Key Points
Ever since its launch in 2020, Solana has been talked about as a potential "Ethereum killer."
In 2023, Solana exploded in value by nearly 1,000%.
Solana's blockchain ecosystem generated nearly $3 billion in revenue over the most recent 12-month period.
It's easy for crypto investors to forget about Solana (CRYPTO: SOL). It's down almost 30% in 2025 as I write this. At a current price of $140, Solana is trading well below its all-time high of $294 from January.
However, Solana is one of the rare high-market-cap cryptocurrencies capable of explosive 1,000% growth in a single year. Take 2023, for example. Solana skyrocketed in value by an eye-popping 924%. Could it happen again? Yes, and here's why.
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Can Solana topple Ethereum?
Solana's primary competitor right now is Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), the $375 billion behemoth that ranks behind only Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) in terms of market cap. By comparison, Solana is relatively tiny at just $75 billion.
But let's say that Solana one day topples Ethereum as the preeminent smart-contract blockchain in the world. That would imply that Solana should also be valued at upward of $375 billion, or a tidy 5x boost from today's valuation.
Image source: Getty Images.
That's not entirely out of the question, either. Ever since it launched in 2020, Solana has been talked about as a potential "Ethereum killer." Anything Ethereum can do, Solana can do faster and cheaper. The speeds coming out of Solana today are truly impressive. In test environments, the Solana blockchain has shown the potential to handle 1 million transactions per second.
Is Solana really a $1 trillion crypto?
Right now, the Solana blockchain ecosystem is generating nearly $3 billion in revenue over a 12-month period. That's well ahead of where Ethereum was at the same point in its lifecycle. If this revenue growth continues unabated in 2026, investors will need to ratchet up their price targets for Solana.
If Solana skyrockets higher by 1,000%, it would be close to becoming a $1 trillion cryptocurrency. That's rarified air. Only Bitcoin currently has a market cap of $1 trillion or higher. So keep your expectations in check. But if all goes according to plan, investors could see a repeat of 2023, when Solana skyrocketed in value by nearly 1,000%.
Should you invest $1,000 in Solana right now?
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Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.