Here’s what happened in crypto today

Today in crypto, Kenya’s crypto startups fear a Binance-linked lobby group could tilt new regulations in the exchange’s favor under the proposed VASP bill, ETF analysts are confident of REX Shares launching a Solana staking ETF very soon. Meanwhile, Coinbase lands on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies list. Binance ties to Kenyan crypto board raise monopoly concerns: ReportSome crypto startups are raising concerns over Kenya’s proposed virtual asset service providers (VASP) Bill, warning it could hand outsized influence to a Binance-linked lobby group, potentially undermining fair competition in the country’s digital asset industry.According to disclosures seen by The Kenyan Wall Street, a private think tank called the Virtual Asset Chamber of Commerce (VAC) will be included on the regulatory board established under the draft law.Some crypto stakeholders in Kenya claim that VAC has run Binance-sponsored regulatory talks, lacks independence and acts as a proxy for the exchange.“All regulation convos by VAC that happened recently have been sponsored by Binance. Then VAC, a private consulting entity, with a non-compete with Binance ‘magically’ gets a regulatory seat? How is this fair? How is this constitutional?” one stakeholder told The Kenyan Wall Street.‘All systems go’ for Solana staking ETF to launch any moment: AnalystsETF provider REX Shares is on the verge of launching the first-ever Solana staking exchange-traded fund (ETF), following what analysts describe as a successful response to feedback from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).“Rex also filed an updated prospectus, which totally filled in. Add it all up, and it appears as though all systems go for imminent launch,” ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said in an X post on Friday.ETF Store president Nate Geraci said in an X post on the same day that it looks like the SEC are open to REX Shares incredibly rare c-corp business structure used in the fund, which the SEC previously argued conflicts with the 6C-11 rule, also known as “the ETF rule.” Coinbase joins TIME's illustrious list of 100 Most Influential CompaniesCryptocurrency exchange Coinbase was named as one of the most influential companies of 2025 by TIME — a major US-based news publication.The company was labeled as a "disruptor" by TIME and a major source of policy advocacy for the growing crypto industry. The news publication wrote this for the Coinbase bio:"The company, which in May became the first crypto stock to be added to the bellwether S&P 500 index, is a key driver of the industry’s policy efforts in Washington D.C. If industry-friendly bills are passed, Coinbase stands to become an even bigger hub for US crypto activity."Coinbase continues to be a gauge of the health of the crypto industry in the United States, and being featured in publications like TIME signals that the industry is gaining legitimacy.