Expert Predicts Solana Could Surge by Year-End as Institutional Demand Grows

Market Context

In recent years, Bitcoin and Ethereum have been the primary beneficiaries of institutional flows and asset-manager attention. Now, a similar wave appears to be coalescing around Solana. With multiple altcoin projects racing to offer infrastructure for DeFi, tokenization, and high-speed transactions, Solana’s ecosystem is viewed by many as one of the best positioned to scale. Pending regulatory approvals of ETFs and increased corporate exposure are key themes in this shift.
 

Technical Details 

• Institutional Vehicles & Treasury Entities: Forward Industries has been created as an entity to hold, stake, and manage Solana at scale. It is backed by about $1.65 billion from major firms including Galaxy Digital, Jump Crypto, and Multicoin Capital. Kyle Samani of Multicoin is set to lead it.
   
• Solana ETF Filings: There are 16 pending spot ETF applications for SOL at the U.S. SEC—more than any other altcoin—filed by heavyweights such as Grayscale, VanEck, Fidelity, Invesco/Galaxy, and Bitwise. Decisions are expected in October, with potential market impact in Q4.
   
• Corporate Accumulation: Public exposure is growing; a fund called SOL Strategies holds nearly $100 million in SOL. Corporates in total are estimated to control about $1 billion worth of Solana.
   
• Network Performance: Solana has achieved approximately 150-millisecond transaction confirmation times, making it among the fastest chains. Its cost structure, transaction speed, and capacity are cited as favorable for stablecoin activity, tokenization, and high throughput DeFi operations.
   

Analyst Perspectives 

Analysts see Hougan’s thesis as credible given Solana’s improving fundamentals and rising institutional interest. However, they caution that regulatory risk around ETF approvals, possible delays, and macroeconomic headwinds could dampen momentum. The magnitude of any price move also depends on how many of the pending ETFs are approved and how much capital flows into them.

Global Impact Note

If SOL’s momentum continues—and particularly if several spot SOL ETFs are approved—Solana could increasingly attract global capital flows, solidify its role in tokenization and DeFi infrastructure, and rival more established chains. This could also accelerate competitive pressure among blockchains and influence how regulators worldwide evaluate altcoin ETFs and institutional exposure.