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Solana’s SOL Rallies Past $100, Continuing Torrid Month

Meme coin traders and airdrop farmers are bringing more attention to Solana.

Updated Mar 8, 2024, 7:07 p.m. Published Dec 23, 2023, 7:47 p.m.
Solana's Breakpoint came at the market's previous zenith (Zack Seward/CoinDesk)
Solana's Breakpoint came at the market's previous zenith (Zack Seward/CoinDesk)

The Solana blockchain's native token SOL broke $100 Saturday, reclaiming a price level not seen since the eve of Terra's collapse a year and a half ago.

At press time SOL was valued at around $102 a coin. It has increased in value more than tenfold in 2023 and is up over 70% in December alone, according to CoinDesk Indices.

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Saturday's price action capped weeks of frenzied trading that have – at least temporarily – vaulted the Solana blockchain up the leaderboard for on-chain activity. Solana-based decentralized exchanges are nearing Uniswap's multibillion-dollar trading volumes for the first time, according to DefiLlama.

Much of that energy is being driven by rampant speculation. Some of the most popular crypto assets being traded on Solana right now are dog-themed meme coins. But airdrops, too, are prompting droves of traders to test out Solana-based lenders, bridges and other infrastructure.

Solana is a smart contracts platform that supports fast and cheap crypto transactions. It has been compared to Ethereum, which despite Solana's ascendence, is still the most popular and best-known place for crypto traders to play on-chain.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

Cosa sapere:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven' versus gold

Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven'

Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash.

Cosa sapere:

  • During recent geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin lost 6.6% of its value, while gold rose 8.6%, demonstrating bitcoin's vulnerability in times of market stress.
  • Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash, contrary to its reputation as a stable digital asset.
  • Gold remains the preferred hedge for short-term risks, while bitcoin is better suited for long-term monetary and geopolitical uncertainties that unfold over years.