This is what the FAQ says about VIP membership:
9. VIP MEMBERSHIP? WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?
VIP membership is a monthly subscription planned to be priced around $10/month. It provides the following perks:
- Discounts on Store items
- Unique cosmetic rewards for accumulated VIP time
- Other vanity rewards we might think of in the future
- Additional study slots
- Increased Knowledge Point gains
10. IS VIP MEMBERSHIP "PAY TO WIN"?
Fractured characters are already competitive from day 1. The core of progression afterwards consists of completing tasks requiring you to travel and perform a wide range of exploration- and experimentation-related activities.
The bonuses from VIP membership have nothing to do with the above, since they only impact the passive โstudying phaseโ that kicks in once the tasks have been completed. Moreover, they've been balanced so that they only speed up progression for "completionists" who want to learn a ton of abilities (beyond what's actually useful for each character). Because of this, VIP membership ultimately has no impact on actual PvP competition, not between individuals nor between guilds.