SOL Gains 2.5% Amid Flat Crypto Market; Analysts Target $150–$180 by Early 2026

• Solana (SOL) rose 2.5% in the last 24 hours, trading near $145, while the broader crypto market remained flat according to Yahoo Finance.
• Open interest and trading volumes for Solana futures stood at $8.7Bn and $19.7Bn respectively, indicating strong trader positioning according to Yahoo Finance.
• Analysts predict a bullish trend for Solana, with price targets of $150–$180 in early 2026 supported by technical indicators and market sentiment as reported by MEXC.

Solana's recent performance reflects its strong position in a generally stagnant market. Despite a -0.72% decline in the total crypto market cap to $3.189Tn, Solana's relative strength is notable according to Yahoo Finance. The platform has recorded $4.69Bn in decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume, with $32.5M in liquidations over the past 24 hours according to Yahoo Finance.

Analysts have identified key technical levels for Solana, including a critical $148 resistance breakout point. The RSI stands at a neutral 60.6, suggesting the asset could continue its upward trajectory in the near term as reported by MEXC.

Institutional interest is also rising, with Morgan Stanley filing for ETFs linked to Bitcoin and Solana according to Yahoo Finance. This move underscores the appeal of regulated exposure to leading digital assets among major financial institutions. Meanwhile, the broader Solana ecosystem is seeing developments that enhance its utility and adoption.

The Solana network has seen significant airdrops, validator improvements, and increased tokenized asset trading. For instance, Solana Mobile announced a 2 billion $SKR airdrop, while validator performance metrics highlight ongoing challenges in aligning with long-term network goals as reported by Solflare. Tokenized stock volume on Solana is also on the rise, with real-world asset (RWA) finance gaining traction as reported by Solflare.

Infrastructure developments are also shaping Solana's growth. In October 2025, Solana connected to global omnichain USDT liquidity via Legacy Mesh, enabling access to $175 billion in stablecoin liquidity according to Solana's official announcement. This integration reduces operational costs and friction for institutions and applications reliant on stablecoin liquidity. Additionally, DFlow's Prediction Markets API has expanded Solana's composability by connecting Kalshi's prediction markets according to Solana's official announcement.

Solana's infrastructure is also supporting real-world decentralized applications. Helium, a decentralized wireless network, is leveraging Solana's high-throughput and low-cost environment to scale its hardware nodes efficiently according to Solana's official announcement. This case study highlights Solana's versatility beyond financial applications and into physical infrastructure.

Network health and decentralization remain a focus for Solana. The June 2025 Solana Network Health Report outlines key metrics such as throughput, transaction speeds, and validator performance, providing stakeholders with insights into the platform's stability and growth according to Solana's official announcement. The report confirms Solana's robust performance and scalability as it continues to expand its decentralized ecosystem.

Security and accessibility are also improving, with non-custodial wallets like Best Wallet offering features such as staking, token swaps, and phishing detection according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch. These wallets emphasize user control and safety, aligning with the growing importance of user experience in the crypto space.

Solana's ongoing developments and strong market performance suggest a continued trajectory of growth and adoption. With institutional interest rising and infrastructure improvements enhancing usability, the platform is well-positioned to expand its role in both financial and real-world applications.

Why Is Solana Outperforming a Flat Market Now?