Citi builds on Solana: Will SOL become the ‘internet capital market’?

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-02-13Last updated on 2026-02-13

Abstract

Citigroup (Citi) has completed a proof-of-concept for tokenizing traditional financial instruments on the Solana blockchain in collaboration with PwC. The test simulated the full lifecycle of tokenized bills of exchange, exploring how TradFi assets can move onto blockchain in a practical way. Despite recent price volatility and an 11% weekly drop in SOL's value, the network continues to demonstrate strong fundamentals. Solana handles approximately three times more daily transactions than Ethereum and all its Layer 2 networks combined. Its Total Value Locked (TVL) stands at around $6.36 billion, with significant DEX volume of $3.72 billion and perpetual futures volume of $1.45 billion. Notably, SOL spot ETFs saw $8.89 million in weekly inflows despite the price decline, bringing total assets to roughly $674 million, indicating strong long-term investor confidence. As summarized by a researcher from Artemis, Solana leads in users, transactions, developer growth, trading volume, and fees, positioning it to potentially become the "internet capital market." Institutional experimentation and continued capital allocation suggest growing belief in Solana's long-term narrative.

Big names are building on Solana [SOL], while the network pushes out massive transaction numbers even during price dips. So what’s really going on here?

Let’s break it down.

Solana’s big moment

Banking giant Citi has just completed an internal tokenization proof-of-concept using Solana, in collaboration with PwC. The test simulated the full lifecycle of tokenized bills of exchange (from issuance and distribution to settlement) in a controlled environment.

The goal was to explore how TradFi instruments could move onto the blockchain in a real-world way.

Source: X

Meanwhile, Solana has been flexing its scale. Recent data from Token Terminal showed that the network handles about 3x more daily transactions than Ethereum [ETH]!

Source: Token Terminal

That lead is on more than Ethereum’s mainnet and all of its Layer 2 networks combined!

Where does Solana stand?

According to DeFiLlama, Solana’s total value locked (TVL) was at around $6.36 billion at the time of writing. While that’s below its late-2025 highs, activity across DEXs was strong with roughly $3.72 billion in DEX volume.

Source: DeFiLlama

Perpetual futures volume is also notable, coming in at about $1.45 billion.

Even though the market has been volatile and SOL’s price has fallen, people are still using Solana. That steady activity is important.

Greater ambitions

After a few red weeks, SOL spot ETFs recorded $8.89 million in weekly inflows, putting total assets at roughly $673.99 million. This happened even as SOL posted a 11% loss this week!

Source: SoSoValue

It’s becoming increasingly evident that investors are buying into the long-term vision.

That roadmap was summed up by Zheng Jie Lim, Research and Data Engineer, Artemis, who said,

“Solana is number one in users, transactions, developer growth, trading volume, and fees… That’s how Solana becomes the internet capital markets.”

So, institutions are experimenting while investors allocate capital. That combination doesn’t quite happen by accident!

Final Thoughts

  • Citi’s Solana tokenization test and 3x dominance have added to the long-term SOL narrative.
  • $8.89 million in SOL ETF inflows despite an 11% weekly drop means investors are looking beyond the near-future.
Next: HYPE price prediction – Identifying the next liquidity target for traders
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Related Questions

QWhat major financial institution recently completed a tokenization proof-of-concept on Solana, and what was the purpose?

ABanking giant Citi, in collaboration with PwC, recently completed an internal tokenization proof-of-concept on Solana. The purpose was to simulate the full lifecycle of tokenized bills of exchange (from issuance and distribution to settlement) in a controlled environment to explore how traditional finance (TradFi) instruments could move onto the blockchain in a real-world way.

QHow does Solana's daily transaction volume compare to Ethereum's, according to Token Terminal data?

AAccording to recent data from Token Terminal, the Solana network handles about 3 times more daily transactions than Ethereum. This lead is over Ethereum's mainnet and all of its Layer 2 networks combined.

QWhat was Solana's Total Value Locked (TVL) and DEX volume at the time the article was written?

AAt the time of writing, Solana's total value locked (TVL) was approximately $6.36 billion, and the activity across DEXs was strong with roughly $3.72 billion in DEX volume.

QDespite a weekly price drop, what positive signal did SOL spot ETFs show regarding investor sentiment?

ADespite SOL posting an 11% loss for the week, SOL spot ETFs recorded $8.89 million in weekly inflows, bringing total assets to roughly $673.99 million. This indicates that investors are looking beyond near-term price volatility and buying into the long-term vision.

QAccording to Zheng Jie Lim of Artemis, how is Solana positioned to become the 'internet capital markets'?

AZheng Jie Lim, Research and Data Engineer at Artemis, stated that 'Solana is number one in users, transactions, developer growth, trading volume, and fees... That's how Solana becomes the internet capital markets.'

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