I predict that by the end of 2026, Solana’s (SOL 1.07%) price will be at or more than $200, which means I’m predicting that it will rise about 48% (or more) given its current price of about $135. The odds are in holders’ favor here. The coin has already cleared that level before in the past couple of years, and the drivers affecting its price are going to be even more potent than before. In late 2025, spot Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) began trading in the U.S. after receiving a green light from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and they’re one of the most important factors to understand in terms of the coin’s price performance this year.
As the ETF issuers experience demand from their customers for shares of their Solana ETFs, they will need to purchase more of the coin to back the new shares they issue to meet the demand. More than $61 million has flowed into the ETFs since mid-December of 2025 alone, and that’s probably just the start. The second mechanism that will likely drive the coin’s price higher is that Solana increasingly looks like a place where people provide and pay for services, both of which require buying and holding the coin to pay for transactions. In the 24-hour period of Jan. 5 alone, decentralized applications (dApps) on the chain generated more than $4 million in revenue, a sum that’s been steadily increasing over time.
If innovation continues to spawn more revenue-generating projects in its ecosystem, the network’s value is thus likely to continue to increase. Nonetheless, given that such lawsuits tend to take a long time to conclude and the plaintiffs winning is not in any way a sure thing, Solana hitting $200 by the end of 2026 is still the base case. As the lawsuit grinds on, the chain will experience capital inflows from multiple sources, and new upgrades to its platform tech may be on the way too. Price targets aren’t meant to be taken literally, and there’s no guarantee that my $200 mark will prove to be perfectly accurate.
There are a couple of things that might end up making my estimate off by more than a ballpark. First, ETF flows can cut both ways, as a new channel for buyers is also a new channel for exits. If sentiment turns bearish, the existence of the ETFs won’t necessarily stop Solana’s price from falling. A larger threat is that there’s a newly expanded class action lawsuit directed at Solana-affiliated entities and executives, as well as one of the important projects in the network’s ecosystem.
The plaintiffs are alleging that those individuals created a system in which investors participating in the launches of new meme coins were subjected to unfair practices despite the appearance of fairness. If the plaintiffs win, it will badly tarnish the network’s reputation, hurt the coin’s price, and probably damage at least a few of its revenue-bearing projects, so it would be pretty bearish overall.
Solana’s price is expected to reach or exceed $200 by the end of 2026, implying roughly a 48% rise from around $135 today. The thesis rests on several catalysts, including the late-2025 launch of spot Solana ETFs in the United States following SEC approval, and strong investor demand for the new shares. ETF inflows have already surpassed $61 million since mid-December 2025, signaling a fresh source of liquidity and buying pressure.
A second driver is growing on-chain activity, with Solana increasingly serving as a platform where services are bought and paid for in SOL. In a 24-hour window on Jan. 5, decentralized applications generated more than $4 million in revenue, a figure that has trended higher as the ecosystem matures. Continued innovation could lift the network’s value as more revenue-generating projects launch.
But the upside is not guaranteed. Regulatory risk and ongoing litigation can influence outcomes, and ETF flows can reverse if sentiment turns bearish. If plaintiffs win, Solana’s reputation and revenue-bearing projects could suffer, weighing on the price even as the ETF channel remains a factor.
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