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Yakovenko’s caution reminds investors that long-term growth relies on more than hype—ecosystem retention and yield incentives still need strengthening.
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Despite strong DeFi growth and rising stablecoin flows, SOL’s rally depends on continued development, user activity, and strategic ecosystem expansion.
According to recent reports, Solana founder pushes back on hype. Despite its impressive performance, co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko urges caution, emphasizing that sustained growth requires more than just speed and low fees. What does it mean for SOL investors?
Following a recent CNF update—a narrative about President Trump’s return reigniting the crypto hype—what’s next for Solana includes a review of Ali Martinez’s analysis, suggesting that:
When SOL took a nosedive to $180 before bouncing back to its current position at $193, holding above this point could strengthen the uptrend and potentially push the asset to $387. For this prediction to materialize, SOL would have to surge by around 90% from its current level, supported by stronger volume and renewed demand.
A Surge in DeFi Activity
Some updates also suggest that Solana’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem has experienced significant growth, with total value locked (TVL) reaching $8.6 billion in Q4 2024—a 486% year-over-year increase.
This surge is attributed to the popularity of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) like Raydium and Jupiter, which have benefited from the trading frenzy around memecoins and AI-related tokens.
Stablecoin Supply Hits New Highs
In addition, according to a recent tweet by Solana, No press release. No victory lap. Just facts: Solana apps pulled in over 70% of crypto’s app revenue last week.
No press release. No victory lap. Just facts: Solana apps pulled in over 70% of crypto’s app revenue last week 🚢
And that was just the beginning — here’s what you all shipped:
– @_ryanrconnor from Blockworks Research showed that apps powered by Solana accounted for over 70% of… pic.twitter.com/sWcojD1lVi
— Solana (@solana) April 19, 2025
Furthermore, the stablecoin supply on Solana has reached unprecedented levels, surpassing $12.17 billion. This influx of stablecoins—particularly USDC—has already provided ample liquidity for trading and DeFi activities, further solidifying Solana’s position in the crypto market.
Solana has maintained its lead in DEX trading volumes for five consecutive months, recording $105.85 billion in February 2025. This dominance is fueled by high retail trader activity, with Solana-based DEXs commanding 48% of total DEX volume.
Cautious Optimism for SOL Investors
While the metrics are promising, Yakovenko emphasizes that true dominance requires converting high engagement into long-term retention.
Nevertheless, as CNF hinted, Solana gained big network momentum last week—whether a SOL price rally is coming remains to be seen.
Validator incentives remain modest, with annual rewards around $35,000 per validator, indicating room for improvement in staking yields.
For SOL investors, the current price of $140.69 reflects strong market interest, with an increase of 4.95% in the past week. See SOL price chart below:
