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

On Jan. 19, at approximately 5:30 a.m. ET, solana (SOL) achieved a record-breaking milestone, climbing to an unprecedented $293 per coin. Since the beginning of Jan., SOL has advanced over 42% in value relative to the U.S. dollar.

$293 Peak High: Solana's Growth Pushes Boundaries Amid Meme Coin Frenzy

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Several financial giants are reportedly filing for crypto-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as they anticipate the departure of Gary Gensler, the chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

VanEck and Others File for Crypto-Related ETFs As Issuers Anticipate Departure of SEC Chair Gary Gensler: Report

Donald Trump's official meme coin blasted above $73 early Sunday as Solana pumped—and Dogecoin dipped further.

Official Trump Solana Meme Coin Triples in Price Amid Binance, Coinbase Listings

Litecoin

A Bloomberg analyst predicted that a Litecoin exchange-traded fund might be the next crypto ETF to win approval from the SEC.

Wave of ETF filings proposes Litecoin ETF, XRP and Solana leveraged funds, and more

Donald Trump's official memecoin hit $44 early Sunday, up more than 900% over the past 24 hours.

Solana Hits $275 Lifetime Peak as Official Trump Memecoin Surges to $8B

Solana is riding the TRUMP wave, jumping to a new all-time high price after the network played host to Donald Trump's official meme coin.

Solana Spikes to All-Time High Price as TRUMP Doubles Dogecoin Trading Volume

A closely followed crypto strategist and trader thinks one Ethereum (ETH) competitor is gearing up for a breakout. Pseudonymous analyst Inmortal tells his 223,100 followers on the social media platform X that Solana (SOL) may be forming a bullish pattern on the daily chart and could surge more than 18% from its current value.

Analyst Says Top Ethereum Rival Is Starting To ‘Look Good Again,' Outlines Path Forward for Bitcoin and Stacks

Solana traded to as high as $268.75 on Saturday morning, according to CoinMarketCap, eclipsing its previously all-time high.

Solana hits new all-time high, DEX tokens surge amid Trump memecoin frenzy

Solana's SOL token rocketed after a meme coin linked to President-elect Donald Trump launched on the popular blockchain network.

Solana surges 12% on launch of Trump-themed memecoin, ether falls

Trader demand for Solana's SOL rose as Donald Trump's so-termed official token was issued on the network.

XRP, Ether Dive as Trump Memecoin Bumps Solana 9% Higher

Donald Trump is promoting a Solana meme coin from his social media accounts. Elaborate hack or a truly wild new era for crypto?

Did Donald Trump Really Just Drop a Solana Meme Coin?

Solana (SOL) and XRP both outperformed the overall crypto market on Thursday amid a report that President-elect Donald Trump is thinking about establishing an “America First” strategic crypto reserve.

XRP and Solana Surge in Price Amid Rumors Trump Is Considering ‘America First' Crypto Reserve: Report

One of the biggest looming questions is will the new administration facilitate the launch of spot ETfs which track the price of Solana.

Solana ETFs: How a 2025 launch could play out

Bonk

Prominent crypto trader Unipcs has argued that Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) flipping Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) this cycle is a real possibility, citing metrics and momentum as reasons for his thesis. What Happened: Unipcs contends that Solana has outperformed Ethereum in transaction volume and on-chain activity, positioning itself as a leader in blockchain adoption.

SOL Has A 50% Of Flipping Ethereum, Bonk To Become The Shiba Inu Of Solana, Trader Posits

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyffart has reflected on the remarkable success of spot Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) ETFs and the potential problems in altcoin ETF approvals in 2025. What Happened: In a recent Blockworks Macro episode, Seyffart pointed out four Bitcoin ETFs now rank in the top 20 ETF launches of all time, with iShares' (NASDAQ:IBIT) leading the way.

Bitcoin ETFs Outperform In First Year, But Solana, XRP ETFs Face Challenges, Expert Says

President-elect Donald Trump is set to move back into the White House on Monday after he officially assumes office, kicking off a flurry of speculation about immediate crypto-relation action, such as support for a U.S. crypto reserve. Benzinga talked to cryptocurrency experts, who are divided on the likelihood of immediate executive orders, but largely bullish on the near-term market outlook.

EXCLUSIVE: How Donald Trump's Crypto Plans Will Bitcoin, XRP, Solana

The sole plaintiff only lost $231 but is looking to represent a much larger group affected by the Peanut the Squirrel meme coin.

Solana Meme Coin Factory Pump.Fun Sued by Peanut the Squirrel Trader

Pepe

Cryptocurrency trader and analyst Ali Martinez is predicting a triple-digit rally for XRP as he offers his insight on two other altcoins. Martinez tells his 113,700 followers on the social media platform X that XRP could skyrocket by 200% from the current level.

Crypto Trader Says One Catalyst Could Trigger XRP To Explode by 200%, Updates Outlook on Solana and Pepe

Prices of SOL and XRP jumped when the New York Post published the rumor on Thursday. SOL, XRP, and USDC Might Join Bitcoin in a Newly Conceived Strategic Crypto Reserve Donald Trump is not a Bitcoin maximalist, he just rubs elbows with them.

Trump May Be Considering SOL, XRP, and USDC Alongside Bitcoin for an ‘America First' Strategic Reserve

Solana's potential for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the U.S. could face significant delays, possibly not launching until 2026.

Solana ETFs May Not Launch in U.S. Until 2026 Due to SEC Lawsuits and Regulatory Delays

Solana protocol Tapestry raised $5.75 million in a Series A round co-led by Union Square Ventures and Fabric Ventures.

Solana-based social graph protocol Tapestry raises $5.75 million in Series A funding

A leak has revealed the incoming Trump administration could create a wider crypto reserve—prioritizing U.S.

Shock Trump Leak Sparks Huge Crypto Price Rally—Boosting Bitcoin, XRP And Solana

Two crypto market observers raised concerns to CoinDesk over the idea of expanding a potential national strategic reserve to altcoins.

Solana, XRP Jump as Trump Reportedly Mulls 'America-First' Strategic Crypto Reserve, but Experts Suggest Otherwise

Bitwise Asset Management has outlined a strong investment case for Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), emphasizing its unique architecture and potential for mass adoption. According to a report titled “The Investment Case for Solana,” Solana's high-speed, low-cost transactions, supported by its innovative monolithic design, make it a standout in the competitive Layer-1 blockchain landscape.

News for Solana Crypto (SOL)