Many tokens are trending for various reasons; however, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) continue to dominate the conversation when it comes to institutional interest and network utility. Ethereum’s position as the backbone of decentralized finance and smart contracts has been further solidified by growing ETF inflows, signaling increased confidence from traditional financial institutions.
Meanwhile, Solana has emerged as the most active Layer 1 blockchain by transaction volume, consistently outperforming competitors in terms of on-chain activity. Its low fees, high throughput, and developer-friendly architecture have made it the go-to platform for NFT marketplaces, DePIN protocols, and consumer-facing dApps. Recent data shows Solana processing more daily transactions than Ethereum and Polygon combined, underscoring its scalability and real-world adoption.
Both tokens are riding distinct but powerful waves: Ethereum through institutional validation, and Solana through grassroots utility and developer momentum.
Ethereum ETF inflows crosses $7.1 billion in 2025
Over the past two months, Ethereum (ETH) spot ETFs have seen a mix of record-breaking inflows and a few notable outflows, signaling both strong institutional interest and short-term profit-taking:
- Historic Inflows: Spot ETH ETFs amassed over $5.3 billion in inflows in the past month alone, contributing to a total of more than $7.1 billion in 2025 so far.
- Record Single-Day Inflows: On one particularly bullish trading day, combined ETH ETF inflows exceeded $1 billion.
- Longest Inflow Streak Ends: A 20-day streak of consecutive inflows—totaling approximately $5.4 billion—came to an end on August 1 with a $152 million outflow, the largest since early January.
ETH targets $7,000
Ethereum has broken out of the broadening wedge and is aiming for new heights. Since the recent lower low of $1,700, ETH has been climbing sharply. If this momentum persists, it could reach as high as $7,000. This target is derived using the wedge’s initial height, projected from the breakout point—a standard technical analysis method.
Solana Total Value Locked (TVL) reaches $9.3 billion
As of April 2025, Solana’s DeFi sector has surged to roughly $9.3 billion in total value locked (TVL)—nearly double its early 2024 level—making it the third-largest DeFi chain, behind Ethereum and BSC
Over 400 DeFi applications have launched on Solana since early 2024. Key heavyweights include Jupiter, MarginFi, and Drift (over $4.1B TVL combined); Jito leads liquid staking with $1.2B; and Raydium, Kamino, and others collectively manage over $11B in TVL.
Developer & Transaction Activity
In 2024, Solana welcomed 7,625 new developers—a YoY increase of 83%—making it the fastest-growing ecosystem for devs, even outpacing Ethereum. It now handles 81% of DEX transactions and 64% of NFT mints across all chains.
Solana’s target $210 before the bears take over the market
Solana is fluctuating inside a rising wedge which is a bearish chart pattern that typically signals a potential reversal or continuation of a downtrend. It forms when price action moves upward within two converging trendlines—one connecting higher highs and the other higher lows. This tightening range reflects weakening bullish momentum and growing indecision among traders. Volume often decreases during the formation, suggesting that buyers are losing strength. Eventually, the price breaks below the lower trendline, usually accompanied by a surge in volume, confirming the bearish signal.
However, since the rising wedge has not fully formed there is more room for Solana to gain value inside the rising wedge. As such Solana could rebound off of the lower trendline and rise towards the upper trendline and reach as high as $210, before its breaks out and the trend changes.
