will only ever be a limited number of each piece. This provides a sense of community and ownership unmatched in other digital/

 becoming more mainstream, it won’t be long before we start seeing projects with commercial use. Will Hashmasks be one of them? We certainly think so.

Hashmasks NFTs: Setting the Tone for Digital Art Collectibles

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