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Solana Projected To Reach $500 This Year Despite Market Meltdown, Expert Predicts

Solana (SOL), currently ranked as the fifth largest cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of $56 billion, has experienced a significant decline amid the recent market meltdown affecting the digital asset space. 

Over the past 24 hours, SOL has witnessed an 8% drop, reflecting the broader market downturn. Despite this setback, experts believe that if the cryptocurrency maintains support above the $120 price level, it holds notable potential for a strong price recovery in the coming months.

Bullish Price Outlook And Key Support Levels To Watch 

After reaching a yearly high of $209 on March 18, SOL’s current trading price is $124. However, according to crypto market experts, SOL still has a promising outlook. 

Altcoin Sherpa, a renowned analyst, suggests that if the altcoin market continues to decline, the $120 price level may become an area of significant interest for SOL. 

Altcoin Sherpa maintains a bullish sentiment, strongly believing that SOL can potentially exceed $500 this year. Such a surge would represent a significant 300% price increase from current levels, building upon the impressive 426% year-to-date price growth. 

It is worth noting that this projection is nearly double SOL’s previous all-time high (ATH) of $259, reached during the last crypto market bull run in November 2021.

Solana

In addition to the analyst’s focus on the $120 price mark, other major resistance levels for SOL have been identified. These include $110, $102, and the critical long-term support level at $74, representing SOL’s uptrend structure over the past six months. 

Solana Dominates Blockchain Trading Volume

According to a recent CoinGecko report, Solana has secured its position as the second-largest blockchain by trading volume, commanding a substantial 21.3% market share in March 2024. 

The blockchain platform experienced a notable monthly growth of 244.8%, with trading volume surging to $40.05 billion, a significant increase from $11.61 billion in February. 

Solana’s performance in the first quarter of 2024 was equally significant. It accounted for 14.4% of all decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume, totaling $62.31 billion. 

This represents a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth of 242.7% compared to the previous quarter’s volume of $18.18 billion. Despite strong growth, Solana’s market share in the same quarter ranked fourth, trailing behind Binance Smart Chain (BSC).

Solana

According to CoinGecko, Solana’s trading volume has been greatly bolstered by several factors. Firstly, the doubling in the price of Solana’s native token, SOL, has attracted increased attention and trading activity on the platform. 

Additionally, the network has witnessed large airdrops from projects such as Jito (JTO) and Jupiter (JUP), further fueling trading volume. Moreover, the surge in memecoins on the Solana network has significantly contributed to its trading volume. 

Notably, the launch of Book of Memes (BOME) in March proved successful, as it achieved a market capitalization of $1 billion within two days. BOME also secured listings on crypto exchanges like Binance and Bybit, further amplifying trading activity on Solana.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Solana Price Jumps 7% On Bitcoin And Ethereum ETF Approvals, Network Congestion Update

Solana’s price saw a notable recovery on Monday after a steep decline over the past seven days. This was supported by positive developments in the Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) markets, which came alongside the approval of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for both cryptocurrencies in Hong Kong. 

Additionally, Solana addressed its ongoing network congestion issues with a new update, aiming to rectify transaction failures and outages.

New Update Tackling Implementation Bug

According to Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius Labs, Solana’s recent network congestion issues were attributed to an implementation bug rather than a fundamental design flaw. Mumtaz clarified that Solana’s current predicament results from a flaw in implementing a specific protocol. 

According to Anza, a spin-off of Solana Labs, Solana has released a new update to its validator client software to combat this. The update, v1.17.31, aims to reduce network congestion and will be followed by further improvements in v1.18.

Anza emphasized the update’s significance, urging MainnetBeta validators to adopt it. The enhancements introduced in the update are expected to mitigate Solana’s ongoing network congestion issues. 

Furthermore, validators were advised to upgrade their systems when there is less than 5% delinquent stake, ensuring they have sufficient time to monitor the node after the upgrade.

Any issues encountered during the upgrade were to be reported to ⁠mb-validators. Solana Status, a trusted source, corroborated the announcement, recommending the v1.17.31 release for general use.

Trent.sol, Solana’s developer and operations manager, emphasized that the effectiveness of the update would be proportional to its adoption across the network. 

While the improvements primarily target Solana’s Stake Weighted Quality of Service (SWQOS) and may not result in significant changes to the reliability of unstacked Tensor processing units (TPU) traffic, Solana users were advised to keep delinquency below 5% during the upgrade process. 

Furthermore, Anza hinted at additional enhancements in the pipeline, urging users to stay tuned for further updates.

Solana Price Rebounds With 7% Surge

After unveiling updates to enhance network efficiency, the Solana price has surged by over 7%. This surge has helped offset the ongoing downtrend experienced by Solana, which amounted to nearly 21% over the past month. 

In addition, the Hong Kong SFC has officially approved several spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, including asset managers such as China Asset Management, Bosera Capital, HashKey Capital Limited, and an in-principle approval for Harvest Global Investments. 

This regulatory approval has not only positively impacted the prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum but has also instilled a sense of positivity in the overall cryptocurrency market. As a result, the top 10 cryptocurrencies have witnessed significant uptrends, riding on the wave of these developments.

Despite the recent surge in Solana’s price, SOL’s trading volume has decreased by -44.70% in the last 24 hours, indicating a recent decline in market activity, according to CoinGecko data. 

Solana’s current trading price of $151.40 presents the first obstacle in the cryptocurrency’s path toward further price gains. If this hurdle is surpassed, the next significant resistance lies at $170, which would signify a recovery of SOL’s gains recorded over the past month. 

On the other hand, the $130 mark has proven to be a strong support level for Solana, representing the foundation of SOL’s one-month bullish structure, which propelled its price rally to nearly three-year highs of $210 on March 18.

Solana Price

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Altcoins Hotlist: Expert Identifies Top 6 Coins To Track Amid Bitcoin’s Rise To $72,000

As Bitcoin (BTC) continues its upward trajectory, regaining its bullish momentum after brief range-bound price action and inching closer to its all-time high (ATH) of $73,700, crypto analyst Miles Deutscher shared insights on several altcoins to watch for potential gains this week. 

Altcoins With Strong Potential

First, Deutscher observes a robust recovery in Bitcoin following its recent dip below the $65,000 level on April 3rd. The analyst notes that Bitcoin’s structure appears positive, with $73,8000 being the critical level to watch as it represents the previous ATH and the cryptocurrency’s last resistance before further gains. 

According to Deutscher’s analysis, BTC’s ability to break through this level could signal further upward momentum for the market leader.

Despite recent network congestion issues, Deutscher remains optimistic about Solana’s long-term prospects, as it is the first of several altcoins on the analyst’s radar this week, promising further gains on top of its already 23% uptrend over the past month. 

Altcoins

The analyst highlights that sentiment around Solana has deteriorated slightly but emphasizes that these issues are unlikely to significantly impact the medium to long term.

Next on the list, Deutscher identifies BTC’s equivalent to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Ordinals, as a strong performer within the BRC-20/BTC narrative ecosystem.  

With the Bitcoin halving scheduled for the last half of April just days away, Deutscher remains bullish on the ORDI token ahead of the event. While the narrative surrounding the halving remains relatively quiet, Deutscher continues to suggest that Ordinals stands out as a leader in the space.

Orion And Altlayer

Deutscher has expressed interest in Altlayer, an altcoin closely associated with the EigenLayer protocol, due to recent rumors surrounding the upcoming EigenLayer airdrop. According to the analyst, Altlayer’s proximity to the airdrop and its involvement in the restaking narrative contributes to its appeal. 

Given these anticipated developments, Deutscher sees a potential boost for the token as the market prepares for the airdrop. The token is up 14% in the last month alone and over 4% in the previous 24 hours. 

Similarly, Deutscher highlights ORN as the first restaking rollup on EigenLayer and emphasizes the limited opportunities to get exposure to EigenLayer before its official launch. 

This factor, combined with Orion’s rebranding to LUMIA, has attracted positive market sentiment, the analyst said, noting that recent weeks have demonstrated the market’s positive response to token rebrands, further increasing Orion’s potential.

Dogecoin’s ‘Doge Day’

Next on the altcoin watchlist, Deutscher notes the upcoming “Doge Day” on April 20, which has historically seen increased interest and speculation surrounding the dog-themed meme coin. 

According to the analyst, the possibility of Elon Musk tweeting about the meme-inspired cryptocurrency has fueled expectations for potential price moves. Deutscher suggests monitoring DOGE for strength and considering it as a viable short-term trading opportunity.

Finally, Deutscher points to previous instances where early altcoins airdrop participants experienced initial selling pressure, followed by potential rebounds. 

Wormhole’s native token, W, is facing a similar scenario as the token has fallen over 30% since trading began on April 3. Deutscher advises watching how the token reacts around the significant support level of $1. 

Once the initial selling pressure potentially subsides, Deutscher notes that a positive reaction can be expected, but whether the $1 support holds will be key to determining the cryptocurrency’s next moves. 

Altcoins

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FTX Estate Offloads $1.9 Billion Worth Of Locked Solana (SOL) Tokens In Sale

In a significant development, FTX bankruptcy trustees have reportedly sold about two-thirds of a $2.6 billion stash of Solana (SOL) at a “deeply discounted price.” 

Industry figures such as Galaxy Trading and Pantera Capital were among the investors involved in the deal, according to people familiar with the matter, as reported by Bloomberg.

SOL Tokens’ Four-Year Journey

Per the report, the FTX estate was able to sell between 25 million and 30 million locked-up Solana coins at $64 each, generating up to $1.9 billion in proceeds for the estate. 

Under Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital, Galaxy Trading managed to raise approximately $620 million for a fund established to purchase SOL from the FTX estate. According to the report, investors in the vehicle will be subject to a 1% management fee, and the investment will offer a yield through staking.

It is worth noting that the 41 million Solana tokens sold by the FTX estate are locked according to a pre-agreed vesting period, preventing them from being available for trading on the market. 

According to Bloomberg, these tokens will gradually become available for sale over the course of four years, which could significantly impact SOL’s price action. However, as the tokens remain locked, SOL’s 739% year-to-date (YTD) uptrend remains intact, and the possibility for further gains remains in the cards.

Solana Sale Garners Interest From Prominent Figures

FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried, convicted of fraud and sentenced to 25 years in prison, was a major supporter of SOL. 

As previously reported, Bankman-Fried has actively engaged with guards at the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he is currently incarcerated. He offers investment advice and recommends SOL as a potential opportunity, demonstrating his bullish sentiment on the protocol. 

The token, which operates on the Solana blockchain, constituted a significant portion of the digital assets stranded on the collapsed exchange, creating shockwaves throughout the crypto markets. 

In addition to Galaxy Digital, Bloomberg notes that selling SOL tokens has attracted the attention of Pantera Capital. This $5.2 billion asset manager has reportedly raised capital for a special fund to acquire up to $250 million of SOL from the FTX estate. 

Vancouver-based Neptune Digital Assets Corp. also announced the purchase of 26,964 SOL tokens for $1.7 million on March 27. However, FTX creditors are concerned they will be under-compensated in the SOL sale process. 

Creditors Dispute FTX Bankruptcy Ruling

In January, the judge overseeing the bankruptcy case ruled that the amount of each claim should be based on what the customer or creditor was owed on the day FTX filed for bankruptcy. At that time, SOL was trading at about $16, well below its current market price.

As the price of SOL rallied in recent months, this discrepancy became a point of contention for some creditors. One creditor, Sunil Kavuri, expressed during Bankman-Fried’s final sentencing hearing that the SOL coins are “our property.” 

Another creditor, whose name was redacted in court documents, stated in a written statement that the FTX estate is “giving away money for free to hedge funds.” In a recent interview, Bankman-Fried claimed the following regarding clients’ growing concerns about underpayment: 

I’ve heard and seen the despair, frustration, and sense of betrayal from thousands of customers; they deserve to be paid in full, at current price. That could and should have happened in November 2022, and it could and should happen today. It’s excruciating to see them waiting, day after day. 

Solana

Currently, the price of SOL stands at $175, reflecting a decrease of up to 6.7% within the last 24 hours and over 7% over the past week.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Wormhole $617M Airdrop Ignites Valuation Surge To $3B, But W Price Stumbles 23%

Wormhole, a cross-chain communication protocol enabling the transfer of assets between blockchains, recently launched an airdrop campaign for its newly issued governance token, W. Early users were rewarded with 617 million W tokens, and the protocol also released a roadmap outlining its plans.

Wormhole Protocol Unveils Roadmap

According to the protocol’s roadmap, W aims to become a native multi-chain token, leveraging the advantages of both the Solana and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chains. 

Initially launched as a native SPL token on Solana, W will reportedly leverage Solana’s performance, offering increased performance, scalability, low transaction costs, and fast settlement times.

After the Solana debut, W will be extended to all Wormhole-connected EVM chains using Wormhole Native Token Transfers (NTT). This framework allows W to continuously roll out across Solana, the Ethereum mainnet, and Layer 2 (L2s) without liquidity fragmentation.

The open-source NTT framework allows projects to control token behavior on each chain, including token standards, metadata, ownership/upgradability, and custom features.

Cross-Chain Governance System

Wormhole also introduces a governance system where token holders on any supported chain can create, vote on, and implement governance proposals. This approach allows maximum participation in the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) by providing a frictionless user experience for token holders distributed across multiple chains. 

As announced, W holders can lock and delegate their tokens on Solana and EVM chains, allowing them to participate in governance decisions. The Wormhole DAO, composed of W token holders, will oversee the Solana, Ethereum mainnet, and EVM L2s governance system.

Wormhole, developed by Jump Crypto, a division of Jump Trading Group, has been under development for several years. Despite encountering challenges, including a significant hack in February 2022 resulting in a loss of approximately $320 million, the protocol has continued to evolve. 

Furthermore, the recent listing of the W token on major exchanges such as Crypto.com and the future support planned by Coinbase on April 4 further validate its progress.

W’s Debut On OpenBook

The W token debuted on the Solana-based decentralized exchange (DEX) OpenBook at $1.66, with a market capitalization of $2.98 billion and a fully diluted value of $16.5 billion. 

However, the token’s market capitalization and fully diluted value have since fallen to $2.2 billion and $12.5 billion, respectively, according to updated data from CoinGecko. Trading volume for W has remarkably increased, reaching $555,937,593 in the last 24 hours, representing a staggering 25,732,359.60% surge.

Following the airdrop, some users openly shared their sell-offs of the W token on social media platforms, resulting in a 23% price drop. At the time of writing, the token is trading at $1.32.

Wormhole

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Solana (SOL) Breaks Through Key Resistance, Analyst Forecasts $250 Price Target

Solana (SOL) has experienced a notable resurgence in its bullish momentum, with a rebound of over 9% in the past 24 hours. This notable performance has outpaced the top 10 largest cryptocurrencies in terms of market capitalization.

The latest surge in SOL’s price has allowed it to surpass its resistance level on the daily chart at $184. The remaining hurdle of $201 now stands as the final barrier to prevent further gains for the cryptocurrency. 

However, industry experts and crypto analysts suggest that SOL’s price action indicates a potential continuation towards its previous all-time high of $259, achieved during the market’s bullish run in November 2021.

SOL  Price Expected To Breakout And Target All-Time Highs

One analyst, “Jelle,” highlights SOL’s successful transformation of the last significant resistance level into support, suggesting a positive outlook for the token’s future. The analyst predicts that the SOL price will continue to rise and potentially exceed $250 by the summer.

Similarly, another analyst using the pseudonym Mikybull points out that SOL is currently consolidating within a symmetrical triangle pattern on a daily timeframe. 

Solana

According to the analyst, a breakout from this pattern is expected to trigger an “explosive” price movement, aiming to reach its previous all-time high levels at around $255.

Supporting SOL’s renewed bullish momentum, CoinGecko data reveals a significant increase in trading volume, with $4,514,426,127 traded in the last 24 hours. This represents a 74.20% surge compared to the previous day, indicating a notable surge in market activity. 

Solana Metrics Demonstrate Growing Investor Interest 

According to data from Token Terminal, Solana’s key metrics further highlight the use and adoption of its blockchain among investors. Starting with market capitalization, the fully diluted market capitalization is $99.32 billion. This figure represents the total market value if all tokens were in circulation. The fully diluted market capitalization over the past 30 days has increased by 70.0%. 

On the other hand, the circulating market cap, which only considers the tokens currently in circulation, is valued at $77.05 billion. It has witnessed a 30-day growth of 71.3%.

Solana

Examining fees generated through transactions on the Solana network, the 30-day fees amount to $51.46 million. This represents a notable surge of 220.7% within 30 days, highlighting increased network usage and demand. When annualized, the fees reach $626.15 million.

In terms of revenue, Solana has seen positive growth. The 30-day revenue is $25.73 million, reflecting a significant increase of 220.7% over the past month. When annualized, the revenue amounts to $313.08 million, showing the sustainable income generation within the Solana network.

Solana

It remains to be seen if these metrics and bullish momentum will sustain SOL’s path to its current all-time highs.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Record-Breaking GBTC Outflows Send Bitcoin Down 14% To $62,000

As reported by Fortune Magazine, the cryptocurrency market has been experiencing significant volatility as Bitcoin (BTC) has experienced a sharp decline that has had a domino impact on other cryptocurrencies. The recent drop in the price of Bitcoin, coupled with outflows from Grayscale’s GBTC, has raised concerns among investors. 

Bitcoin Sees 14% Correction From ATH

Bitcoin suffered a 14% drop since reaching its all-time high (ATH) of $73,700 last week, briefly touching $62,483 on Tuesday morning. However, it recovered and stabilized around $64,900, just below the $65,000 mark. 

The decline was attributed to record outflows of over $640 million from Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust (GBTC). In comparison, other spot Bitcoin ETFs saw inflows of less than $500 million, resulting in a net outflow of $15 million on Monday, according to Bloomberg ETF expert James Seyffart. 

Bitcoin

This outflow from GBTC, combined with the cautious sentiment surrounding the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in the US, has had a significant impact on Bitcoin’s performance.

As recently reported by NewsBTC, investors exhibited caution ahead of the FOMC meeting, closely monitoring the potential changes in interest rates. Recent higher-than-expected inflation data, as indicated by the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI), dampened expectations of interest rate cuts. 

According to Fortune, the CME FedWatch Tool projected a 99% likelihood of rates remaining unchanged, further affecting market sentiment. Per the report, investors were keen to gauge the Federal Reserve’s stance on monetary policy, contributing to the cautious trading environment.

In the same context, the Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate from -0.1% to 0% to 0.1% in response to rising consumer prices. This was the first rate increase in 17 years.

Crypto Futures Traders Take A Hit

The drop in Bitcoin’s price had a cascading effect on other cryptocurrencies. Major altcoins like Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) experienced significant declines of 8.1% and 12.5% over the past 24 hours, respectively. 

Meme coins, including Floki Inu (FLOKI), Bonk Inu (Bonk), and Dogecoin (DOGE), also suffered losses of 34%, 28.5%, and 24.8%, respectively, during the past week. 

The decline in cryptocurrency prices resulted in over $440 million worth of liquidations for traders of crypto futures. Traders who had leveraged positions betting on higher prices faced significant losses. Most of these liquidations occurred on Binance, totaling $212 million, followed by OKX at $170 million. 

Bitcoin

Despite its price correction, BTC retains substantial gains of over 26% and 132% in the past thirty days and year-to-date timeframe, respectively.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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INJ Price Soars 13% As Injective Unveils ‘inEVM,’ Ethereum And Solana Integration Expected

In a recent announcement, Layer 2 (L2) protocol Injective (INJ) has reached a major milestone with the launch of its inEVM Layer 2 rollup solution on the mainnet. This technology introduces an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) environment to the Injective ecosystem, opening up new prospects for developers and blockchain interoperability.

By integrating with Ethereum (ETH), Cosmos (ATOM), and Solana (SOL), inEVM establishes a multi-chain ecosystem that combines the advantages of different virtual machine environments.

inEVM For Ethereum, Cosmos, And Solana

According to the March 7 announcement, InEVM, which stands for inEVM Layer 2 rollup solution, allows developers to build applications using the Ethereum programming language Solidity within Injective’s platform.

This technology connects different blockchain networks by achieving composability across Cosmos and Solana. InEVM leverages Caldera as the rollup provider, Hyperlane as the messaging layer, LayerZero for data and asset transfer, Celestia as the Data Availability (DA) layer, and Pyth as the Oracle provider.

These collaborations were reportedly designed to ensure a “secure and robust” environment for developers to deploy their projects.

Furthermore, by incorporating inEVM, Injective will enable Ethereum developers to onboard onto its platform while retaining compatibility with the broader blockchain space. 

As announced, developers can now take advantage of Injective’s benefits, including the protocol’s transaction speeds, near-zero fees, and access to the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) network.

The protocol also claims that InEVM will serve as a sandbox for developers to become familiar with the broader Injective ecosystem, providing a bridge between Ethereum’s EVM world and Injective’s WebAssembly (WASM) backbone.

TimeSwap And Thetanauts Make Waves In Injective Platform

Another key feature of Injective’s inEVM is its stated integration with Caldera, Hyperlane, LayerZero, Celestia, and Pyth, ensuring compatibility with existing smart contract standards, infrastructure, and oracles. 

This integration aims to facilitate interoperability and collaboration across virtual machine environments, paving the way for a “unified blockchain ecosystem.” 

The release states that developers will also benefit from the ability to create synergies and leverage the strengths of Ethereum, Cosmos, and Solana while maintaining true composability and interoperability.

Lastly, the protocol has announced that several projects have already adopted inEVM and deployed on the Injective platform. Notable among them is the TimeSwap lending protocol, which has raised significant funding of over $200 million from investors, including Polychain Capital, Delphi Digital, and Bain Capital Crypto. In addition, Thetanauts, an on-chain options protocol, has also chosen to build on the inEVM.

Injective

Currently, Injective’s native token INJ has seen a notable uptick in price after stagnating and dropping 3% over the past seven days. Currently, INJ is trading at $43.20, up over 13% on announcing the launch of Injective’s inEVM. 

This marks the continuation of the token’s upward trend registered over the rest of the time frames. The token recorded a tremendous surge of over 1240% year-to-date, 37% in the past 30 days, and 23% in the past fourteen days, which led the token to reach its current all-time high (ATH) of $46 on March 2nd.

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Pantera Capital Plans $250M Solana (SOL) Buy, Analyst Predicts Record Rally Toward $1000

Pantera Capital, a prominent crypto-focused asset manager with assets totaling $5.2 billion, has launched a fundraising campaign to purchase discounted Solana (SOL) tokens from the bankrupt estate of crypto exchange FTX. 

According to Bloomberg, the initiative, known as the Pantera Solana Fund, offers investors the opportunity to purchase up to $250 million worth of SOL tokens at a significant discount to the FTX estate.

Solana Token Acquisition Plan

Pantera Capital’s marketing materials, shared with prospective investors in February and reviewed by Bloomberg, outline the opportunity to purchase SOL tokens at a price 39% below the 30-day average or at a fixed price of $59.95. 

However, Bloomberg notes that investors participating in this opportunity must agree to a vesting period of up to four years. This approach reportedly allows FTX liquidators, led by John J. Ray III, to offload SOL tokens gradually, freeing up funds for creditors without exerting immediate downward pressure on the token’s price.

According to Pantera’s pitch document, the FTX estate currently holds approximately 41.1 million SOL tokens, valued at $5.4 billion as of the close of Wednesday’s trading session. This constitutes roughly 10% of the total supply of SOL tokens. 

According to its investor pitch, Pantera aimed to close the fund by the end of February. Although the amount raised by the deadline remains undisclosed, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to Bloomberg that Pantera has secured some funds.

Investors interested in participating in the Pantera Solana Fund must commit a minimum of $25 million. Pantera Capital plans to charge a management fee of 0.75% and a performance cut of 10%.

Apart from its substantial SOL token holdings, FTX and its sister firm, Alameda Research, have invested significantly in startups within Solana’s broader ecosystem. 

According to Bloomberg, FTX’s venture arm, Solana Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners jointly announced a $100 million blockchain gaming fund in November 2021.

Ultimately, the estate’s intention to sell these tokens presents an opportunity to raise funds to repay creditors, considering the notable surge of SOL’s price in the past year. SOL has experienced a staggering 650% increase, trading nearly four times its price when FTX faced its crisis in November 2022.

Crypto Analyst Forecasts SOL To Shatter Previous ATH

SOL, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has continued its remarkable upward trajectory and is currently trading at $147.

The token’s price has increased significantly by 14% in the past 24 hours alone, and over the course of 30 days, it has soared by an impressive 56%. 

Despite this uptrend, SOL remains 43% below its previous all-time high (ATH) of $259, achieved in November 2021. However, crypto analyst Altcoin Sherpa believes that SOL will break its previous ATH during this market cycle, with the only uncertainty being the size of the break.

Altcoin Sherpa suggests that reaching $500 is highly probable, and an even more astonishing milestone like $1000 is not entirely out of the question. The analyst further emphasizes its confidence in SOL’s potential, stating that it remains one of their more substantial investments. Altcoin Sherpa also highlights the next significant level to watch for SOL, which is $170.

Solana

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Crypto Market Slowdown Amid Rally? Prices Remain Strong With Bitcoin Above $62K

The crypto market has shown an incredible performance over the past week. Bitcoin has sustained momentum and risen above the $60,000 level, reaching $64,000.

The levels reached at the end of February have suggested to many investors that March could be an even more impressive month for the current bullish rally.

However, no prediction is set in stone, as many factors could swing investors’ sentiments and move the trends in the opposite direction. At the moment, the crypto market seems to have taken a small pause to catch its breath.

Crypto Market Momentarily Slows Down

The global crypto market reached a significant milestone for this bullish run a few days ago. As reported, the total crypto market cap hit $2T on February 27, an accomplishment not seen since April 2022.

As March begins, the market cap for the crypto market sits at $2.3 trillion, representing a 17.97% surge in the 7-day timeframe. This growth has surpassed the level established in early 2022 and potentially clears the path to the $2.4 trillion mark seen in December 2021.

Nonetheless, the market rise seemingly slowed down momentarily. The current market cap of $2.31 trillion represents a modest 1.32% decrease over the last day, according to CoinMarketCap data.

Similarly, the total crypto market trading volume was around $127.9 billion at writing time, registering a significant 35.77% drop from yesterday.

The data shows that Bitcoin and Ether have faced over 40% market activity decrease compared to the trading volume registered 24 hours ago. Similarly, some of the largest memecoins showed a slowdown in performance.

As the list below shows, Dogecoin (DOGE) registered a 5.9% price drop on the last day. Likewise, Shiba Inu’s (SHIB) price decreased by 5.8% in the same timeframe.

On the contrary, Solana (SOL) performed better on the last day than the top ten cryptocurrencies, registering a 4.1% price surge.  SOL’s $134 price places it alongside DOGE as the best-performing cryptocurrencies among the top ten in the last seven.

Among the largest gainers on the last day, PEPE reversed yesterday’s 12% price drop after registering a 10.9% growth during the past 24 hours. Similarly, the dog-themed memecoins dogwifhat (WIF) and (BONK) registered a price increase of 20,66% and 6.65%, respectively.

Bitcoin And Ether Remain Strong Amid The Market Volatility

Some analysts expect a significant halving-related drop in Bitcoin’s price. Meanwhile, the King of crypto has shown strong resistance above a massive support wall, as crypto analyst Ali Martinez suggests.

Over 1 million addresses are buying over 671,000 BTC within the $60,000 and $62,000 price range. Which, according to the analyst, highlights a strong investor confidence. This confidence could be a crucial support level and a cushion against a future price drop.

At writing time, the flagship cryptocurrency trades at around $62,052.71, which only accounts for a 1% decrease from the day before. BTC has increased over 21.8% in the last week, and it’s only 10.34% lower than its all-time high (ATH) of $69,000 registered in November 2021.

Likewise, it’s worth noting that Ether (ETH) has been showing a robust performance in the past few days amid the volatile crypto market. Maintaining its price range in the past 24 hours, the ‘king of altcoins’ registered only a 1.8% price decrease from yesterday. ETH currently trades at $3,411.88, representing a notable 16.2% rise in the past week.

BTC, BTCUSDT, Bitcoin

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Solana’s Memecoin BONK Reaches $1.6 Billion Market Cap, Witnesses Explosive 100% Price Rally

Solana (SOL) has reached a new 22-month high, demonstrating a remarkable 28% uptrend over the past month. However, the Solana-based meme coin, Bonk Inu (BONK), has captured investors’ attention with its explosive performance last month. 

Bonk Inu Outperforms PEPE

According to CoinGecko data, BONK has achieved a staggering 102% price uptrend in the last 7 days and an impressive 103% increase in the past month, reaching a trading price of $0.00002510 and attaining a 3-month high. 

In addition, the meme coin has experienced significant growth in market capitalization, reaching $1.6 billion and surpassing renowned tokens such as Pepe Coin (PEPE) to secure the 66th position among all cryptocurrencies, highlighting the growing interest in BONK as the cryptocurrency market experiences a resurgence of bullish sentiment fueled by Bitcoin’s (BTC) price uptrend.

BONK

Accumulating data from blockchain company Lookonchain shows the growing interest in Bonk Inu. In addition to the 50% increase in a single day, one wallet reportedly accumulated 98 billion BONK ($1.54 million) from the centralized crypto exchange (CEX) Binance just before the price increase. 

According to Lookonchain, the SmartMoney wallet currently holds 319.44 billion BONK tokens worth approximately $7 million, enjoying a profit of $2.9 million, which could have further contributed to the price surge in the past 24 hours. 

As of the latest update, the trading volume of Bonk Inu stands at $794,842,219 in the last 24 hours, demonstrating a substantial 74.30% increase compared to the previous day. This surge in trading volume indicates a recent rise in market activity surrounding the meme coin, reflecting growing investor participation and attention.

Potential Pullback Ahead? 

As the token enjoys one of its best trading months since its launch, crypto analyst Altcoin Sherpa expressed positive sentiment towards Bonk Inu, highlighting its potential for further growth. 

Altcoin Sherpa stated that Bonk Inu looks promising due to its relative underperformance compared to other meme coins, coupled with a notable uptrend pattern. The analyst wouldn’t be surprised to see Bonk Inu target previous highs and make further gains, although he suggested that a potential pullback may occur.

As the analyst suggests, the $0.00001940 price level may serve as a crucial support level for the BONK token in the event of a potential pullback or price correction. This level is significant as it would help maintain the current uptrend pattern observed on its daily chart. 

BONK

However, suppose this support level fails to hold. In that case, it’s possible that BONK could see a further price decline towards the $0.00001500 level, which acts as the ultimate support before a potential drop to the $0.00001350 mark, key for the token’s prospects as it represents the last line of defense to prevent a fully formed downtrend in the cryptocurrency’s performance.

On the other hand, when analyzing the BONK/USD 1-W chart, it is important to note that there are no prominent resistance levels. The chart above shows thin lines known as “wicks” above the candlesticks of the token since its launch on December 15th. 

This suggests that no significant obstacles prevent the token from reaching its all-time high of $0.0005487. The ability to maintain its current uptrend or potentially experience renewed bullish sentiment after a pullback will determine whether BONK can surpass this previous high.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Massive Solana Heist: CLINKSINK Drainer Campaigns Swipe Nearly $1M Worth Of SOL

In a recent report released by Mandiant, a threat intelligence and cybersecurity company, alarming details have emerged about the widespread exploitation of Solana users through a campaign known as CLINKSINK. 

The report sheds light on the nature of these drainer campaigns, which have resulted in the loss of nearly $1 million worth of SOL tokens.

CLINKSINK Campaign Targets Solana Investors

According to the report, The CLINKSINK campaign, identified by Mandiant, involves malicious actors leveraging drainers – malicious scripts and smart contracts – to steal funds and digital assets, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), from unsuspecting victims’ cryptocurrency wallets. 

These campaigns have been active since December 2023 and have employed at least 35 affiliate IDs associated with a drainer-as-a-service (DaaS) utilizing CLINKSINK.

The modus operandi of the CLINKSINK campaign involves distributing cryptocurrency-themed phishing pages through social media platforms like X and chat applications like Discord. 

These pages, masquerading as legitimate cryptocurrency resources like Phantom, DappRadar, and BONK, entice victims to interact with the CLINKSINK drainer. Once victims connect their wallets to claim an alleged token airdrop, they are prompted to sign a transaction that allows the drainer service to siphon funds from their wallets.

Solana

Mandiant’s investigation revealed that the stolen funds are divided between the affiliate and the service operator(s) based on a predetermined percentage. 

The analysis indicates that, on average, 80% of the stolen funds go to the affiliate, while the remaining 20% go to the operator(s). However, the operator’s cut can vary between 5% and 25%, potentially influenced by factors such as partnerships or reduced fees for successful affiliates.

Since the end of December 2023, at least 1,491 SOL tokens and numerous underlying tokens, with a combined value of over $180,000, were traced to a specific Solana address associated with the DaaS operator. 

Based on this data, Mandiant estimates that these recent campaigns have stolen at least $900,000 in digital assets. However, it is important to note that some of the funds sent to the operator’s wallet might originate from their drainer campaigns or transfers not subject to the percentage split.

Mandiant Warns Of Growing Trend

Mandiant’s report also highlights the availability and low cost of CLINKSINK drainers in underground forums, indicating a growing trend of financially motivated threat actors targeting cryptocurrency users and services. 

The rising value of Solana’s native cryptocurrency, SOL, has likely contributed to the surge in CLINKSINK activity. Furthermore, the CLINKSINK source code’s apparent leakage could enable unrelated threat actors to conduct independent draining operations or establish their own DaaS offerings.

As the value of cryptocurrencies continues to rise, Mandiant predicts an increase in financially motivated threat actors conducting drainer operations. 

The ease of access and potential profitability of these campaigns make them an attractive prospect for cybercriminals of varying levels of sophistication.

Cryptocurrency users and investors are urged to exercise caution and employ robust security measures to protect their digital assets. Increased awareness and vigilance within the cryptocurrency community will be crucial in mitigating the risks posed by the CLINKSINK drainer and similar threats.

Solana

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Solana Poised For Major Upside: Analyst Predicts 47% Surge After Price Breakout

With the recent approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) injecting new inflows and igniting a sense of bullish sentiment in the market, Solana (SOL) is emerging as one of the top gainers in the past 24 hours. 

The cryptocurrency has experienced a 4.5% surge, trading at $99, aiming to reclaim the significant $100 milestone lost during a recent deep correction.

Solana Bulls Targeting $150-$165 Price Range 

Solana, holding the fifth position among cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, could undergo a substantial price surge if the current upward momentum continues and successfully breaks out of its downtrend correction.

Renowned crypto analyst Ali Martinez suggests that Solana is breaking out from a bullish flag pattern formed on the 4-hour chart. 

Solana

A sustained close above the $106 mark can trigger a remarkable 47% rally, propelling SOL towards the price range of $150 to $165.

However, at the time of writing, Solana has retraced below the upper boundary of the bull flag formation, which is positioned at $103. 

Nevertheless, a breakout could be imminent if the growing interest in the token persists alongside a sustained bullish momentum. This scenario would position SOL to regain its previously lost highs and set its course toward Ali Martinez’s price targets within $150 to $165.

SOL Market Cap Quadruples, DeFi, And NFT Metrics Skyrocket

Solana has showcased remarkable performance during the fourth quarter of 2023, positioning itself as a leader in the crypto market rally, according to a recent report by Messari. 

One of the key achievements for Solana in Q4 was its notable increase in market capitalization. SOL concluded the year with a market cap of $43.8 billion, marking a staggering 423% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth and an astonishing 1,106% year-on-year (YoY) increase. 

Solana

This growth propelled SOL to surpass notable tokens such as ADA, USDC, and XRP in market cap, securing the 5th position among all tokens. It is worth noting that Solana began 2023 ranked 17th in market capitalization, highlighting its exponential rise in prominence.

The Solana network’s decentralized finance (DeFi) Total Value Locked (TVL) also experienced significant growth. Solana’s DeFi TVL increased by 303% QoQ and an impressive 505% YoY, reaching $1.5 billion. 

The report also highlights the notable increase in DeFi volume on the Solana network. The average daily spot DEX volume experienced a staggering 1,116% QoQ growth, reaching $359 million. 

Among the contributors to this growth, Orca accounted for 45% of the Q4 volumes, followed by Raydium with a 29% market share. Phoenix, a fully on-chain central limit order book, stood out by averaging over 9% of the DEX volume market share.

Solana’s influence in the NFT space also saw substantial growth during Q4. The average daily NFT volume increased by 356% QoQ, reaching $4.8 million. Solana’s market share of NFT volume, excluding Bitcoin, grew from 9% to 26% QoQ, demonstrating its increasing significance in the NFT market.

Solana

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Epic Rally Alert: Solana Hourly Chart Reveals Bull Flag Formation, SOL Targets $163

Solana (SOL), the fifth largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has experienced a significant surge after undergoing a correction from its 20-month high of $125, reached on December 25.

Following a dip to the $85 level on Monday, January 8, SOL reclaimed the $100 level again, demonstrating a 6.4% surge in the past 24 hours. 

Moreover, technical analysis indicates a potential bullish continuation pattern known as a bull flag in Solana’s 1-hour chart, which suggests the possibility of further price gains beyond the previous high. 

Solana Optimism For Price Breakout

Technical analyst Ali Martinez has identified a bullish pattern known as a bull flag formation on Solana’s hourly chart. A bull flag is characterized by a consolidation period following a strong upward move. 

In this case, the dip to the $85 level could be considered the consolidation phase. The formation suggests that SOL may experience another significant upward move shortly.

Solana

As seen in the chart above, to confirm the validity of the bull flag pattern, SOL needs to achieve a decisive close above the $110 resistance level. Such a breakthrough could catalyze upward momentum and propel the price to new highs.

If the bull flag pattern holds, Ali Martinez anticipates that SOL could aim for an ambitious target of $163. However, Solana faces multiple resistance levels that it must overcome to reach the potential target indicated in Ali Martinez’s hourly chart analysis. 

The $110 resistance, the $120 mark, and the previous 20-month high of $125 present significant hurdles for Solana’s price action. These levels have the potential to impede further upward movement, as they have previously acted as resistance during the bear market of 2022. 

Additionally, the $132 and $137 levels are anticipated to provide additional resistance, as they were the price points from which Solana’s price decreased in April 2022. 

Lastly, the $151 and $154 levels will serve as the final thresholds for Solana’s bears to hold if they aim to halt any potential price increase before reaching the $163 target.

Solana’s Ecosystem Consistent Growth 

Despite the volatility in SOL’s price over the past month, Token Terminal data reveals consistent growth in Solana’s blockchain ecosystem. 

According to the data, Solana’s circulating market cap has surged impressively to $43.54 billion, representing a substantial 20.08% increase in value over the last 30 days.

Moreover, the fully diluted market cap has surged to $57.13 billion, reflecting an 18.82% growth, which illustrates a strong investor interest in Solana and its potential for future growth.

Solana’s revenue has also experienced substantial growth over the past 30 days, with a staggering increase of 217.18% to reach $5.68 million. On an annual basis, the revenue has reached an impressive $69.12 million, exhibiting a remarkable surge of 142.15%.

Ultimately, Solana’s fees have significantly increased over the past 30 days, with an increase of 217.18% to $11.36 million. On an annualized basis, the fees amount to $138.24 million, marking a substantial growth of 142.15%, reflecting the network’s growing usage and transactional activity.

Solana

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Solana Users Face Mounting Threat As Drainer Attacks Surge, SOL Price Plummets 13%

As the price of Solana (SOL) has skyrocketed by an astounding 722% year-to-date, the network’s rapid growth has attracted both attention and challenges. 

Not only has the native token gained significant value, but the use of Solana-based meme coins such as Bonk Inu (BONK), which has grown over 854% year-to-date, and decentralized applications (dApps) have skyrocketed. Unfortunately, this increased popularity has led to increased attacks against the so-called “Ethereum Killer.”

Malicious Solana dApps Exploited

Web3 security firm Blockaid has recently observed a concerning trend of users falling victim to attacks by Solana-based drainers. 

One notable example is the website lessfeesndgas[.]org, which succeeded in stealing tokens from the Solana Program Library (SPL), which is designed to support the creation and management of tokens on Solana and SOL worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Interestingly, according to the company’s post on X (formerly Twitter), Blockaid’s secure wallets remained immune to these attacks from the moment the site went live, preventing any connections from being made.

Solana

The sophistication of these drainers is noteworthy, according to the firm, as they can fool the simulations used by Solana wallets, causing users to sign malicious transactions unknowingly. Web3 security firm Blockaid further stated:

As Solana continues to gain popularity, drainer groups are increasingly moving towards it, as indicated by the growing number of malicious Solana dApps detected by Blockaid.

Solana’s rapid ascent as a high-performance blockchain platform has drawn admiration and scrutiny. Its ability to process transactions quickly and at a lower cost than Ethereum has positioned it as a strong competitor. 

However, the network’s success has also made it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and capitalize on its growing user base.

Still, this is not the only bad news for Solana in the past few hours, as its native token has been experiencing a continuous sharp drop in price, leading to the belief that its uptrend and bull run may be over despite the possibility of a rebound in the overall crypto market.

Stablecoin Surge And NFT Sales Fail To Prevent SOL’s Price Drop

In just five hours, the price of SOL experienced a significant 13% drop, hitting a low of $85 on Wednesday. This decline occurred despite notable growth in stablecoin transfers, which saw a rise of over 45% this week. 

Solana

Additionally, on Tuesday, SOL surpassed Ethereum in monthly trading volume for non-fungible token (NFT) sales, marking a milestone for the network.

SOL is the fifth-largest cryptocurrency, boasting a market capitalization of $42.6 billion. It holds a $12 billion lead over XRP and trails just behind Binance Coin (BNB) by a mere $6 billion.

The trajectory of SOL’s price remains uncertain as investors await signs of a potential bullish momentum resurgence.

Building a more secure framework for decentralized applications (dApps) could be pivotal in restoring investor confidence and attracting additional capital to the ecosystem, potentially propelling SOL to reclaim its one-year high of $126, previously achieved on December 25.

Solana

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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Dogecoin And XRP Beat Out Cardano And Solana To Secure New Milestone

Kaiko, a blockchain analytics platform, conducted an investigation that revealed the complexities of liquidity across the biggest crypto assets, with some lower market cap assets beating higher ones. According to its Q3 liquidity rankings, XRP and Dogecoin (DOGE) managed to beat out Solana and Cardano in liquidity rankings, coming in behind only Bitcoin and Ethereum. There were also some surprise numbers on the rankings, like BNB coming in 8th in terms of liquidity, and Litecoin also outperforming.  

Kaiko Analysis Highlights Liquidity For Crypto Assets

The vast number of crypto assets has always brought out the idea among investors to rank their valuation on a scale of some sort, with the most adopted being the market cap. However, according to Kaiko, liquidity, along with other metrics like volume and market depth is a better way to measure a token’s real value apart from its market cap. This was best demonstrated by FTX’s token FTT, whose market was bloated to reach a peak of nearly $10 billion without having enough liquidity on exchanges to back this up.

According to its latest rankings, Bitcoin took up the first spot in liquidity. This wasn’t surprising, as Bitcoin has always held a tight reign over the crypto industry since its inception. Ethereum followed in second place in terms of liquidity to reiterate its position as the king of altcoins. However, Kaiko’s liquidity rankings started to digress from the market cap at the third position, with BNB underperforming massively to come in at 8th place. 

Instead, XRP came in at 4th place, beating out the likes of Solana and Cardano (the Ethereum killers) on exchanges among traders. XRP’s liquidity boost in the quarter was thanks to the asset receiving regulatory clarity in the US. Dogecoin came in at 5th place, despite being 10th on market cap rankings, to solidify its position as the leader among meme coins. Litecoin came in at 5th place to complete the top five, despite being 18th in market cap rankings.

On the other hand, AVAX’s liquidity ranking dropped 11 places when compared to its market cap, while TON came in at 37th place despite being 9th by market cap during the quarter. Also, ATOM, UNI, APT, TON, SHIB, OKB, LEO, and CRO all fell more than five spots.

What Does Liquidity Say About Dogecoin And Crypto Assets?

Kaiko’s measure of liquidity included the spread and the average daily trading volume on different exchanges. The analytics platform also included two different market depth levels; 0.1% for higher frequency traders and 1% for longer-term holders.

In terms of trading volume, BTC came in first place while ETH and XRP followed suit. However, SOL beat DOGE in this metric with around $2 billion in the quarter.

The bottom line is that greater liquidity often precedes greater success over the longer term for cryptocurrencies. Q4 2023 should tell a strong tale in terms of crypto liquidity, as most cryptocurrencies registered new yearly highs in terms of market cap.

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Solana Surges Above $117 As Meme Coin Craze Extends Market Momentum

The native cryptocurrency of Solana continued a spectacular climb that has already lasted three weeks by breaking beyond the $110 mark on Sunday morning. This is a strong demonstration of resilience.

The price of SOL has surged, reaching a level not seen since the night before Terra collapsed a year and a half ago. This coincides with a substantial uptick in meme coin activity in the cryptocurrency space, which is helping to increase the platform’s acceptance and appeal.

Solana Surges: 400% Rally Sparks Crypto Renaissance

The remarkable rise of Solana over the last six months has been nothing short of spectacular, as the cryptocurrency has seen an incredible 400% rally.

As of this writing, Coingecko data indicates that SOL is holding a fluctuating position in the $110–$117 price range, up 21% over the past seven days and sustaining a strong 60% increase over the past week.

Part of the reason for the current increase in Solana’s value is the industry’s general rebound in cryptocurrency. A considerable rise in market capitalization and a revival of market sentiment have characterized the whole digital asset space’s upward trend.

The market capitalization of the token as a whole has increased by an astounding 40 percent, which suggests that investors are once again feeling confident and interested in the digital asset field.

The total value of tokens locked on Solana applications also increased concurrently, reaching levels last seen in July 2022 with a rally to $1.3 billion from $400 million in November.

SOL’s year-to-date gains have reportedly increased to over 830% thanks to these factors, with the majority of the growth occurring in the last two months alone. The network’s TVL was last at this height in October 2022.

Solana: On-Chain Triumph, $120 Target

The price action on Sunday brought an end to weeks of frenetic trade that had propelled the Solana blockchain to the top of the list for on-chain activity, at least momentarily. DefiLlama reports that decentralized exchanges located in Solana are getting close to Uniswap’s trading volumes, which amount to billions of dollars.

There has been a notable increase in demand for the network thus far this month. The chain’s daily count of active addresses reached a year-to-date high of 1.26 million on December 18, according to an evaluation of network activity.

As interest in Solana grows, attracting developers and investors alike, the blockchain’s thriving ecosystem and its function as a hub for speculation should soon boost SOL into the much-coveted $120 level.

The combination of increased activity in the Solana ecosystem and increased speculative interest in the cryptocurrency market provides a convincing story for the continuous increase in SOL’s value.

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Solana Saga Orders Scrapped As $30 Million BONK Token Package Overshadows Device’s Value

Solana (SOL) and its associated meme coin, Bonk (BONK), have witnessed remarkable surges in value, with SOL recording gains of over 71% and Bonk experiencing an astonishing 342% increase over the past 30 days. 

The positive growth within the Solana ecosystem has resulted in a surge in demand for the flagship mobile device, Solana Saga. However, the Solana Mobile team recently addressed challenges in meeting the “overwhelming demand” and explained order cancellations and inventory management issues.

Solana Mobile Faces Inventory Mishap

Over the past month, SOL has seen a significant uptrend, inching closer to the $100 mark, a level not reached since April 2022. Additionally, Bonk has experienced an extraordinary surge reaching a trading value of $0.00001896.

Solana

Given these developments and the social buzz within the blockchain and its mobile device, the Solana Mobile team confirmed that their limited inventory of 20,000 devices worldwide has sold out, with both the US and EU markets experiencing high demand.

According to a recent statement on X (formerly Twitter), in the process of fulfilling orders, the Solana Mobile team encountered an “inventory management issue” with their third-party distributor. This issue resulted in an inaccurate representation of the available inventory.

Consequently, the team was unable to fulfill orders placed after the inventory was depleted. Additionally, orders suspected of suspicious activity, such as excessive device orders or payment risks, were flagged and subsequently canceled. 

According to the announcement, the objective behind these measures is to ensure that as many users as possible can enjoy the Solana Saga mobile device.

Customers affected by the order cancellations have been promptly notified, and they will receive refunds within the coming days. 

Solana’s DEX Volume Overtakes Ethereum And Arbitrum

The Solana ecosystem, together with its native token SOL, has recently achieved significant milestones. Notably, Solana’s 24-hour decentralized exchange (DEX) volume has exceeded that of Ethereum (ETH) and Arbitrum (ARB) combined, surpassing the $2 billion mark. 

Additionally, Solana has emerged as the third-largest altcoin (only behind BNB) by market capitalization. These achievements reflect the growing popularity and success of Solana within the cryptocurrency market.

According to Token Terminal data, SOL’s market cap (circulating) stands at $41.05 billion, reflecting a remarkable increase of 46.98%, flipping XRP’s market cap by over $7 billion.  

The revenue generated has also witnessed substantial growth, with an 80.43% increase to $2.39 million. Furthermore, SOL’s fully diluted market cap has reached $54.31 billion, showcasing a significant rise of 45.60%.

The revenue generated on the Solana platform, when annualized, amounts to an impressive $29.13 million, signifying a substantial increase of 94.75%. 

Examining SOL’s financial ratios, the price-to-fully diluted ratio stands at 796.78x, indicating the market’s high expectations for future growth. However, this ratio has experienced a recent decrease of 19.3%. 

Solana

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Solana Q4 Triumph: Soaring Activity Leaves Ethereum In The Dust – Report

Solana (SOL) has undeniably emerged as a standout performer in the recent cryptocurrency landscape, showcasing a remarkable surge in value that has captured the attention of market participants.

Its extraordinary performance, marked by substantial gains, has propelled Solana beyond the ranks of other leading cryptocurrencies, securing a coveted position among the top five by market capitalization.

Solana’s Surge: Outshining Rivals, Proving Dominance

The impressive rally of Solana stands as a testament to the blockchain’s underlying strength and the growing confidence of investors in its capabilities.

This bullish momentum has not only allowed SOL to outshine some of the traditionally dominant cryptocurrencies but has also affirmed its relevance and potential within the broader digital asset ecosystem.

The daily user activity on Solana has increased as a result of this outstanding performance. As the year’s final quarter draws to a close, the most recent statistics reveals a noteworthy growth of about 400%. According to a recent study by on-chain data company Messari, this far outpaced Ethereum’s pitiful 3% gain.

The research firm claims that several protocols located within the Layer 1 (L1) blockchain network have completed a series of token airdrops, which is what is responsible for the recent rise in new demand for Solana.

On December 16th, the trading volume of decentralized exchanges (DEX) on Solana temporarily surpassed that of Ethereum for the first time. This occurred as the smart-contract-enabled blockchain ecosystem continued to expand.

According to data from DeFillama, Ethereum’s trading volume during that time was only $1.164 billion, whereas the trading volume of DEXs on the blockchain surpassed $1.5 billion.

Bitfinex Cheers Solana

One of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, Bitfinex, recently tweeted about Solana’s expansion. The tweet claims that in the previous three months alone, SOL’s price has increased by more than 340%.

Three months later, the token’s value had increased to $67.94 from $19.80 at the start of its bull surge.

As this developed, Jupiter, one of the biggest decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols on Solana and a swap aggregator, revealed that its much awaited 4 billion JUP token airdrop would happen in January.

Meanwhile, data analytics provider Kaiko said Solana is seeing a sharp increase in price, and the price ratio of SOL to ETH is strongly reversing.

The Solana (SOL) to Ethereum (ETH) ratio is close to 0.04, according to a post on X published on December 19. Prior highs were around 0.06 in 2021 and lows were at 0.01 in early 2023.

At the time of writing, the price of SOL is currently trading at $77.40, up 3.5% over the last day and rallying 17% over the last week, data from CoinMarketCap shows.

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Solana-Based Aurory Suffers Devastating Exploit: 80% Of Liquidity Gone

Aurory (AURY), a blockchain-based tactical Japanese role-playing game built on Solana (SOL), recently experienced a significant liquidity loss in its Camelot’s AURY-USDC pool. 

The incident occurred due to a hack on the SyncSpace bridge, which resulted in the unauthorized withdrawal and subsequent market sale of approximately 600,000 AURY tokens on the Arbitrum (ARB) network. 

Aurory SyncSpace Bridge Hacked

In an official statement released on December 17, Aurory’s team disclosed the details of the incident. The team detected unusual activity on their marketplace and promptly initiated an investigation, which revealed that a malicious actor had exploited the marketplace’s buy endpoint. 

This exploit allowed the attacker to inflate their AURY balance in SyncSpace, enabling them to withdraw around 600,000 tokens to the Arbitrum network. The attacker then liquidated the stolen amount by selling it in the market.

To protect user funds, SyncSpace was promptly disabled for maintenance, temporarily suspending deposits and withdrawals. Importantly, the statement assured that no user funds or non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were lost or at risk during the incident. 

The AURY tokens originated from a team wallet, facilitating withdrawals for accounts not previously deposited AURY.

Exploit Mitigated

The Aurory statement emphasized that the exploit is no longer ongoing, as SyncSpace remains offline for maintenance. As a result, there is currently no risk of further exploits. Additionally, it was confirmed that the attacker has exhausted their AURY supply and no longer possesses any tokens to sell.

Moreover, SyncSpace will investigate further to determine how the exploit went undetected despite the previous expert audit. 

The team also plans to release a comprehensive post-mortem report once the necessary fixes have been implemented and the investigation concludes. They expect SyncSpace to be back online in the coming days.

Since October 30, the price of Aurory’s token, AURY, has experienced a significant upward trend, culminating in a yearly high of $1.9008 on December 12. However, following the recent exploit, the price of AURY has retraced to $1.0868, marking a decline of 23.5% over the past 24 hours and 36.5% over the past seven days. 

Despite this setback, AURY still boasts substantial gains of 74% and 70% over the 30-day and one-year periods, respectively.

Aurory

The market now awaits to see whether the token’s support lines at $0.9681 and $0.9086 will be able to halt the potential continuation of the price drop or if they will succumb to the prevailing downtrend, putting a significant portion of its 2023 gains at risk.

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