Cryptocurrency

Ethereum Upgrades and Solana’s ETF Inflows: Which is the Best Buy for 2030?

Ethereum is testing a major new upgrade while Solana pulls in institutional money for weeks on end, and both coins sit far below their peaks. One suits the cautious long-term saver, but the other could deliver a far bigger payoff…

By Sam Daodu

Published October 1, 2026, 11:00am ET · 3 min read

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Two golden Ethereum coins stand upright in the center of a dark image, with two more golden coins lying flat in the foreground. In the blurred background, a golden balance scale is visible, all set against a black backdrop with dramatic spotlighting on the central coins. — Golden Ethereum coins stand prominently before a blurred balance scale, symbolizing the crucial decisions investors face when evaluating cryptocurrency assets like Ethereum and Solana. © J-Alone / Shutterstock.com

Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) and Solana (CRYPTO:SOL) offer different incentives for investors looking to hold until 2030. Ethereum is currently testing its Glamsterdam upgrade, while U.S. spot funds focused on Solana have experienced 11 consecutive weeks of inflows. This raises the question: when comparing Ethereum vs. Solana, which one better supports your long-term savings goals by 2030?

Both cryptocurrencies are trading significantly below their all-time highs. As of October 1, 2026, Ethereum is priced around $2,706, down 45.3% from its August 2025 peak of $4,946. Meanwhile, Solana is trading around $118, which is 59.8% below its all-time high of $293 from January 2025. So, which asset is more suitable for your savings as we approach 2030?

Ethereum Needs an 83% Gain as Glamsterdam Enters Testing

A close-up shot of a blue digital screen displaying a grid with names of cryptocurrencies: Zcash, Ripple, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. The background features a faint world map, and small red downward and green upward triangular arrows are visible in various grid cells, indicating market movements.

Ethereum tends to be a more stable investment. With a market cap of $330 billion, it is nearly five times larger than Solana’s $69.4 billion. To regain its previous high, Ethereum would need to rise by 83%.

The Glamsterdam upgrade is set to be tested on the Sepolia network on October 6, after a previous delay. A test network allows developers to evaluate changes before implementing them on the main network. Ethereum’s last major upgrade, called Fusaka, went live in December 2025. However, a mainnet launch date for Glamsterdam has not been announced yet, and any delay could dampen investor interest.

Ethereum’s large market cap limits its upside potential; the larger the network, the more new capital it needs to see significant price increases. Additionally, competing layer-2 networks could attract some of the transaction fees that Ethereum currently earns. Another factor to consider is that Ethereum has no hard supply cap, with approximately 122.1 million ETH currently in circulation.

Solana Leads on ETF Demand, but Fund Flows Can Reverse

Solana (SOL)

On the other hand, Solana has demonstrated a robust demand, particularly among U.S. spot funds. These funds, which hold Solana directly, have attracted inflows for 11 consecutive weeks, including a significant $188 million in one week. These funds currently hold about 4.37 million SOL, worth approximately $515 million.

Solana has also shown stronger recent performance, with a 16.2% gain over the past 30 days compared to Ethereum’s 9.8%. Additionally, the number of tokenized assets and stablecoins on the Solana network has reached record levels, signaling increasing usage alongside recent fund inflows.

However, fund inflows can quickly reverse. Even with several months of positive demand, we must consider whether Solana can maintain this momentum through 2030. In early September, Solana experienced a sharp 96% drop in inflows, and it has since lost ground, trading below $120. To return to its peak, Solana would need a 149% increase, and about 588 million SOL are currently in circulation.

Is Ethereum or Solana the Better Buy for a 2030 Retirement Plan?

When looking at the options, Ethereum appears to be a safer choice for a retirement portfolio targeting 2030. With an 83% rise needed to regain its high compared to Solana’s 149%, and a substantially larger market cap, Ethereum offers a lower-risk investment with less chance of significant loss. Solana, on the other hand, suits risk-tolerant investors seeking potentially higher gains driven by recent fund momentum.

However, investors should remain cautious. If Glamsterdam experiences delays or issues during testing, Ethereum’s advantage could falter. Conversely, if Solana continues to attract substantial investment, it may warrant greater consideration in the Ethereum vs. Solana debate for future investment decisions leading into 2030.

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Sam Daodu

Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst who's spent nearly a decade making blockchain understandable—no easy task when most whitepapers read like fever dreams. He writes for 24/7 Wall St., covering Bitcoin, altcoins, and crypto market analysis for investors. Before crypto, he was a tech writer (back when explaining "the cloud" was peak innovation). Since 2018, he's written for CoinTelegraph, Yahoo Finance, The Block, Cryptonews, Zypto, Rain, and more—basically anywhere people want crypto news without the headache. Sam runs MacLabs Marketing, a content agency for crypto brands tired of sounding like AI wrote their website. He also publishes free crypto education on his site for Web3 enthusiasts who think "gas fees" is a typo. When he's not writing or staring at charts, Sam's either: - Watching anime (currently convinced One Piece has better tokenomics than most altcoins) - At the gym sculpting himself into a Greek god - Listening to the music your mum warned you only bad boys listen to Connect: LinkedIn | Email | MacLabs Marketing

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