Solana Extends Smart Contract Dominance for Second Year as SOL Eyes $200

Solana closed 2025 with metrics that reshaped the smart contract landscape. DeFi Dev Corp market data shows the network extended its lead for a second straight year. Besides price action, usage, revenue, and developer activity point to structural dominance. 

Consequently, analysts increasingly frame Solana as the industry’s primary execution layer. The shift reflects scale, consistency, and expanding real-world adoption. Moreover, momentum indicators now align with onchain performance heading into 2026.

Network Scale and User Growth Drive Separation

Transaction data places Solana far ahead of rivals. The network processed roughly 33.1 billion transactions in 2025, marking strong annual growth. Hence, Solana handled more activity than all major competitors combined. 

Throughput followed the same trend, with daily averages exceeding 1,100 transactions per second. Additionally, sustained gains from prior years show the network scaling over time.

User adoption accelerated alongside performance. Solana added close to one billion new wallets during the year. That figure exceeded combined additions across other leading chains. 

Consequently, application builders gained access to a broader and more active user base. Network effects strengthened as activity diversified across payments, trading, and tokenization.

Developers, Trading, and Revenue Signal Maturity

Developer engagement reinforced the adoption story. Solana recorded more than 10,700 active developers in 2025. That total surpassed Ethereum, signaling a shift in builder preference. Moreover, tooling improvements and predictable costs supported long-term development.

Trading activity expanded sharply. Decentralized exchange volume climbed above $1.5 trillion during the year. Consequently, liquidity concentrated where execution remained fast and affordable. 

Revenue metrics further highlighted resilience. Solana generated about $1.41 billion in network revenue, holding steady despite broader market contraction. Hence, consistent fee performance proved more important than fee spikes.

Fee stability also differentiated the network. Median fees stayed low while volatility remained contained. Analysts using fee stability ratios ranked Solana well ahead of peers. Significantly, stable costs improved reliability for users and applications.

Price Structure Turns Constructive Into 2026

Source: CoinCodex

Market pricing now reflects these fundamentals. Solana traded near $139 with weekly gains exceeding 12%. According to curb.sol, technical indicators confirmed a buy signal on the three-day MACD. 

Price continues to hold above the $120 to $130 demand zone. Immediate resistance appears near $160, while $200 remains the key barrier. Moreover, volume trends support continued upside if buyers maintain control.