As Institutional Interest Grows, Will Solana Rally Soon?

Solana is experiencing a significant transformation as large institutional investors increasingly enter the network. Originally seen as a high-performance Layer-1 blockchain favored by retail users and developers, Solana is now drawing substantial investments from professional funds, asset managers, and institutional investors. This shift strengthens the narrative around SOL accumulation, highlighting it as an upcoming institutional liquidity and infrastructure opportunity.

Key Takeaways

Increasing institutional interest in Solana is driving significant SOL accumulation.
Key firms have invested substantial amounts into SOL, indicating a strong future potential.
Solana's recent technical upgrades and partnerships with established companies enhance its appeal.
On-chain metrics show impressive growth in revenue and active users, signaling real-world adoption.

Solana

Why Are Institutions Turning to Solana?

In a recent X post, analyst Rex emphasized that the growing interest from institutional players in Solana supports claims made by fellow analyst Solana Sensei, indicating that major firms are actively accumulating SOL tokens. Notably, Forward Industry has secured nearly $1 billion in SOL, while companies like Defidevcorp hold hundreds of millions.

Rex considers this development to be just the beginning, pointing out that SOL is particularly distinguished in the field of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. With its remarkable transaction speeds, minimal fees, and genuine scalability, Solana presents a viable option for moving real assets onto the blockchain. The choice of SOL by these projects signifies a deliberate decision, as they recognize the direction of future developments.

Reflecting on Solana's evolution, Rex mentioned its previous reputation for being fast yet overly centralized. Currently, however, the same institutions that once hesitated are now quietly accumulating billions in SOL, suggesting that a significant rally has yet to unfold. It’s possible that SOL could soon reach unimaginable heights in the coming years. “Super proud to be part of this,” Rex stated.

Solana
Source: Chart from Rex on X

While many remain focused on the volatility expected in 2025, senior analyst Senior noted that Solana has kicked off 2026 by finally fulfilling its major technical promise. The Firedancer validator client officially launched on the mainnet in January 2026, reducing the network's finality to 150 milliseconds and effectively addressing long-standing performance and beta concerns.

Further bolstering Solana's institutional appeal, Western Union has officially integrated with the SOL network. Additionally, the Spot SOL ETF has surpassed $1 billion in total net assets this week, indicating that the infrastructure has reached true institutional-grade standards. Historically, the moment SOL transitions from a retail-centric platform to a reliable global financial rail, its resilience will become abundantly clear.

Growth in On-Chain Activity Signals Real-World Usage

Solana’s metrics indicate substantial growth. Lark Davis, an investor and founder of Inner Circle, disclosed that SOL application revenue has surged to $2.39 billion, marking a 46% year-over-year increase and achieving an all-time high in 2025. Moreover, the SOL network's revenue reached $1.48 billion, reflecting a remarkable 48-fold increase over the last two years. Daily active wallets have also risen to 3.2 million, demonstrating that Solana's growth trajectory is improving.

On January 6th, nearly $900 million in stablecoin entered the SOL ecosystem within a single day. Currently, Solana leads all blockchains in both 24-hour and 30-day decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes and has emerged as the top blockchain by market capitalization for tokenized stocks.

Solana
SOL trading at $138 on the 1D chart | Source: SOLUSDT on Tradingview.com