The blockchain network Solana has engineered a remarkable resurgence, as evidenced by the latest on-chain metrics. In a striking turn of events, the number of daily active wallets on Solana has now surpassed that of Ethereum, the trailblazing smart contract platform. This upward trajectory in user engagement comes at a time when the value of Solana’s native token, SOL, is experiencing vigorous growth, breaching successive technical resistance levels over recent months.
Artemis statistics, interpreted by Step Data Insights, reveal that daily active wallets on Solana are averaging around 400,000, just outpacing those on Ethereum. The surge of active engagement indicates that an increasing number of users are flocking to Solana, seeking to leverage its ecosystem’s offerings, including decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other burgeoning protocols.
Artemis has further noted that, in terms of sheer volume, Solana is outperforming Ethereum with respect to daily transactions. While Ethereum still maintains a stronghold in the DeFi sphere with a larger total value locked (TVL), Solana’s competitive edge of lower transaction costs and a scalable infrastructure appears to be a significant draw for those opting to transact on this high-speed network.
The catalyst behind Solana’s revival could be attributed to the favorable bullish momentum seen in the cryptocurrency market during the last quarter of 2023. Specifically, SOL’s valuation has soared by over 210% within a three-month span. Comparatively, ETH has seen a more modest appreciation of 39% during the same timeframe. For instance, SOL’s price ascended from about $17 to a peak of around $70, while ETH’s price grew from roughly $1,500 to a high near $2,300, as recorded on December 6.
This robust recovery is a testament to growing investor confidence in Solana. The future, however, remains uncertain as to whether SOL will continue this upward climb. From a technical analysis standpoint, the SOL price has shown horizontal movement for some time before showing signs of potential upward stabilization in the final months of the year.
Another factor contributing to the race among altcoins and Solana’s gains is the general buoyancy within the crypto market. Despite a ruling that allows the FTX estate to sell off Solana tokens to reimburse creditors, the coin has held strong. The market’s optimism, fueled in part by the possibility of the SEC greenlighting the first Bitcoin ETF, has spilled over to benefit Solana as well.
Furthermore, advancements in network technology, such as the introduction of Firedancer by Jump Crypto on its testnet, have bolstered Solana’s value proposition. This validator client promises to enhance the network’s resilience and performance upon its scheduled operational release in the first half of 2024. Enthusiasm around this development is based on the expectation that Firedancer will significantly improve network reliability, further solidifying the foundational blocks for Solana’s future growth.