TL;DR
- Solana strengthens its practical adoption through a new Revolut partnership, enabling over 65 million users to transact crypto efficiently and cost-effectively.
- Ethereum maintains leadership in full-time developers with 3,778, while Solana’s network handles roughly 47× more daily non-vote transactions.
- The SOL/ETH valuation gap has narrowed in 2025, setting the stage for potential shifts in market perception and adoption in 2026.
Layer 1 blockchains are increasingly focused on real-world applications, with adoption metrics and partnerships becoming key differentiators. Solana’s recent integrations and Ethereum’s upgrades highlight a competitive race in transaction volume, developer activity, and usability as networks prepare for 2026. Analysts also note that institutional attention to scalability and cross-chain compatibility has intensified, potentially accelerating adoption.
Revolut Partnership Highlights Solana’s Practical Edge
Solana has partnered with Revolut, Europe’s leading neobank with 65 million users and 15 million crypto accounts, expanding its presence in the payments sector. Revolut users can now move crypto on SOL rails with lower fees and faster processing times, demonstrating Solana’s throughput, low-cost transactions, and high block capacity.
The payments sector is projected to reach $3 trillion by 2029, attracting Layer 1 networks and DeFi applications seeking meaningful adoption. Solana’s partnership reflects growing confidence from fintech players in its scalability. This move comes shortly after Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade, which also targets enhanced usability, underscoring the competitive timing between these networks. Additionally, developers are exploring more dApps on Solana, further strengthening its ecosystem for diverse financial products.
Solana Widens Usage Lead While Ethereum Upgrades
Ethereum upgrades historically increase on-chain activity, and the Fusaka release pushed its 7-day average transactions up by 180,000. Solana, however, continues to manage roughly 74 million non-vote transactions daily, approximately 47× Ethereum’s throughput.
The data shows Solana’s ability to scale effectively in live conditions while Ethereum consolidates its developer base. Despite Ethereum’s valuation advantage, the SOL/ETH divergence suggests that Solana’s performance is not fully reflected in market pricing, leaving room for potential market recognition. Analysts highlight that Solana’s growing DeFi and NFT usage adds further support to its network value.
2026 Outlook: Balancing Fundamentals and Valuation
The SOL/ETH ratio reveals a persistent valuation gap, with Solana’s fundamentals and adoption outpacing its market price. Upcoming milestones, including Solana’s Alpenglow upgrade in Q1 2026, may trigger a reassessment of its network value relative to Ethereum.
With strong throughput, strategic partnerships, growing real-world use, and expanding developer activity, Solana is positioned as a credible alternative to Ethereum.
