Solana News Today: Regulators Shift, Tech Upgrades—Why Solana and XRP Are Rivals for the Future

Solana (SOL) and XRP continue to attract significant investor attention amid evolving market dynamics and regulatory developments. Solana’s price recently surged over 36% to an intraday high of $210, driven by bullish technical indicators and a record $13.68 billion in open interest (OI) in futures markets, signaling strong speculative interest. Analysts suggest that if Solana breaks above the $210 resistance level, it could continue toward $260 and potentially reach $1,000 if it breaches the $330 upper trend line on a weekly chart [1]. This technical outlook aligns with the emergence of a bullish megaphone pattern and a confirmed cup-and-handle breakout, both of which historically lead to strong price momentum [1].

The technical optimism is supported by the recent approval of the Alpenglow upgrade, a significant milestone for Solana’s network performance. With 98.27% support, the upgrade drastically reduces transaction finality from 12.8 seconds to 150 milliseconds, improving throughput to 107,540 TPS. This enhancement positions Solana more competitively against Ethereum and could accelerate institutional adoption and decentralized finance (DeFi) growth, potentially driving the price higher in 2025 [1]. However, on-chain activity has not yet reflected this bullish momentum. Over the past 30 days, Solana’s transaction count dropped by 99%, while Ethereum transactions increased by 39%, according to Nansen data. Additionally, decentralized exchange (DEX) activity on Solana fell by 65%, indicating a cooling in network usage [1].

Despite these challenges, the broader bullish narrative for Solana remains intact, with daily trading volumes holding steady at around $6 billion. A breakout above the $215-$220 resistance could push the price toward $236-$252, with some analysts projecting levels as high as $260. The potential approval of a spot Solana ETF, with a 99% probability according to Polymarket, is seen as a major catalyst for institutional inflows [2]. If approved, the ETF could provide a new avenue for retail and institutional investors to gain exposure to Solana, potentially accelerating price discovery and adoption.

XRP, meanwhile, has emerged as another undervalued asset with long-term potential. The recent resolution of Ripple’s four-year legal battle with the SEC has removed a major regulatory overhang, reducing the risk for investors. Judge Analisa Torres ruled that XRP sold on exchanges is not a security, citing contributions from the XRP Army—retail investors and legal experts who provided critical support to Ripple’s case [3]. The token has since stabilized near $2.85, down nearly 1% in the past 24 hours, but remains well below its all-time high of $3.65 hit in July 2025 [3]. XRP’s appeal lies in its role within the XRP Ledger (XRPL), which offers fast, low-cost, and compliant transaction settlement, making it attractive to financial institutions. Ripple’s ongoing efforts to integrate its stablecoin on the XRPL could further enhance the token’s utility and institutional adoption [4].

Investment rationale for XRP hinges on its potential to become the backbone of cross-border financial transactions. With built-in regulatory tools and a low reserve requirement, the XRP Ledger is designed to meet the compliance needs of banks and currency exchangers. While the token faces competition from other blockchain platforms, its unique position in the institutional space and recent regulatory clarity make it a compelling long-term hold. However, it should be viewed as a higher-risk, higher-reward play within a broader crypto portfolio, particularly when compared to Bitcoin, which remains a more conservative store of value [4].

Source: [1] Solana Open Interest Hits $13B All-time High (https://cointelegraph.com/news/solana-charts-1000-sol-price-target-open-interest-all-time-highs) [2] Solana Price Stuck Below $210, Breakout Ahead as ETF Approval Odds Hit 99%? (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/solana-price-stuck-below-210-144832098.html) [3] XRP Army Credited with Helping Ripple Tilt Case Against SEC (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/09/04/xrp-army-credited-with-helping-ripple-tilt-case-against-sec) [4] Is XRP the Smartest Cryptocurrency to Buy With $1000 Right Now? (https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/xrp-smartest-cryptocurrency-buy-1000-right-now)