In This Article
Solana faced a downturn in 2022, with its token (SOL) dropping below $10. However, recent developments have brought about a resurgence. SOL recently surpassed $100, causing it to claim the fifth position among cryptocurrencies ranked by market capitalization. The rise is attributed to the popularity of meme coins like Silly Dragon and Bonk, as well as integrations with reputable companies such as Trezor Wallets boosting SOL’s value. Despite its success, Solana experienced a security breach in its DeFi platform Thunder, with a hacker making off with over $239,000. Bitcoin maximalist Max Keiser also expressed skepticism about the Ethereum-killer, suggesting a "rug pull," but critics argue the market correction is part of normal cycles rather than malicious intent.
Ethereum Faces a Serious Competitor in Solana
In 2021, Solana (SOL) emerged as a very promising solution to the challenges faced by the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain, generating a lot of excitement in the crypto community.
However, 2022 brought a downturn for Solana, mirroring the broader crypto market's struggles. The SOL token, closely associated with Sam Bankman-Fried, dipped below $10, casting a shadow over the once-bullish narrative for the Ethereum-killer. Even as SOL was able to rebound to the $20s in October of this year amid SBF's trial, the road to recovery seemed uncertain.
Surprisingly, Solana recently experienced a remarkable resurgence, with SOL surpassing $100 for the first time since early 2022. With a market cap of around $45 billion, SOL now holds the fifth spot among cryptocurrencies, and even briefly reached the fourth position earlier this week.
The current buzz around Solana includes the popularity of dog-themed meme coins and airdrops, drawing traders to explore Solana-based lending platforms, bridges, and other infrastructure. While Ethereum definitely still dominates as the leader among layer-1 blockchains for smart contracts, with $29 billion in total value locked compared to Solana's $1.5 billion, recent events certainly suggest that Solana is emerging as a formidable competitor.
Solana Meme Coins Are Soaring
Silly Dragon (SILLY), another meme coin residing on the Solana blockchain, recently experienced a massive surge, reaching an all-time high price of $0.1602 yesterday, and boasting a market capitalization of $145 million. This meme cryptocurrency has not only caught the eye of investors but has also become a focal point of discussion within the broader crypto community.
Remarkably, the top 10 addresses holding SILLY, excluding centralized exchange (CEX) addresses, are reveling in an average floating profit of 30x. This exceptional performance has undoubtedly contributed to the growing intrigue surrounding Silly Dragon and its potential impact on the Solana ecosystem.
Silly Dragon made its debut within the Solana ecosystem on Halloween of 2023, with the official introduction coming from none other than Anatoly Yakovenko, the co-founder of Solana. The character embodies a spirit of freshness and playfulness, injecting a sense of community engagement and creativity into the Solana narrative. The timing of Silly Dragon's arrival also aligns intriguingly with the upcoming year of 2024, associated with the dragon in a number of cultural zodiacs, sparking predictions that Silly Dragon may be a catalyst for new narratives and innovative initiatives for the Solana ecosystem.
Bonk (BONK), another meme token associated with Solana, also had an exceptionally successful festive season. In just the past 30 days, BONK saw its price surge by more than 277%, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
Trezor Wallet Integrates With Solana
In yet another exciting development for the Solana ecosystem, it was revealed that Trezor Wallets Model T and Safe 3 now support SOL as well as all SPL tokens. SOL serves as the inherent token of the Solana blockchain, while SPL functions as the standardized token in its ecosystem, just like Ethereum's ERC-20 token standard.
The Trezor Wallets offer compatibility with up to 8,000 coins and enable users to conveniently conduct sales and transfers of digital assets. Additionally, the Safe 3, priced at around $79, incorporates a specialized chip for an extra layer of security. Meanwhile, the Model T, priced at $179, features a touchscreen interface.
Trezor's choice to incorporate Solana and its associated tokens could not come at a better time after a recent unfortunate event in the DeFi sector, where Ledger experienced a security breach. Ledger's ConnectKit fell victim to a rug pull, resulting in an initial reported loss of about $150,000. This figure has now escalated to surpass $600,000.
Solana DeFi Platform Exploited
It seems like Solana’s recent success has spurred criminals to also get in on the hype surrounding the altcoin. Yesterday, the crypto trading protocol Thunder took to X to confirm suspicions of an exploit. The team promptly addressed suspicious withdrawals that happened early in the morning, successfully halting them within nine minutes.
Despite the quick response, the hacker still managed to get away with 86.5 ETH and 439 SOL, totaling over $239,000. Thunder attributed the exploit to unauthorized access to a MongoDB connection URL, enabling the perpetrator to extract session tokens and execute withdrawals on behalf of users.
While the Thunder team reported that only 114 out of the 14,000 wallets on the platform were affected, the exploiter claimed to possess user data, including private keys, with intentions to delete them. Dismissing this threat, Thunder clarified that no private keys or wallets were compromised, emphasizing that they do not store private keys. Desktop wallets remained unaffected, and less than 1% of wallets on the platform were impacted by the attack.
Furthermore, the Thunder team revealed ongoing communication with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and expressed readiness to engage in negotiations with the exploiter. They warned that failure to reach an agreement would prompt legal action.
Not Everyone is Basking in Solana’s Success
Bitcoin maximalist Max Keiser recently issued a cautionary tweet about Solana (SOL), suggesting an ongoing "rug pull" and punctuating the statement with laughing emojis. Keiser's remark underscores a legitimate skepticism shared by Bitcoin enthusiasts toward projects like Solana. Projects like this, marked by significant venture capital involvement and perceived centralization, stand in contrast to the principles favored by Bitcoin proponents.
Keiser's commentary mirrors a sentiment frequently expressed by Bitcoin advocates who scrutinize the rapid ascent of certain altcoins. They aim to alert retail investors to potential risks, emphasizing the possibility of being ensnared in what Keiser previously described as "someone else's exit scam."
However, characterizing Solana's market movements as a "rug pull" may not be entirely accurate. The term typically implies malicious intent by developers or insiders, a situation not applicable to Solana. Instead, the current price correction appears to align more with normal market cycles, where periods of swift growth are often followed by phases of profit-taking and consolidation.
