SOL Price Faces Key Support Amid Solana’s Rapid Network Expansion

Solana is testing investor confidence as the SOL price slips back toward key support levels, even as the network continues to expand across multiple fronts. After briefly pushing above $147 earlier this week, the token failed to hold its gains and is now trading below $145.

The pullback comes at a time when Solana is seeing rising institutional interest, growing real-world asset adoption, and new user-focused initiatives, creating a contrast between short-term price pressure and longer-term ecosystem growth.

SOL Price Tests Critical Support Zone

SOL has entered a short-term correction after failing to clear the $150 resistance area. The price dropped below the $146 and $145 levels, moving under the 100-hour simple moving average. On the downside, technical analysts are watching the $141–$140 zone, where a bullish trend line and Fibonacci support converge.

If the SOL price breaks below $140, the next support sits near $132, with further downside risk toward $124. On the upside, resistance remains near $146 and $148. A confirmed move above $148 could open the door to a retest of $155 and potentially $162.

Momentum indicators reflect cautious sentiment. The hourly RSI remains below 50, and the MACD continues to show bearish pressure. Despite a healthy trading volume of around $5 billion in 24 hours, SOL is still down roughly one-third from its price a year ago and well below its previous peak near $293.

Regulatory Developments and Solana ETF Inflows

Beyond price action, regulatory news in the U.S. may influence Solana’s medium-term outlook.

The draft bill known as the “Clarity Act,” released by the Senate Banking Committee, proposes reclassifying certain cryptocurrencies with exchange-traded products as “non-incidental” assets starting in 2026. This would ease some SEC disclosure requirements for assets like SOL.

If passed, the proposal could place Solana in a similar regulatory category to Bitcoin and Ethereum, potentially improving institutional access. Early signs of interest have already appeared.

On January 15, U.S. spot Solana ETFs recorded $23.57 million in net inflows, the highest in four weeks. However, ETF assets still represent only about 1.5% of SOL’s market capitalization, limiting their immediate impact on price.

While the SOL price struggles, Solana’s network continues to expand. In 2025, the blockchain processed $1.6 trillion in trading volume, accounting for roughly 12% of the crypto market. Its DeFi ecosystem remains anchored by platforms like Jupiter, Raydium, Orca, and Kamino, with TVL holding steady near $11.5 billion.

A major milestone came as Solana’s real-world asset (RWA) ecosystem reached a record valuation of $1.15 billion, driven by tokenized U.S. Treasuries, equities, and institutional funds. This signals growing use of Solana as a settlement layer for traditional assets.

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User engagement initiatives are also expanding. Solana’s Seeker phone is rolling out a large SKR token airdrop to over 100,000 users, while Interactive Brokers has enabled 24/7 USDC deposits via the Solana network, improving access for global traders.

Cover image from ChatGPT, SOLUSD chart from Tradingview