by Coinstrooper Crypto Articles
Quick Take
  • Similarly, 21 Ethereum ETFs have launched with 16 public companies holding ETH, but Solana has zero Solana ETFs with just 5 public companies holding SOL.
  • Institutions are currently under-allocated to SOL relative to BTC and ETH, holding less than 1% of the total supply, compared to 16% of BTC and 7% of ETH.
  • With a Solana ETF approval expected as early as Q4 2025, Pantera Capital believes Solana is next in line for its “institutional moment.”
  • In terms of market capitalization, Solana is still just a fraction of Bitcoin (1/20th) and Ethereum (1/4th).

What Happened

Digital asset investing company Pantera Capital says Solana (SOL) is approaching a major inflection point in its adoption as the third-largest crypto play after Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The San Francisco-based firm added that ETF launches accelerated institutional adoption of BTC and ETH, with 43 Bitcoin ETFs launched and 165 public companies holding BTC.

Similarly, 21 Ethereum ETFs have launched with 16 public companies holding ETH, but Solana has zero Solana ETFs with just 5 public companies holding SOL.

Pantera Capital recently led a $500M fundraising for Helius Medical Technologies to launch a Solana treasury focused on acquiring SOL.

Global investment firm VanEck is predicting $SOL could surge to $520 before the year’s end.

Market Context

Pantera Capital Backs SOL to Surpass $300 Says ‘Institutional Moment’ Incoming”

With a Solana ETF approval expected as early as Q4 2025, Pantera Capital believes Solana is next in line for its “institutional moment.”

In terms of market capitalization, Solana is still just a fraction of Bitcoin (1/20th) and Ethereum (1/4th).

Pantera Capital’s CEO, Dan Morehead, has now confirmed Solana is their biggest position, worth a massive $1.1 billion.

Most experts have set their Solana price predictions sky-high, with some calling for $1,000 by 2026.

The price is currently trading at $238 after a sharp move upward, showing early signs of rejection near this resistance.

Why It Matters

Solana has been outperforming Ethereum in recent weeks and is now sitting at a key zone where it could break into fresh all-time highs.

If Solana fails to hold momentum at current levels, a pullback toward the $200 region appears likely, where buyers would look to defend and reload.

From there, the projection favors a rebound that could retest and potentially break the $260–$280 resistance zone.

A clean breakout above this level would likely open the path for a stronger continuation rally, targeting new highs above $300.

Details

In a September 18 company post, Pantera hinted that blue-chip companies like Stripe and PayPal are starting to build on Solana, and the story for Solana is just beginning.

Institutions are currently under-allocated to SOL relative to BTC and ETH, holding less than 1% of the total supply, compared to 16% of BTC and 7% of ETH.

Yet Solana leads both in key usage metrics, with the most active user addresses of over 2.44 million and chain app revenue of over $6 million.

Pantera reaffirms that it believes Solana offers greater asymmetric upside potential.

Institutional interest in Solana continues to rise, with firms such as Upexi, DeFi Development Corp, and Bit Mining all accumulating SOL reserves in recent months.

Technical Analysis Points to Bullish Momentum

Daily Chart Analysis

The Solana daily chart highlights a clear resistance zone around $260–$280, which has historically acted as a supply area where sellers step in.

The chart also marks a demand zone between $180–$200, which has served as a strong base for previous rallies.