Speaking of $SOL, many people probably feel quite conflicted. It fell about 35% throughout 2025, performing the worst among mainstream coins. But there’s an interesting contradiction hidden here: Solana’s on-chain infrastructure is actually incredibly strong, capable of processing over 1100 transactions per second on average, making it one of the top performers among L1 blockchains. The disconnect between its price and fundamentals might actually be the turning point for a rebound in 2026.

Why do I say that? Solana’s rebound story is actually quite clear:

First is the ecosystem engine. The memecoin craze (projects like BONK) attracted a large influx of capital into Solana, with memecoins on Solana accounting for about 15% of the entire memecoin market cap. This isn’t just hype; it’s real capital and user inflow.

Second, Solana has established advantages in high-frequency, consumer-grade application scenarios. These scenarios are highly sensitive to speed and cost, which are exactly Solana’s strengths.

More importantly, new demand is emerging. The AI Agent economy is exploding, and these AI applications have rigid requirements for high-speed, low-cost transactions—precisely what Solana is tailored for. This is a genuine, sustained demand-driven growth.

Based on analyses from multiple institutions, the potential target for SOL in this cycle is in the $400-500 range. In simple terms, Solana’s story is: when will technological efficiency translate into actual price premiums? When will the market be willing to pay for this adoption? The answer might be found in 2026.