How High Can Solana Go in 2026 After a 48% Quarter?
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Solana (CRYPTO:SOL) saw a remarkable gain of 48% during the third quarter of 2026, rising from around $80 in early July to $118 by September 30. This performance outpaced Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO:BTC) 36% and XRP’s (CRYPTO:XRP) 37% increases over the same period. Only Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH), which climbed 57%, performed better among the major cryptocurrencies.
As of October 2, Solana is priced at about $122, still 58% below its all-time high of $293, reached on January 19, 2025. So, how high can Solana realistically go before the year concludes on December 31?
Solana Needs a 141% Increase to Reach Its $293 High
Right now, Solana’s market value—calculated by multiplying its price by the approximately 588 million coins in circulation—stands at around $72 billion. To reach the previous record of $293 billion, its market value would need to jump to about $172 billion, meaning Solana must more than double its value and add around $100 billion in just three months.
Solana’s token supply also continues to grow. Solana rewards validators—who maintain the network and process transactions—with new coins, meaning more coins will need to share any potential price increases. This makes hitting the previous record harder than the percentage gain alone suggests.
If Solana were to replicate its third-quarter performance and gain another 48% by December 31, it could end 2026 around $180. That would still be a strong showing but would be about 39% short of its previous record. Additionally, Solana began the year at roughly $124, so a positive close is just a 2% increase from its current level.
Solana ETFs Have Taken In Money for 11 Straight Weeks
U.S. spot Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which hold the coin and trade like stocks, indicate solid demand for Solana. These funds attracted $188 million in the week ending September 27, marking their best week in 10 months and extending inflows to 11 consecutive weeks.
Since July 13, these funds have accumulated approximately 4.37 million SOL and now hold about $1.93 billion in total—roughly 2.8% of Solana’s market value. However, demand for these ETFs can fluctuate. For instance, in early September, Solana ETF inflows dropped by 96% in just one week, but buying picked back up thereafter.
The consistent influx of funds supports the possibility of Solana reaching $180, but it doesn’t guarantee it. A week of net outflows could signal that the momentum behind the third-quarter rally is fading.
The Fed’s October 27-28 Meeting Could Slow Solana’s Climb
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates to a range of 3.75% to 4% on September 16. Traders are now watching the Fed’s meeting on October 27-28, where it may discuss another rate increase. Following a cooler inflation report on September 30, the chance of an October hike fell from about 71% to below 50%.
Investors are also weighing bond returns. As of September 25, the 10-year Treasury yield was 5.17%, a return backed by the U.S. government, while Solana pays no interest unless staked. Higher interest rates could make bonds more appealing compared to cryptocurrencies like Solana.
How High Can Solana Go Before 2026 Ends?
Realistically, Solana could aim for a ceiling close to $180 in 2026 if it repeats its impressive 48% performance from the third quarter. While a return to its previous $293 record is unlikely by December 31, a positive close is just about 2% higher than the current value. However, Solana still trades 58% below its peak, and any negative quarter could erase much of the gains made.
Two key indicators will likely determine Solana’s trajectory. If the Fed holds rates at its October meeting and ETF inflows continue into November, a push toward $180 seems achievable. On the other hand, if the Fed raises rates and funds see a week of outflows, Solana could give back part of its 48% gain and finish 2026 lower than where it started.
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Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst and the editor of 24/7 Wall St.'s Crypto Desk, where he covers Bitcoin, XRP, Ethereum, Solana and the altcoins investors search for most. His work focuses on price levels, spot ETF flows, on-chain data and the regulatory decisions that move crypto markets, written so a first-time buyer and a seasoned trader can both use it.
Sam has written about crypto professionally since 2019 and has published more than 2,000 articles. Before joining 24/7 Wall St., he wrote for crypto media outlets and Web3 companies and ghostwrote for crypto founders and token launches. His analysis is syndicated on Yahoo Finance, MSN and AOL and has been cited by other crypto news sites. He also founded MacLabs Marketing, a content and personal branding agency for crypto founders and executives.
When he isn't reading charts, Sam is usually at the gym or watching One Piece, a series he maintains has better tokenomics than most altcoins.
