Standard Chartered Trims Solana’s 2026 Target — But Still Sees SOL Exploding to $2,000 by 2030

Why Standard Chartered Sees a $2,000 Solana Price by 2030 Despite Cutting Its 2026 Target

A new research note from Standard Chartered has reignited debate around the long-term future of Solana, even as the bank trims its short-term expectations amid heightened market volatility.

The London-based financial institution has reaffirmed its bullish stance on Solana’s long-term prospects, projecting a potential price of $2,000 by 2030. At the same time, it lowered its end-of-2026 price target to $250, down from an earlier estimate of $310, reflecting broader macroeconomic uncertainty and ongoing weakness across digital asset markets.

Source: X Official

The mixed outlook highlights a growing divide between near-term price action and long-term network fundamentals, a theme increasingly common in institutional crypto research.

A Revised Price Roadmap for Solana

The updated outlook was published in early February 2026 and authored by Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered. In the report, Kendrick outlined a multi-year price trajectory that assumes continued growth in Solana’s real-world usage.

According to the bank’s revised roadmap, Solana could reach:

$250 by the end of 2026
$400 by the end of 2027
$700 by the end of 2028
$1,200 by the end of 2029
$2,000 by the end of 2030

From current price levels near $97, the 2030 projection implies an upside of nearly 1,900 percent, assuming the network continues to expand its role in payments, stablecoins, and consumer-facing blockchain applications.

Why Standard Chartered Remains Confident Long Term

Despite cutting its short-term forecast, Standard Chartered’s long-term optimism is rooted in what it describes as Solana’s growing dominance in areas that matter most for mass adoption.

The bank’s analysis emphasizes that Solana is increasingly positioned as a blockchain optimized for everyday financial activity rather than niche or speculative use cases. Its combination of speed, low transaction costs, and scalability has made it attractive for micropayments, stablecoin transfers, and high-volume applications.

In 2025 alone, Solana processed more than $1 trillion in stablecoin transaction volume, according to data cited in the report. This figure underscores the network’s ability to handle large flows of value at minimal cost, an area where many competing blockchains struggle due to congestion and high fees.

Transaction Speed and Network Scale

One of Solana’s defining technical advantages remains its throughput. The network is theoretically capable of handling up to 65,000 transactions per second, while consistently processing between 1,000 and 4,000 transactions per second under normal conditions.

Recent activity metrics suggest usage is accelerating. Daily transactions have climbed to approximately 109.5 million, marking a two-year high, while weekly totals have approached one billion transactions. For Standard Chartered, these numbers signal sustained demand that goes beyond short-lived hype cycles.

Major Upgrades Strengthening the Network

The bank also pointed to upcoming technical upgrades as a key driver of long-term value. Solana is preparing for the Alpenglow consensus upgrade, expected to roll out in early 2026. This upgrade aims to reduce block finality times from roughly 12 seconds to as little as 150 milliseconds, a change that could significantly enhance the user experience for real-time applications.

This follows the deployment of the Firedancer validator client, which has already improved network stability and increased validator diversity. Together, these upgrades are designed to address earlier criticisms around reliability while reinforcing Solana’s reputation as a high-performance blockchain.

The Role of Memecoins, DeFi, and ETFs

Standard Chartered also acknowledged the growing influence of Solana-based memecoins, which now represent an estimated $4.7 to $5 billion of the roughly $37.8 billion global memecoin market, based on data from DefiLlama.

While memecoins are often dismissed as speculative, the bank views their popularity as evidence of user engagement and liquidity flowing into the ecosystem. Alongside this trend, decentralized exchange activity, stablecoin adoption, and growing interest in potential Solana-focused exchange-traded products all contribute to the network’s visibility and relevance.

Why the 2026 Target Was Lowered

Even with strong fundamentals, Standard Chartered reduced its end-of-2026 price target for Solana. The decision reflects current market conditions rather than a loss of confidence in the network itself.

SOL recently slipped below the psychologically important $100 level, trading near $97.30 after a 6 percent decline in 24 hours and extending losses to more than 22 percent over the past week. Compared with its levels in early 2025, the token has lost more than half of its value.

Source: CoinMarketCap Data

This downturn mirrors broader weakness across the crypto market, where assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum have also struggled to regain momentum following the market collapse in October 2025.

In this context, the bank views the revised 2026 target as a realistic adjustment to macro volatility rather than a reassessment of Solana’s long-term potential.

On-Chain Activity Tells a Different Story

Despite price weakness, Solana’s on-chain data continues to trend upward. Daily active addresses recently climbed to around 5 million, nearly doubling from levels seen in early January.

Decentralized finance activity remains robust as well. Total value locked on Solana-based DeFi platforms is estimated between $7.3 billion and $7.6 billion, close to all-time highs. For Standard Chartered, this divergence between price and usage reinforces the argument that Solana’s fundamentals are strengthening even during bearish market phases.

Fundamentals Versus Market Volatility

The bank’s outlook highlights a recurring pattern in crypto markets: short-term price volatility often diverges sharply from underlying network growth.

While technical breakdowns, risk-off sentiment, and macro uncertainty continue to pressure SOL in the near term, Standard Chartered argues that Solana’s expanding role in payments, stablecoins, and high-frequency applications positions it as one of the strongest long-term blockchain bets.

Still, the report emphasizes that forecasts are not guarantees. Regulatory developments, competitive pressures, and broader market cycles will all play a role in determining whether Solana can ultimately meet the bank’s ambitious 2030 target.

Conclusion

Standard Chartered’s revised Solana outlook paints a nuanced picture. In the short term, caution prevails as volatile markets weigh on prices. Over the long term, however, the bank sees Solana’s real-world adoption, technical upgrades, and growing transaction volumes as the foundation for substantial value creation.

For investors and market observers, the message is clear: while price swings may dominate headlines today, the deeper story lies in how effectively blockchain networks like Solana convert usage into sustainable growth over time.

hokanews.com – Not Just Crypto News. It’s Crypto Culture.

Writer @Erlin
Erlin is an experienced crypto writer who loves to explore the intersection of blockchain technology and financial markets. She regularly provides insights into the latest trends and innovations in the digital currency space.
 
 Check out other news and articles on Google News

Disclaimer:

The articles published on hokanews are intended to provide up-to-date information on various topics, including cryptocurrency and technology news. The content on our site is not intended as an invitation to buy, sell, or invest in any assets. We encourage readers to conduct their own research and evaluation before making any investment or financial decisions.
hokanews is not responsible for any losses or damages that may arise from the use of information provided on this site. Investment decisions should be based on thorough research and advice from qualified financial advisors. Information on HokaNews may change without notice, and we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the content published.