Solana’s Path to Recovery in 2026: From TPS to BONK

As we enter 2026, it's time to reflect on the previous year. Despite significant market volatility, some noteworthy trends emerged, paving the way for potential market rallies. Solana [SOL] serves as a prime example. Last year, SOL exhibited a stark contrast between its underlying strengths and its market performance.

Key Takeaways

Market Performance vs. Fundamentals: Solana's performance did not reflect its strong metrics, finishing 2025 as the worst asset despite leading in transactions per second.
High Transactions Per Second (TPS): Solana averaged 1.1k TPS in 2025, significantly outperforming other networks like Binance Smart Chain.
Memecoin Surge: A resurgence of memecoins in 2026 is resulting in increased capital inflows to Solana, with BONK leading the charge.
Potential for 2026: With strong transaction capabilities and rising memecoin activity, there’s potential for Solana’s price to align more closely with its fundamentals.

From TPS to BONK: Here's how Solana can catch up in 2026!

That disconnect is evident as Solana finished 2025 as the "worst-performing asset," experiencing a 34.16% decline. However, it still led Layer 1s in key on-chain metrics, indicating robust activity that the market hasn't fully appreciated.

Solana Source: DeFi Development Corp.

Solana's L1 Dominance Amid Memecoin Resurgence

Memecoins have made a strong return this cycle. Just days into 2026, the total market cap for memecoins has risen by around 30%, signaling renewed investor interest. As Solana is a key host for popular memecoins, the network is witnessing substantial capital inflows.

Leading the charge is Bonk [BONK], which has experienced a 58% weekly increase. However, the real excitement is found among Solana's launchpads, which reached a three-month trading volume high of $228 million, with LetsBonk.fun accounting for nearly 73% of those inflows.

memecoins Source: Blockworks

In summary, Solana is currently experiencing a notable resurgence in the memecoin sector.

Why is this significant? Solana comprises about 15% of the overall memecoin market cap, and its top two launchpads alone saw trading volumes of $220 million. This accounts for nearly 97% of memecoin activity on the network.

Solana’s TPS plays a crucial role in this resurgence. After a year of strong speed performance in 2025, the current memecoin rally is not a coincidence. It emphasizes Solana’s strength in handling transactions effectively, marking a key distinction for potential growth in 2026.

Conclusion

As we look to the future, the combination of Solana's impressive transaction capabilities and the revival of memecoins could lead to a stronger alignment between its market price and underlying fundamentals. Investors and enthusiasts alike should keep an eye on Solana as it navigates 2026.