ETF and Whale Demand: Why Investors Bet Big on the Solana ETF Boom

How Solana ETF Whales Shape Market Demand in 2025

Institutions and retail traders have been investing in Solana ETF Whales, as it has been selling for around $140 as of this writing, driven by bullishness due to rising whale activity and ETF expectations. The current shutdown of the U.S. government has thrown the announcement of the decision regarding a potential Solana ETF into limbo, but confidence in a positive outcome remains. A few Wall Street heavyweights, including Invesco, Franklin Templeton, and Fidelity, could launch Solana-based spot ETFs by November, according to the most optimistic voices.

Current research from analytics and research firm Hyblock shows that 76% of crypto owners currently hold SOL as part of a long-term investment strategy, which is good news for the ecosystem. This is a reason why investors keep exchanging cryptocurrency and traditional currency into Solana rather than converting Solana to USD. Clearly, it’s one of the best cryptos that managed to stand out and pass the test of time, thanks to its low transaction fees and lightning-fast transaction speeds. The involvement of the retail sphere contributes a lot to Solana’s standing; though it’s the huge buyer, risk-tolerant whale who has the weightiest say in how cryptos perform. Retail investors typically adopt a long-term perspective regarding their SOL investments. 

But what do all these mean? Why are investors placing such high bets on Solana?

About SOL ETFs and more

The most obvious near-term catalyst for Solana's latest success and retail investors’ firm conviction that it will boost the value of their SOL shares by 3x, 5x, or even 10x prompts the question: What’s the biggest catalyst? The greenlighting of an SOL ETF, which was expected to occur in October before the U.S. administration began its streak of tax impositions on China and other countries (including imported housewares, lumber, and crucial software), is the heaviest contributor.

Pelin Ay is one of the analysts drawing attention to the fact that historically, rises of between 40% and 70% followed increased whale buying activity. Additionally, the high likelihood of the Solana ETF being greenlighted could also tighten supply and spark bullish momentum again, particularly given Solana's rising institutional interest and high staking levels.

The chances of approval remain consistent, but the focus has shifted slightly from ETFs to the broader market picture – and on long-term investors' belief in further growth.

What investors do by going long

Traders who go long with crypto assets (or other asset classes) basically hold net long positions with that crypto. This is a very bullish signal for Solana, being reminiscent of previous market cycles that heralded positive forward returns, and when retail investors held a similar, long-term position. Analysts believe that SOL could surpass the $300 threshold if the ETF receives approval and moves toward a more cyclical target. However, traders are currently monitoring the market’s structure and liquidity levels to ensure that the accumulation phase remains resilient.

Besides ETF anticipation, the retail optimism overlaps with institutional amassing of SOL, mainly when it traded under $200. It’s common for treasury firms to pick up promising cryptos when they experience pullbacks, like the bulk of cryptos did recently. This reinforces retail confidence in crypto.

SOL Strategies, Ark Invest, Solmate, and other treasury firms have invested substantial amounts in Solana. The latter, for instance, bought $50MN worth of Solana, while the former bought 88,433 SOL for $193.93 per coin. ARK Invest stated that its SOL ownership stake currently stands at 11.5%.

This activity suggests that institutional buyers are willing to purchase at these prices.

The hottest SOL projects this year

Solana has achieved several undeniable milestones this year that have helped it strengthen its edge in the market. Here’s a lowdown:

• Wormhole – Wormhole enables a flowless transition of digital assets, serving as a cross-chain bridge that unites blockchains such as Ethereum and Polygon with Solana. It was initially built for Ethereum and Solana exclusively, but now supports more than 30 blockchains.

• Helium – Developed as a P2P network for Internet of Things (IoT) devices around the world, Helium represents a decentralized and wireless network where users who establish and manage Helium Hotspots can obtain rewards for providing wireless coverage.

• Genopets – Developed as a game that integrates with fitness or mobile devices to monitor activity and steps, Genopets is a revolutionary Solana-based project that rewards active users with cryptocurrency, combating sedentary behavior.  

• Bonk – One of the most popular dog-themed meme coins in 2025, Bonk is the biggest such token on the Solana network, becoming an integral part of its ecosystem.

• Marinade Finance – Serving as a Solana-based liquid staking protocol, this staking solution allows users to stake SOL and rewards them with mSOL, which is basically locked-up SOL plus rewards.

• Star Atlas – This P2E MMORPG enables gamers to earn rewards for different tasks and milestones, like conquering territories or controlling ships.

Projects like these contribute to Solana’s ecosystem resilience, additionally diversifying its use cases across DeFi, GameFi, and lifestyle, and helping it become less and less reliant on any single sector. This helps stabilize growth and keeps the network relevant even during market cycles, such as the current one, which saw more cryptocurrencies nosediving – a trend that motivates new users to hop on the bandwagon.

Stay updated

Investors are still discussing Solana’s latest downturn, which saw the token lose virtually $60 in just a month. The market has ever since been finding its footing. The asset moved without giving investors much of a hint. The demand persists, but it takes time to see how the market performs. No one can tell how Solana will perform, and if you’re stubbornly sure about a chart and close-future performance, you might soon realize you’re wrong. The market loves to prove us wrong.

Keep an eye on Solana, as prices can continue to fall, stagnate, or surge unexpectedly. Finally, Solana’s structure remains promising, yet liquidity ultimately has its say in this. Follow liquidity levels and control risk, and everything else usually aligns naturally.

Endnote 

Solana’s past 12 months proved favorable for the token, the ecosystem, and its adherents. Catalysts include ETF expectations, new SOL-based projects, regulatory improvements, retail and institutional interest, and more. Solana is worth monitoring during the last quarter of this year and in 2026, so stay tuned!