Solana (SOL)

Fact sheet · reviewed October 26, 2026

In plain English

Solana is a fast, low-fee blockchain that launched in 2020. Its coin, SOL, pays fees and is staked to secure the network. It's popular for trading, payments and meme coins.

Key facts

Launched	March 2020 (mainnet beta)
Created by	Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal (Solana Labs)
How it's secured	Proof of stake, with proof of history for timekeeping
Supply	No fixed maximum; new SOL is issued at a declining inflation rate
Speed	Blocks (slots) roughly every 0.4 seconds
Smallest unit	1 lamport = 0.000000001 SOL
Ways to invest besides coins	US spot Solana ETPs since October 2025

Solana price—

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What it's used for

Fast trading on decentralized exchanges, stablecoin payments, NFTs and a huge volume of meme-coin launches.

How it works

Validators stake SOL (and others can delegate to them) to produce blocks. Its design favors speed and low fees, which needs powerful validator computers.

Risks to know

The network suffered several outages between 2021 and 2024, most recently in February 2024.
Meme coins and "rug pulls" are especially common on Solana; most new tokens fail fast.
SOL's price is highly volatile.

Buying and storing it

If you decide to buy, use a regulated exchange you reach directly, check fees with the true cost calculator, and store long-term holdings in a wallet you control. Read how to buy crypto safely. This page isn't a recommendation to buy.

Questions

Is Solana better than Ethereum?

It's faster and cheaper per transaction but more demanding to run a validator for. They make different trade-offs.

Can I stake SOL?

Yes, by delegating to a validator in many wallets, with the usual staking risks.

Where to next

Sources

Facts checked against the sources listed, as of October 26, 2026. Educational only; not financial advice.