Emre Yumlu 
As the crypto market turns its attention toward the final quarter of the year, Solana (SOL) is increasingly being highlighted as one of the most promising players. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan recently argued that Solana could be positioned for a notable rally, supported by institutional interest, pending product approvals, and speed-focused technical upgrades.
Key Drivers of Potential Demand
According to Hougan, crypto returns over the past 18 months have followed a straightforward formula: inflows from exchange-traded products (ETPs) combined with corporate treasury purchases. This trend played a major role in pushing Bitcoin from $40,000 to above $112,000 and lifting Ethereum to around $4,500.
A similar dynamic may be shaping up for Solana. Institutional heavyweights such as Bitwise, Grayscale, VanEck, Franklin Templeton, Fidelity, Invesco/Galaxy, and Canary Capital have all filed for spot Solana ETPs. The SEC is expected to rule on these applications by October 10, 2025, a timeline that could spark strong institutional demand for Solana in Q4.
The Messenger for Solana’s Narrative
Hougan notes that in previous market cycles, influential figures have played pivotal roles in driving adoption. For Bitcoin, Michael Saylor became a key advocate, while Tom Lee boosted confidence in Ethereum. For Solana, Forward Industries chairman Kyle Samani could emerge as the voice of the ecosystem. If Samani takes the Solana message to platforms like CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business, Hougan believes it could accelerate investor momentum.
Speed and Technical Strength: The Alpenglow Upgrade
One of Solana’s strongest selling points is its ability to handle a significantly higher number of transactions per second compared to Ethereum, and at much lower costs. With the approval of the Alpenglow upgrade, transaction finality on the blockchain will be reduced from 12 seconds to just 150 milliseconds, potentially making Solana one of the fastest networks in the industry.
Critics, however, argue that this speed is achieved at the expense of decentralization, making the network more fragile. Despite this debate, Solana ranks third among programmable blockchains for stablecoin liquidity—behind only Ethereum and TRON—and fourth in tokenized assets.
*This content is not investment advice.
Also, click to read our guide, How to Buy Solana (SOL) on Binance.
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