What is Solana — plain English
Solana is a fast, low-fee blockchain for apps, tokens and NFTs. It processes many transactions per second at very low cost, which has made it popular for trading apps and consumer crypto — though it has also had network outages that weigh on confidence.
What makes Solana move
Network activity — DeFi, memecoins and consumer apps on Solana
Network reliability and any outages
Staking flows and validator health
Ecosystem funding and developer growth
Competition with Ethereum and its layer-2s
Broad crypto risk sentiment and Bitcoin's direction
Where to trade Solana
Regulated crypto exchanges in our database that list SOL, ranked by taker fee. Every registration is verified on the issuing regulator's public register.
Fees shown are the standard taker fee before volume discounts. Use our free exchange check tool to compare the full fee structure and confirm registration before you open an account.
Key things to know about Solana
| Factor | What it means |
|---|---|
| Supply | Inflationary with a declining schedule |
| Consensus | Proof of Stake with Proof of History |
| Trading hours | 24/7 — never closes |
| Strength | High throughput, very low fees |
| Risk | Has experienced network outages |
| Custody | Self-custody or exchange custody |
Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and can lose value quickly. Solana can move sharply in a single day. Only trade or hold what you can afford to lose, and keep funds on registered, reputable exchanges or in self-custody.