News
Solana Slips as Bitcoin Soars: Can the High-Speed Crypto Still Catch Up?
<p data-start="394" data-end="646">Solana is losing steam while Bitcoin’s getting all the spotlight. Over the past year, Bitcoin’s price has jumped nearly 60%, flirting with all-time highs again. Meanwhile, Solana barely budged — up just 7% — and still sits more than 50% below its peak.</p>
<p data-start="648" data-end="850">The difference isn’t just about price action. It’s about perception, institutional support, and Solana’s own growing pains. And right now, the underdog token is looking like it’s stuck on the sidelines.</p>
<h2 data-start="852" data-end="905">Bitcoin Gets the Institutional Gold Star Treatment</h2>
<p data-start="907" data-end="968">Big money’s backing Bitcoin. That’s a simple, powerful shift.</p>
<p data-start="970" data-end="1271">Last year’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. cracked the door open. Now the money’s flowing in, especially from institutional and corporate investors. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, over $15 billion has poured into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs since launch — and that’s still picking up pace.</p>
<p data-start="1273" data-end="1534">It doesn’t stop there. The Trump administration’s announcement of a &#8220;Strategic Bitcoin Reserve&#8221; — basically treating Bitcoin like digital gold — added even more legitimacy. Political tailwinds are now pushing Bitcoin closer to being seen as a macro hedge asset.</p>
<p data-start="1556" data-end="1725">And let’s not forget the Fed. Falling interest rate expectations are luring risk-tolerant investors back into crypto — but most aren’t bothering with the smaller tokens.</p>
<p data-start="1556" data-end="1725"><a href="https://www.theibulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/solana-blockchain-transaction-speed-illustration.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57728" src="https://www.theibulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/solana-blockchain-transaction-speed-illustration.jpg" alt="solana blockchain transaction speed illustration" width="808" height="472" /></a></p>
<h2 data-start="1727" data-end="1787">Solana’s Growing List of Technical Pros — And Market Cons</h2>
<p data-start="1789" data-end="2057">Solana’s got the tech chops, no doubt. It’s lightning quick, runs on proof of stake (not mining), and its native blockchain is uniquely souped-up with something called proof of history (PoH). That lets it run faster than both Ethereum and most other major blockchains.</p>
<p data-start="2059" data-end="2100">But being fast doesn’t mean it’s winning.</p>
<p data-start="2102" data-end="2270">Solana theoretically handles up to 65,000 transactions per second (TPS), while Ethereum’s base layer maxes out around 30. But real-world numbers tell a different story:</p>
<div class="_tableContainer_16hzy_1">
<div class="_tableWrapper_16hzy_14 group flex w-fit flex-col-reverse" tabindex="-1">
<table class="w-fit min-w-(--thread-content-width)" data-start="2272" data-end="2745">
<thead data-start="2272" data-end="2365">
<tr data-start="2272" data-end="2365">
<th data-start="2272" data-end="2289" data-col-size="sm">Blockchain</th>
<th data-start="2289" data-end="2310" data-col-size="sm">Real-World Avg TPS</th>
<th data-start="2310" data-end="2332" data-col-size="sm">Theoretical Max TPS</th>
<th data-start="2332" data-end="2365" data-col-size="sm">Notes</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody data-start="2461" data-end="2745">
<tr data-start="2461" data-end="2555">
<td data-start="2461" data-end="2478" data-col-size="sm">Solana</td>
<td data-start="2478" data-end="2499" data-col-size="sm">600–1,500</td>
<td data-start="2499" data-end="2522" data-col-size="sm">65,000</td>
<td data-start="2522" data-end="2555" data-col-size="sm">Prone to network congestion</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="2556" data-end="2650">
<td data-start="2556" data-end="2573" data-col-size="sm">Ethereum (L1)</td>
<td data-start="2573" data-end="2594" data-col-size="sm">15</td>
<td data-start="2594" data-end="2617" data-col-size="sm">30</td>
<td data-start="2617" data-end="2650" data-col-size="sm">Slow but stable</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="2651" data-end="2745">
<td data-start="2651" data-end="2668" data-col-size="sm">Ethereum (L2)</td>
<td data-start="2668" data-end="2689" data-col-size="sm">1,000–4,000</td>
<td data-start="2689" data-end="2712" data-col-size="sm">~10,000+</td>
<td data-start="2712" data-end="2745" data-col-size="sm">Uses off-chain rollups</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="sticky end-(--thread-content-margin) h-0 self-end select-none">
<div class="absolute end-0 flex items-end"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p data-start="2747" data-end="2966">Solana wins on speed, but it’s also faced multiple network outages. That’s cost it credibility. Developers are wary. Investors are cautious. And it doesn’t help that Solana’s not cross-compatible with other blockchains.</p>
<p data-start="2968" data-end="3140">One more issue? Its main programming languages, Rust and C, aren’t as user-friendly as Ethereum’s Solidity. That’s a big deal for attracting developers, especially newbies.</p>
<h2 data-start="3142" data-end="3199">Inflation vs. Scarcity: Tokenomics Tell the Real Story</h2>
<p data-start="3201" data-end="3274">Here’s where things get interesting — and maybe a little grim for Solana.</p>
<p data-start="3276" data-end="3422">Bitcoin is capped. Only 21 million coins will ever exist. That hard limit gives it a scarcity similar to gold or silver. It’s simple and it works.</p>
<p data-start="3424" data-end="3444">Solana? Not so much.</p>
<ul data-start="3446" data-end="3758">
<li data-start="3446" data-end="3552">
<p data-start="3448" data-end="3552">Solana is inflationary. Over 528 million tokens are already circulating, and more are still being added.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="3553" data-end="3665">
<p data-start="3555" data-end="3665">Yes, inflation is gradually tapering — currently 4.5% per year, expected to decline by 15% every 450–630 days.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="3666" data-end="3758">
<p data-start="3668" data-end="3758">But it won’t drop below 1.5% annually, making it hard to see SOL as a true store of value.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="3760" data-end="3895">That’s a huge psychological barrier for investors. People like scarcity. Inflation, even if controlled, still spooks long-term holders.</p>
<p data-start="3917" data-end="4032">In a side-by-side tokenomics face-off, Bitcoin feels like a fortress. Solana feels like an app that could go stale.</p>
<h2 data-start="4034" data-end="4097">Not All Doom and Gloom: Solana’s Catalysts Are Still Lurking</h2>
<p data-start="4099" data-end="4150">Despite the slower year, Solana isn’t without hope.</p>
<p data-start="4152" data-end="4448">Some big partnerships could turn the tide. Solana Pay is now supported by names like Visa and Shopify — potentially giving the crypto token a serious shot at mainstream payments adoption. Imagine instant, nearly free stablecoin transactions embedded into retail checkout flows. That’s meaningful.</p>
<p data-start="4450" data-end="4623">There’s also growing momentum around gaming and NFTs built directly on Solana. Unlike some of the meme coins, Solana’s ecosystem includes actual products and infrastructure:</p>
<ul data-start="4625" data-end="4758">
<li data-start="4625" data-end="4648">
<p data-start="4627" data-end="4648">In-game crypto assets</p>
</li>
<li data-start="4649" data-end="4667">
<p data-start="4651" data-end="4667">NFT marketplaces</p>
</li>
<li data-start="4668" data-end="4758">
<p data-start="4670" data-end="4758">Tokenized real-world utilities like decentralized wireless networks and GPU marketplaces</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="4760" data-end="4848">Developers are clearly still interested, even if the momentum isn’t explosive right now.</p>
<p data-start="4850" data-end="5069">And then there’s the ETF wildcard. Multiple firms have filed with the SEC to launch Solana-based exchange-traded funds. If approved, it could be a massive credibility boost — and a gateway for new institutional dollars.</p>
<h2 data-start="5071" data-end="5106">So, Is Solana Still a Smart Bet?</h2>
<p data-start="5108" data-end="5162">This is the million-dollar question — maybe literally.</p>
<p data-start="5164" data-end="5356">Solana definitely has advantages. It’s fast, it&#8217;s affordable to transact with, and its infrastructure is improving. It’s arguably more useful than Bitcoin when it comes to day-to-day activity.</p>
<p data-start="5358" data-end="5426">But Bitcoin isn’t trying to be useful. It’s trying to be inevitable.</p>
<p data-start="5428" data-end="5636">That’s the real difference. Solana needs constant developer attention, new applications, and successful upgrades to stay relevant. Bitcoin can just&#8230; exist. And that simplicity makes it stronger, not weaker.</p>
<p data-start="5638" data-end="5806">Solana also faces an uphill climb against Ethereum. Ethereum’s ecosystem is vast. Its developer base is massive. And its Level 2 rollups are closing the speed gap fast.</p>
<p data-start="5808" data-end="5951">Solana’s edge? It’s early enough to still offer upside — but only if it overcomes its fragmentation, reliability concerns, and identity crisis.</p>

CoinMarketCap Supply Chain Attack Leaves Crypto Users Reeling After $43,000 Wallet Drain
Solana Slips as Bitcoin Soars: Can the High-Speed Crypto Still Catch Up?
Gordon Ramsay Fainted at Son’s Birth While Ed Sheeran Played in the Background
As AI hype grabs headlines, these two tech titans are doing more than talking — they’re cashing in
What Does Guashen Mean? Understanding the Origins, Usage, and Impact of This Chinese Term
The Last of Us Season 3: Clarity, Chaos, and Characters We Thought Were Gone
Einstein and the Block Universe: Is Your Future Already Set?
XRP Eyes $3 as Crypto Markets See Whiplash Recovery and Bitcoin Roars Past $111K
Claude 4 Cuts Coding Errors by 25%, Gets Faster, Says Vibe Startup Lovable
Bitcoin vs Quantum Computing: Will BlackRock’s Warning Come True?
-
News4 months agoTaiwanese Companies Targeted in Phishing Campaign Using Winos 4.0 Malware
-
News3 months agoJustin Baldoni Hits Back at Ryan Reynolds, Calling Him a “Co-Conspirator” in Blake Lively Legal Battle
-
News4 months agoApple Shuts Down ADP for UK iCloud Users Amid Government Backdoor Demands
