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 Monday, Melville, New York-based SkyAI, a publicly traded U.S. fintech and digital asset treasury firm, announced its complete exit from solana (SOL) and unveiled an ambitious share buyback initiative that could return as much as $201.3 million to investors. This announcement, and others before it, have bolstered SkyAI shares a great deal.

Another Crypto Treasury Waves the White Flag as SkyAI Liquidates Its SOL

SkyAI holds $223.8 million in cash after selling all its SOL, with its $3 buyback running through Oct. 29.

SkyAI sells off entire Solana treasury as it launches $201 million buyback

Ethereum

Tron

Arbitrum

Hyperliquid

Polygon

Tron pulled in $23.41 million in revenue over the past 30 days, more than Ethereum, Solana, Base and six other networks earned together. The Scoreboard Onchain analytics account Lookonchain flagged the ranking earlier today, noting that Tron currently sits at No. 1 among all chains on 24-hour, 7-day and 30-day revenue.

Tron Quietly Outearns Ethereum, Base, Solana and Six More Chains

Fidelity's FCAT found Solana (SOL) validator stake and hosting concentration still exceed the network's own risk limits, pricing an attack at $15 billion.

Solana Stake Concentration Still Tops Foundation's Own Limits, Fidelity Reports

Solana generated $193.1 million in application revenue over the past 30 days, nearly twice Hyperliquid's total, according to Castle Labs research. More importantly, the network's growth is spreading beyond meme coins, with real-world assets surging from $700 million to $4.37 billion in a year. Solana RWAs Surge to $4.

Solana Apps Generate $193M in 30 Days Amid Real-World Assets Surge

The Solana Foundation stated that the Accelerate event was canceled due to a surge in registrations, with people overwhelming the designated venue. Nonetheless, social media reports indicate the presence of law enforcement at the venue, with attendees remaining left outside for hours.

Solana Abruptly Postpones Shanghai Event as Registrations Quadruple

Bitcoin

Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is “wildly undervalued,” according to Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal, even as he admits to also holding Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) and Sui (CRYPTO: SUI). Why Pal Calls Ethereum Undervalued Pal on Thursday told the When Shift Happens podcast that investors value networks the wrong way, focusing on cash flow when that's not what actually makes a network worth something.

Bitcoin, Ethereum or Solana? Raoul Pal Calls One 'Wildly Undervalued'

The establishment of a new Solana Foundation office in one of Shanghai's highest commercial buildings has drawn out criticism from industry leaders, who wonder how China, with its historic anti-crypto stance, allowed a top-ten cryptocurrency to set up shop in the country.

Solana Breaches China's Crypto Wall With New Shanghai Office

Earlier this week, the Solana-focused research and development firm Anza revealed that Solana's highly anticipated upgrade Alpenglow is scheduled to activate on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. According to developers and Solana documentation, Alpenglow is expected to make finality roughly 99% faster.

Solana's Alpenglow Upgrade Arrives Oct. 21 With a Major Speed Boost

Ledger's Atom device will preinstall Solana Mobile's SKR-powered Seeker app and dApp store, the companies announced Thursday at Ledger Op3n 2026 in Paris.

Solana Mobile Taps Ledger as First Hardware Partner for Seeker

Bastion Trading, which owns about 9.99% of SkyAI, is opposing the company's planned $3-per-share tender offer and questioning the sale of roughly 70% of its solana treasury. The investor wants more disclosure, board changes, and a higher tender price of at least $3.50 before it will participate.

Bastion Opposes SkyAI Tender After 70% of Solana Treasury Sold

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) rebounded to $82,000 after dipping below $80,000 on Thursday, while several major altcoins flashed technical buy signals. Where Bitcoin's Liquidation Clusters Sit Glassnode posted on X that Bitcoin is sitting on support, but a large cluster of long liquidations sits just below current levels, with another cluster near $75,000.

Bitcoin Bounces Above $82,000 as XRP, Solana Flash Buy Signals

DeFi Development is raising the dividend rate on its CHAD preferred stock to 14% from 13% as it taps CHAD sales to grow its Solana treasury.

DeFi Development boosts CHAD dividend to 14% amid push to grow Solana holdings

Market analysts say that macro factors are pushing altcoin prices down, after ETH, XRP, and SOL all dropped on the day.

Ethereum, Altcoins See 'Outsized Drawdowns' Due to Macro Pressures

Alpenglow is coming next week, slashing Solana finality from 12.8 seconds to a target of about 150 milliseconds—some 85 times faster.

Morning Minute: Solana Is About To Get Faster

Cosmos

Ledger unveiled Atom, an Android-based security device with Solana Mobile integration, AI-agent controls, and hardware-tampering protections.

Ledger unveils Atom Android device with Solana Mobile integration and new tamper protections amid investigation into modified wallets

Bastion, owner of 9.99% of SkyAI, won't tender into SkyAI's $3 offer unless terms improve, seeking at least $3.50 and details of the firm's SOL sales.

SkyAI Investor Bastion Won't Back $3 Tender, Demands SOL Sale Details

Solana's Alpenglow upgrade replaces the TowerBFT voting system on October 21, cutting finality from 12.8 seconds to a target of 150ms and pulling vote transactions out of blocks entirely.

Solana Sets a Date for Its Next Major Upgrade

SkyAI's SOL treasury fell 70% in under a month, with 400,000 SOL unexplained. Bastion Trading won't tender at $3 a share and wants $3.50.

Major shareholder presses SkyAI on Solana sales after treasury shrinks 70% in a month

The switch will replace Solana's existing validator voting system, remove vote transactions from blocks and could sharply change headline transaction counts even if user activity stays flat.

Solana sets Oct. 21 for Alpenglow upgrade targeting 150-millisecond finality

Anza said Solana's Alpenglow consensus upgrade goes live on mainnet-beta around 14:50 UTC on Oct. 21, replacing TowerBFT and targeting 150ms finality.

Solana's Alpenglow Upgrade to Go Live on Mainnet Oct. 21, Anza Says

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) continues to outperform altcoins like Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), which have dropped between 2% and 5% over the past 24 hours. Only 11 of 66 large-cap altcoins finished last week higher, while Bitcoin dominance climbed toward 59.5%.

Bitcoin Back to $83,000 but Why Are Ethereum, Solana, XRP Weak?

SkyAI plans to buy back as much as 95% of its outstanding shares and warrants for $3 each, using cash and proceeds from selling solana. The move comes after the company sold roughly half its SOL treasury and rejected an unsolicited stock-for-stock bid from Forward Industries.

Solana Treasury Firm SkyAI Plans $201M Share Buyback After SOL Sale

Pando Finance has officially launched its second spot Solana (SOL) exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), offering traditional and institutional investors streamlined access to Solana through conventional brokerage accounts.

Pando Finance Launches Second Solana Spot ETF on Hong Kong Stock Exchange

Nasdaq-listed SkyAI sold about 1M SOL and plans a $3-a-share cash tender for up to 95% of its SKYA stock, conditional in part on Solana holding above $100.

News for Solana Crypto (SOL)