Solana

Solana is an open source project implementing a new, high-performance, permissionless blockchain. Solana is a general purpose blockchain similar to Ethereum. End user applications as of now include decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFT), marketplaces, games, and more. It aims to improve scalability by introducing a proof-of-history (PoH) consensus combined with the underlying proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus of the blockchain.

Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko published a whitepaper describing Proof of History, a technique that would become critical to Solana's blockchain infrastructure, in Nov. 2017. 

Co-founder Greg Fitzgerald, who had worked with Yakovenko at Qualcomm, began prototyping the open source implementation of the whitepaper. It was published under the name Silk in 2018. 

After starting the company under the name Loom, Yakovenko, Fitzgerald, and other co-founders rebranded to Solana. Solana launched on Mainnet Beta in March 2020.

Solana was built to facilitate the development of scalable, user-friendly decentralized apps with low costs and high speeds for transactions.

Solana believes its unique blockchain architecture that combines the proof-of-stake consensus mechanism and its own proof of history mechanism is the key to achieving these goals.

Proof of history works almost like a cryptographic timestamp that proves that an event has occurred at a specific time. It enables the blockchain to work fast while maintaining security and decentralization.

There are about 304 million SOL in circulation as of November 2021. Solana has an initial inflation rate of 8%, which will decrease by 15% a year until it reaches a long-term inflation rate of 1.5%. SOL is Solana’s native token.

Solana competes with other blockchain platforms such as Ethereum and Avalanche to host crypto projects such as NFTs, decentralized exchanges, and gaming. 

Developers and users flocked from Ethereum to Solana due to high transaction costs, but many could gravitate back towards Ethereum if it manages to lower costs, which could happen as a result of the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade and layer 2 rollups. 

Solana.com
Docs.solana.com/history
Forums.solana.com

Solana prices have declined recently, falling to their lowest point of 2025 on Monday, February 24 as numerous bearish variables fueled losses.

Solana Prices Fall Below $150 To Reach Lowest This Year

Bitcoin

Dogecoin

Ethereum

Crypto prices are falling, as Bitcoin and Ethereum lead $686 million worth of liquidations and Solana and Dogecoin show double-digit losses.

Bitcoin, Ethereum Liquidations Surge as Solana, XRP and Dogecoin Plummet

Despite leading the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF markets, BlackRock has yet to file for a spot Solana exchange-traded fund.

BlackRock executive stays mum on potential Solana ETF

Hedera

Hedera (CRYPTO: HBAR) has seen a 35% decline this past month, but the approval process for a spot HBAR ETF has triggered renewed interest among traders. Cryptocurrency Price Market Cap 24-Hour Trend 7-Day Trend Hedera (CRYPTO: HBAR) $0.2139 $8.96 billion +1.8% +1.3% XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) $2.44 $141.4 billion -4.3% -7.4% Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) $0.7253 $25.5 billion -5.2% -8.6% Trader Notes: Crypto trader Javon Marks sees HBAR's first breakout target at $0.504, a 128% increase from current levels.

Hedera Down 35% In A Month, But Jumps Ahead of Dogecoin, XRP, Solana In ETF Race

Solana, the sixth-largest cryptocurrency, has fallen even as multiple asset managers have applied for ETFs based on its spot price.

Solana Plunges to Lowest Price Since October as Meme Momentum Cools

Time.fun founder Kawz claims other platforms could build on top of the concept of tokenized time — and that a token could tie them all together.

Tokenized time platform Time.fun goes live on Solana following Base debut

Polkadot

CoinDesk Indices presents its daily market update, highlighting the performance of leaders and laggards in the CoinDesk 20 Index.

CoinDesk 20 Performance Update: SOL and DOT Drop 6%, Leading Index Lower

The expansion significantly broadens trading options for users, reflecting a friendlier regulatory environment in the U.S.

Wall Street-Backed Crypto Exchange EDX Markets Adds 17 New Cryptocurrencies, Including XRP, SOL, Trump Coin

Over the past month, solana (SOL) has plummeted 36% in value relative to the U.S. dollar, a stark decline that coincides with anticipation of a substantial token release. Five days ahead of an 11.2 million SOL unlock slated for Saturday, March 1, the digital currency's downward trajectory has intensified.

Solana's $1.7B Liquidity Tsunami Looms: SOL Craters 36% Ahead of March 1 Token Release

Bitcoin and ether, the two largest digital assets by market value, remain largely within their recent trading ranges two days after the $1.5 billion hack of Bybit, one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges.

Crypto Daybook Americas: Bybit Hack Fails to Ruffle Feathers, Traders Eye SOL ETF

North Korea's Lazarus Group, the primary suspect behind the $1.4 billion Bybit hack on Feb. 21, has been linked to a series of meme coin scams on Solana's Pump.fun platform.

North Korea's Lazarus Group Linked to $1.4 Billion Bybit Hack and Solana Meme Coin Scams

SOL put options accounted for most of the block trades that crossed the tape on Deribit last week.

Solana Whales Increase Engagement in Bearish Options Plays on Deribit Amid SOL Meltdown and Impending Unlock

Pump.fun is a playground for degens to gamble on AI projects. But experts believe the meme coin platform won't foster true AI innovation.

Will the Next Big AI Innovation Really Come From Pump.fun and Solana Meme Coins?

Franklin Templeton has filed for a Solana ETF, aiming to track SOL's market performance while allowing share purchases with cash or crypto and staking holdings for rewards. Franklin Templeton Files for Solana ETF With SEC Franklin Templeton, through its affiliate Franklin Holdings LLC, filed a registration statement with the U.S.

Franklin Templeton Files for Solana ETF With Staking—Is SOL Set for Institutional Adoption?

A widely followed crypto analyst believes that one Ethereum (ETH) rival may dip lower before having an explosive rally.

Crypto Analyst Says Top Ethereum Competitor To Plunge Lower Before Surging Higher, Updates Outlook on Bitcoin

A survey of FTX creditors reveals a strong inclination to reinvest their repayments in cryptocurrencies, with solana (SOL) being the most popular choice. FTX Creditors' Love Affair With Solana A new survey found that 79% of FTX creditors plan to reinvest their repayments into cryptocurrencies, with 29% of the reimbursed funds allocated for this purpose.

Survey: 62% of FTX Creditors Flock to Solana Amid Reimbursement

Asset manager Franklin Templeton is seeking SEC approval for funds based on the performance of Solana, the sixth-largest coin by market cap.

Franklin Templeton Joins Growing Pile of Solana ETF Applicants

Franklin Templeton filed for an exchange-traded fund on Friday that will track the spot price of Solana , reflecting the growing interest among asset managers to profit from the popularity of cryptocurrencies beyond bitcoin.

Franklin Templeton files for Solana ETF as crypto interest expands beyond bitcoin

Franklin Templeton is looking to include staking in its proposal to the U.S. SEC for a Solana exchange-traded fund.

Franklin Templeton seeks SEC approval for a Solana ETF involving staking

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju has confirmed that altcoin season has officially started, but he notes a major shift in market behavior compared to previous cycles. What Happened: In a post on X on Friday, Ju stated, “Alt season has begun.

'Alt Season Has Begun,' Expert Says, But Will Ethereum, XRP, Solana Benefit?

Crypto markets remain under pressure amid inflation concerns and looming tariff hikes, with Solana facing added volatility ahead of a major token unlock. Crypto Markets Struggle as Inflation Fears and Tariff Tensions Weigh on Sentiment QCP Insights for Feb. 19 showed that inflation fears and escalating tariff tensions continue to dominate global market sentiment.

QCP Insights: Solana Faces Pressure Ahead of 30 Million Token Unlock

Signals for the approval of a spot Solana ETF may come from a few places, and there are specific things that ETF gurus are scrutinizing.

Are Solana ETF Approvals ‘In the Bag'? Experts Weigh In

LIBRA's collapse triggered fraud claims, insider trading accusations, and calls for Argentine President Javier Milei's impeachment.

What is LIBRA? The Solana Meme Coin That Sparked a Political Scandal

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has voiced his disappointment with criticism that Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is “bad and intolerant” for not embracing “blockchain casinos.” What Happened: In response to a query on Tako, Buterin revealed that the criticism is that Ethereum “do not respect casinos” on the blockchain.

Vitalik Buterin Criticizes Blockchain 'Casinos,' Suggests Ethereum Won't Follow Solana's Approach To Meme Coins

Secondary markets for locked tokens refer to platforms or mechanisms where tokens that are under some form of lock-up or vesting schedule.

News for Solana Crypto (SOL)