Solana News Today: "Solana Staking Yields Bridge TradFi-DeFi Gap as Firms Allocate $500M to Treasuries"

A Solana (SOL) whale with a long-term position dating back four years has continued to capitalize on the cryptocurrency's gains, transferring 100,000 SOL to Binance this week. At current prices, the move translates to approximately $18.11 million in proceeds, according to on-chain analytics firm Pyth Network. This follows the whale's initial stake of 991,000 SOL, which was unlocked in April, signaling a disciplined approach to harvesting profits while maintaining a strategic exposure to the asset, according to a Coinotag report.

The transaction underscores growing institutional confidence in Solana, a blockchain platform known for its high throughput and low transaction costs. Reliance Global Group (Nasdaq: RELI) has further reinforced this trend by expanding its digital asset reserves to include SOL. The firm's acquisition aligns with a broader strategy to diversify its crypto portfolio, which already includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and XRP. Reliance cited Solana's architecture as a key factor, noting its rapid settlement times and competitive fees as advantages for liquidity management and risk mitigation, Cardanofeed reported.

Meanwhile, Mercer Park Opportunities Corp., a Cayman Islands-based SPAC, is set to acquire Cube Group, Inc., a hybrid digital asset exchange platform, in a $300 million deal. The merged entity plans to establish a $500 million SOL treasury, using shares as consideration. This treasury will focus on generating yield via staking, with projected annual returns of 7-9%. The initiative mirrors similar strategies employed by other firms, including SOL Strategies Inc. and Forward Industries, which have leveraged Solana's staking yields to create sustainable revenue streams, Cryptopolitan reported.

Regulatory developments have also bolstered corporate adoption of crypto treasuries. The Financial Accounting Standards Board's 2025 adoption of fair-value accounting for digital assets has removed reporting barriers, making it easier for firms to hold crypto without double taxation. This shift has been particularly beneficial for Solana, whose staking yields of around 6.86% offer an active income alternative to passive store-of-value strategies like Bitcoin reserves.

While Solana's ecosystem gains traction, XRP-Ripple's native token-has also seen significant institutional interest. Despite delays in SEC ETF approvals due to a government shutdown, XRP whales have accumulated $560 million in the past week. This surge coincides with the launch of ETFs like Rex-Osprey's XRP fund, which surpassed $100 million in assets under management, and Teucrium's leveraged XRP ETF, which has drawn $366 million in net assets. Analysts attribute this momentum to expectations of eventual ETF approvals once the SEC resumes operations, according to a Yahoo Finance article.

The confluence of institutional buying, staking yields, and regulatory clarity suggests crypto is becoming an integral part of traditional finance strategies. As more firms allocate capital to digital assets, the lines between TradFi and DeFi continue to blur, with Solana and XRP emerging as key players in the evolving landscape.