Solana processes 40% of L1 throughput amid memecoin boom – Explained

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-01-30Last updated on 2026-01-30

Abstract

Solana is currently processing approximately 40% of all Layer-1 blockchain transactions, second only to Internet Computer, as it handles a significant surge in memecoin activity. This period of intense speculation is acting as a real-world stress test, demonstrating the network's scalability, resilience, and consistent throughput of 2,000 to 5,000 transactions per second (TPS) without performance degradation. Key advantages like parallelized execution and low fees allow high activity to be additive rather than destabilizing. Furthermore, this usage translates into substantial economic value, with Solana generating $145 million in app revenue and over $110 billion in DEX volume in 30 days, far exceeding Ethereum and validating its sustainable monetization at scale.

Solana’s current memecoin-driven activity surge appears to be driven by speculative excess on the surface. Yet beneath it lies a real-time stress test of the network’s scalability, fee dynamics, and throughput resilience.

The network’s transaction throughput highlights production-grade scalability rather than episodic performance.

Since 2023, TPS has consistently ranged between roughly 2,000 and 5,000, with the latest reading near 3,200, even during memecoin launch waves.

Importantly, spikes tied to speculative surges did not trigger lasting degradation. Instead, throughput normalized quickly, signaling resilience under real demand.

Over time, TPS recovered from mid-2024 lows near 2,000 and scaled again into 2025, reflecting ecosystem growth rather than one-off stress events.

This consistency matters. Weekly averages show Solana [SOL] capturing approximately 40% of L1 transaction throughput, second only to the Internet Computer [ICP] at roughly 4,100 TPS.

In contrast, peers like TRON [TRX], BNB Chain, and Ethereum [ETH] operate orders of magnitude lower, typically below 150 TPS.

Solana’s edge stems from parallelized execution, low fees, and optimized networking.

As a result, high activity becomes additive, not destabilizing. Low degradation under stress, therefore, confirms production readiness, not laboratory benchmarks in live environments.

The memecoin comeback

Memecoin activity on Solana has been accelerating again, with Daily Token Deployments climbing above 40,000, marking an 11-month high.

Importantly, this resurgence aligned with sustained transaction throughput near 3,000–5,000 TPS, even during peak launch periods.

As a result, high-volume token creation does not degrade network performance.

Instead, consistent TPS enables rapid launches, frequent trading, and continuous experimentation.

Over recent months, Deployment Counts trended higher alongside stable execution, confirming scalability under real demand.

Moreover, launchpad diversity has expanded rather than concentrated, signaling broad participation. High TPS lowers friction, attracts speculative activity, and reinforces Solana’s role as the preferred execution layer for memecoin cycles.

Speculation converts into revenue, not just volume

Speculative activity on Solana has been converting into measurable economic value rather than transient volume.

Over the past 30 days, DEX Volume exceeded $110 billion in the last 30 days, more than double Ethereum’s $47 billion, signaling sustained trading intensity.

Echoing this, application revenue followed. Solana generated roughly $145 million in App Revenue over the same window, outpacing peers and validating fee capture.

Importantly, this revenue emerged during a memecoin-driven cycle, not a lull. Meanwhile, Hyperliquid [HYPE] and Base trailed meaningfully, despite strong niches.

As activity scales, base and priority fees compound with MEV extraction, reinforcing monetization. Therefore, throughput is not hollow. Usage pays, confirming sustainability at scale.


Final Thoughts

  • Memecoin-driven speculation on Solana doubles as a live stress test, proving the network sustains high throughput without degradation while scaling real usage.
  • Crucially, elevated activity converts into revenue, showing Solana’s throughput advantage translates into durable economic value, not hollow volume.

Trending Cryptos

Related Questions

QWhat percentage of L1 transaction throughput does Solana capture according to the article?

AApproximately 40%.

QHow does Solana's transaction throughput during the memecoin boom compare to Ethereum's?

ASolana's throughput is orders of magnitude higher, typically operating between 2,000 and 5,000 TPS, while Ethereum operates below 150 TPS.

QWhat was the 30-day DEX volume on Solana compared to Ethereum?

ASolana's DEX volume exceeded $110 billion, which is more than double Ethereum's $47 billion.

QWhat key technical features give Solana its throughput edge according to the article?

AParallelized execution, low fees, and optimized networking.

QWhat did the resurgence in memecoin activity on Solana not cause, demonstrating the network's resilience?

AIt did not trigger lasting degradation in network performance; throughput normalized quickly and remained consistent.

Related Reads

In Conversation with Ray Dalio: We Are Currently in an AI Bubble, with 1% of My Portfolio in Bitcoin

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, warns in an interview that the current AI boom shows classic bubble characteristics, which could lead to significant economic downturns as seen in past cycles like 1929 or 2000. He explains that speculative enthusiasm, fueled by debt and overvaluation, often precedes a crash when rising rates or taxation force asset sales, causing widespread losses and recession. Dalio also outlines his "Big Cycle" theory, describing an approximate 80-year pattern where widening wealth gaps, massive government deficits, and shifting geopolitical power (like China's rise) create internal conflict and global instability. He emphasizes that we are in a late-cycle, transitional phase where traditional powers like the US and UK face decline. For personal wealth protection, Dalio advises diversification beyond cash into assets like stocks, bonds, real estate, and particularly gold, which he prefers over Bitcoin. While he holds about 1% of his portfolio in Bitcoin as a non-printable hard asset, he views gold as more secure from technological or governmental threats. Regarding AI's impact, Dalio believes it will disproportionately benefit capital owners, worsening inequality by replacing both physical and cognitive labor. He suggests that human intuition and emotional intelligence, combined with AI, will be key for future workers. On taxation, Dalio argues that wealth taxes are impractical and risk triggering asset sell-offs, reducing productive investment. He points to the UK as a cautionary example of debt, low productivity, and political strife. Geopolitically, Dalio foresees a more regionalized world, with the US showing weakness in prolonged conflicts like with Iran, akin to past imperial declines. The ideal outcome, he suggests, is coexisting powerful blocs (e.g., Americas, China-Asia Pacific) without major war.

marsbit2h ago

In Conversation with Ray Dalio: We Are Currently in an AI Bubble, with 1% of My Portfolio in Bitcoin

marsbit2h ago

Daily 7.2 Trillion KRW: Foreign Capital's Record Net Buying on Friday! Wall Street Says Headwinds for Korean Stock Fund Flows Have Subsided

South Korean stock market sees a dramatic shift in fund flows. On July 31, foreign investors made a record net purchase of approximately KRW 7.2 trillion in KOSPI stocks, marking a fundamental reversal from the persistent large-scale net outflows seen in previous months. This contributed to a significant narrowing of foreign net selling in July to KRW 9.8 trillion, down sharply from KRW 48.4 trillion in June and KRW 44.5 trillion in May. Simultaneously, domestic institutional pressure eased. South Korean pension funds and asset managers turned to a net buying position in July, purchasing KRW 1.0 trillion worth of KOSPI shares, contrasting with net sales in May and June. Market volatility is expected to be dampened by new financial regulations. Effective July 31, the Financial Services Commission tightened access for retail investors to single-stock leveraged ETFs by raising the minimum cash deposit requirement. Trading volumes for these products subsequently dropped to about 50% of their monthly average. Citigroup Research maintains its year-end KOSPI target of 10,000 points. The firm cites several supportive factors: the substantial easing of headwinds from capital outflows, a robust fundamental outlook for the semiconductor sector, historically low market valuations, strong economic fundamentals, and the potential for policy support from financial authorities if needed.

marsbit2h ago

Daily 7.2 Trillion KRW: Foreign Capital's Record Net Buying on Friday! Wall Street Says Headwinds for Korean Stock Fund Flows Have Subsided

marsbit2h ago

Thanks to Dice Rolls, Bitcoin Keys Are Stored Offline, But Not Everyone Will Do It

The article discusses using dice rolls to generate secure Bitcoin wallet seeds, providing entropy independent of potentially flawed hardware random number generators. It explains that each fair dice roll offers about 2.585 bits of entropy, with around 50 rolls needed for a standard 12-word seed phrase and 99+ recommended for higher security. This method gained attention after a vulnerability was revealed in some Coldcard hardware wallets, where a faulty firmware RNG (dating back to 2021) compromised generated keys. The analysis notes that while a dice-generated main seed was safe from this specific flaw, other Coldcard functions (like creating paper wallets, backup keys, or passwords) could still be vulnerable if they used the defective RNG. The piece argues that while dice-based entropy is technically robust, the manual process is error-prone, tedious, and unrealistic for most new users, who might make mistakes in recording or inputting rolls. It concludes that while manual entropy generation should remain an option for advanced users, the long-term goal is to develop reliable, user-friendly hardware and software that securely generates randomness without requiring specialized knowledge. Coldcard users are advised to check their firmware version and replace any secondary secrets (like paper wallet keys) created with vulnerable devices, while also considering multi-signature setups with devices from different manufacturers for added security.

cryptonews.ru7h ago

Thanks to Dice Rolls, Bitcoin Keys Are Stored Offline, But Not Everyone Will Do It

cryptonews.ru7h ago

Trading

Spot

Hot Articles

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of SOL (SOL) are presented below.

活动图片