Solana’s divergence explained – Is SOL undervalued or not?

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-02-15Last updated on 2026-02-15

Abstract

Solana's recent price decline of 31% in 2026 contrasts with its strong on-chain fundamentals, suggesting a potential bullish divergence. Key metrics like a record DeFi TVL of $80 million and robust capital inflows into areas like RWAs indicate solid long-term investor conviction. However, this view is challenged by a surge in speculative memecoin trading, which saw $100 million in daily launchpad volume and 30,000 new tokens daily. While memecoins like PIPPIN surged over 100%, SOL dropped 8.5%, indicating that short-term speculation may be masking the network's strength and weakening the argument that SOL is undervalued. A rebound to previous highs appears challenging under these conditions.

When price diverges from fundamentals, it’s often seen as a bullish signal. Strong on-chain metrics suggest investors aren’t giving up. Instead, they’re still committing capital and betting on the network’s long-term potential. Any short-term pullback? That’s usually just weak hands getting shaken out, setting the stage for a rebound once speculation cools off.

Considering this, it’s easy to see why Solana [SOL] could be following a similar path.

SOL has pulled back 31% so far in 2026, putting it among the weaker performers this year. And yet, the network’s activity remains robust, with capital continuing to flow into growth areas like RWAs, hitting new all-time highs.

Building on this momentum, Solana’s DeFi TVL hit a new all-time high of $80 million, fueled by strong stablecoin inflows. When you put it all together, TVL is one of the clearest indicators of investor conviction in SOL.

High liquidity and a growing TVL show that capital is being locked, signaling confidence in the network. This is also confirmation that fundamentals are diverging from price, a pattern usually seen when a token is undervalued.

So, naturally, the question arises – Is SOL undervalued? If it is, it could set the stage for a rebound once market sentiment flips to risk-on. That said, a closer look suggests this might still be an overly optimistic view for Solana.

Speculative buzz returns to Solana amid memecoin mania

Memecoin performance is putting SOL’s market momentum to the test.

Over the past 30 days, their performance has diverged sharply. The memecoin sector’s market cap fell by 3.5% to $30.2 billion, while SOL dropped by 8.5% over the same period. In short, memecoins outperformed Solana.

On-chain data might explain this gap too. According to Dune Analytics, Solana meme launchpads processed nearly $100 million in daily volume. Meanwhile, new token launches have averaged 30,000 per day this week.

Put simply, the data highlighted the ongoing speculative frenzy on the network.

Further backing this trend, Pippin [PIPPIN] surged over 100% in a single week, surpassing $535 million market cap. By comparison, core memecoins like Dogecoin [DOGE] and Shiba Inu [SHIB] posted declines.

Why does this matter? High memecoin activity can be bearish, as these tokens are often traded for short-term gains. In this context, Solana’s divergence on-chain and in price might not reflect a textbook bullish setup.

Instead, it might be indicative of how speculation is masking the network’s strength. As a result, the argument that Solana is undervalued is weaker, making its climb back to the $100-level a challenging one.


Final Summary

  • Solana’s on-chain activity, DeFi TVL, and capital inflows seemed to be illustrative of strong long-term investor conviction.
  • Surging Solana memecoins emphasize speculative trading, undermining the case for SOL being undervalued.

Related Questions

QAccording to the article, what is one of the clearest indicators of investor conviction in Solana (SOL)?

AAccording to the article, Solana's DeFi TVL (Total Value Locked) is one of the clearest indicators of investor conviction in SOL.

QWhat is the article's view on the relationship between high memecoin activity and SOL's price?

AThe article suggests that high memecoin activity can be bearish for SOL's price, as these tokens are often traded for short-term gains, which might mask the network's underlying strength and weaken the argument that SOL is undervalued.

QWhat was the performance difference between the overall memecoin sector and SOL's price over the past 30 days?

AOver the past 30 days, the memecoin sector's market cap fell by 3.5%, while the price of SOL dropped by 8.5%, meaning memecoins outperformed Solana.

QWhat new all-time high did Solana's DeFi ecosystem reach, and what was it fueled by?

ASolana's DeFi TVL (Total Value Locked) hit a new all-time high of $80 million, fueled by strong stablecoin inflows.

QDoes the article conclude that SOL is definitively undervalued?

ANo, the article concludes that a closer look suggests the view that SOL is undervalued might be overly optimistic, as speculative memecoin trading is undermining that case and making a climb back to the $100-level challenging.

Related Reads

Circle's Pullback: Still Worth Buying?

Circle: Still Worth Buying After the Pullback? Circle, the issuer of the second-largest stablecoin USDC, is at a critical juncture. Its current valuation of $15-20B primarily reflects its interest income from $770B in USDC reserves. However, data suggests a potential transformation into a fee-based digital dollar infrastructure network. Key evidence for this shift includes: * USDC's on-chain transaction volume grew 247% in FY2025, far outpacing its 72% circulation growth, indicating it's being *used* more, not just held. * Adjusted for on-chain noise, USDC dominates real economic settlement volume (64% per Visa data), despite USDT having 2.4x its market cap. Circle's three-layer revenue structure is evolving: 1. **Interest Income (95% of current revenue):** Tied to USDC circulation and interest rates. Faces headwinds from potential Fed cuts and a revenue-sharing agreement with Coinbase. 2. **Payment & Transaction Fees:** The key to becoming an infrastructure play. The Circle Payments Network (CPN) is scaling rapidly ($5.7B annualized TPV), and non-interest revenue surged to $37M/quarter. 3. **Settlement Platform (Arc):** A long-term bet on becoming an institutional settlement standard, though its value remains unproven. Near-term catalysts include the Coinbase revenue-sharing agreement renewal (Aug 2026) and potential full OCC bank charter approval. A 3-5x return is plausible if USDC circulation grows at 40% CAGR. A 10x return requires multiple successes: CPN scaling, improved Coinbase terms, non-interest revenue exceeding 10% of total, and progress on Arc. Major risks include faster-than-expected interest rate declines, Tether achieving greater legitimacy, and competition from new yield-bearing stablecoins and payment giants like Stripe. The investment thesis hinges on tracking three metrics: USDC circulation growth, its velocity (via Visa data), and the growth of non-interest revenue. The data is leaning toward a successful transformation, but it is not yet guaranteed.

marsbit1h ago

Circle's Pullback: Still Worth Buying?

marsbit1h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

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 S (S) are presented below.

活动图片