Solana Rivals Ethereum as Economic Metrics Surge in 2024
The Solana network is making significant strides in closing the gap with Ethereum, as highlighted by a bullish report from hedge fund Syncracy Capital. According to the report published on November 12, 2024, Solana’s real economic value (REV) reached 111% of Ethereum’s REV in October 2024, a dramatic increase from just 1% a year prior. This metric, which encompasses transaction fees and maximal extractable value (MEV) tips paid to validators, indicates a robust economic activity on the Solana network. Additionally, Solana’s total application revenue (TAR) was reported at 109% of Ethereum’s, showcasing its growing popularity and the increasing fees paid to protocols and applications built on the blockchain.
The surge in Solana’s economic activity can be largely attributed to the recent memecoin mania, which has seen several new memecoins gain traction within the ecosystem. Notable examples include Goatseus Maximus (GOAT), which achieved a market cap of $400 million in just one week, alongside other significant performers like SPX6900, Apu Apustaja, and FWOG. This influx of interest has resulted in heightened network volumes, fees, and total value locked (TVL), with Solana’s TVL reaching a two-year high of over 42 million SOL, while Ethereum’s TVL remained stagnant at 17.7 million ETH.
Despite the excitement surrounding Solana’s memecoin activity, there are concerns regarding its long-term sustainability. Syncracy Capital views this speculative trend as a necessary stress test for the network’s reliability, drawing parallels to the early days of DeFi on Ethereum in 2020. Solana has faced challenges with outages since its inception, including a notable five-hour service interruption in February 2024. The network is also attracting decentralized infrastructure protocols, with four unicorns in the DePIN sector. Looking ahead, the Solana Foundation plans to release the full version of the Firedancer upgrade in 2025 to support its growing activity and infrastructure demands.