While liquidations and uncertainty have weighed down the broader crypto market, Solana (SOL) is emerging as one of the strongest performers, showing resilience around the $180 zone. Unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, which have struggled to reclaim momentum, Solana’s ecosystem is expanding rapidly, attracting liquidity, institutional products, and community-driven innovation.
This combination of network strength, DeFi dominance, and increasing institutional exposure signals that Solana is not just holding ground—it is gearing up for a decisive breakout that could propel the SOL price toward the $250 mark.
Key Drivers Behind Solana’s Strength
- DeFi Expansion: HumidiFi has become the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) on Solana, highlighting the network’s growing dominance in decentralized finance. Bitlayer’s YBTC has integrated into Solana’s DeFi ecosystem via Kamino Finance and Orca, merging Bitcoin-based assets with Solana’s speed and efficiency.
- Cross-Chain Interoperability: 1inch launched trustless Solana-to-EVM swaps, removing the need for bridges and simplifying cross-chain token transfers. This advancement strengthens Solana’s position as a central liquidity hub across multiple blockchain networks.
- Institutional Access & Derivatives: Coinbase has introduced regulated Solana perpetual futures in the U.S., offering up to 10x leverage. This opens the doors for greater institutional and retail exposure to SOL’s price action.
- Community & Memecoin Activity: The Wall Street Pepe (WEPE) memecoin expansion onto Solana brings NFT integrations and user-driven engagement, boosting on-chain activity.
- Regulatory Outlook: Although the SEC delayed decisions on Solana ETFs until October, the growing anticipation could act as a powerful bullish catalyst in the coming weeks.
On-Chain Developments Also Highlight Strength
Beyond ecosystem growth, Solana’s on-chain activity is showing remarkable momentum, further reinforcing its bullish outlook. Over the past few days, transaction volume has surged by more than 32%, crossing 590 million, while the number of active addresses has climbed above 24 million, a 5.3% jump. Network demand is also reflected in fees, which spiked 44% to $7.68 million, indicating strong utility and rising participation.
At the same time, Solana’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has grown by nearly 50%, approaching the $9 billion mark, supported by more than 3.3 million active wallets in the DeFi space. The memecoin sector is also adding fuel, with Solana-native token $BONK soaring 22% in a single day, signalling renewed retail enthusiasm and NFT-driven engagement. Interestingly, on-chain data shows a surge in new wallet accumulation during price dips, as short-term holders increased significantly, forming a strong support cluster between $175 and $180.
Is Solana’s Bullish Setup Pointing to a $250 Breakout or a Deeper Correction?
The recent pullback has caused a significant loss within the markets, with the prices of the top cryptos plunging below or close to their respective support ranges. Meanwhile, the Solana price sustained within the range and is now heading towards the apex of the consolidation. A continued price squeeze is expected to offer the required boosts to the SOL price rally that may help the token to secure the range above $200.
The weekly price action of Solana raises some concerns, as the price continues to trade just above the pivotal resistance zone between $177 and $181. The fear of a pullback rises as the weekly supertrend has turned bearish for the first time since December 2023, and if the previous pattern repeats, the price is feared to enter a prolonged consolidation phase. This could keep the levels accumulated below $150 for th next few months. Moreover, the weekly RSI is displaying bearish divergence, substantiating the bearish claim.
Therefore, the upcoming weekly close is extremely crucial for the Solana (SOL) price rally, as a close above $200 may invalidate the bearish claim. Whereas a close below $180 may invite bearish influence, driving the price as low as $155 or $150.
