Cryptocurrency

Should You Buy Cardano Under $0.25 or Solana Under $110 After Both Fell 9% This Week?

Both Cardano and Solana shed roughly 10% this week, but their paths to recovery look nothing alike. One faces a 1,200% climb to reclaim its peak while the other braces for a major upgrade that fund investors are quietly fleeing.

By Sam Daodu
Published October 14, 2026, 3:30pm ET · 3 min read

The Crypto Desk desk. Editor: Sam Daodu.

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Solana SOL stablecoin cryptocurrency golden coin in hand abstract concept
© Skorzewiak / Shutterstock.com

Cardano (CRYPTO:ADA) dropped 10%, bringing its price down to $0.23. During the same period, Solana (CRYPTO:SOL) experienced a slightly larger decline of 10.1%, trading at $105. While Cardano vs Solana seems evenly matched on a weekly basis, their long-term outlook tells a different story.

Cardano vs Solana Looks Very Different Beyond One Week

A close-up photograph of a gold-colored Solana cryptocurrency coin standing upright on a reflective dark surface. The coin features the Solana logo and text, including 'SOLANA' and 'USER-FRIENDLY APPS FOR THE WORLD'. Other blurred gold and silver-toned cryptocurrency coins are visible in the background and foreground, reflecting the ambient blue and purple light.

DIAMOND VISUALS / Shutterstock.com

Beyond one week, it becomes clear the two cryptocurrencies are not in the same position. Currently, Solana has a market value of $61.76 billion but sits 64.3% below its all-time high. In contrast, Cardano’s market cap stands at $8.65 billion, and it is down a staggering 92.5% from its peak.

Cardano Beat Solana Over the Past Month, but Solana Is Closer to Its Peak

A black Cardano cryptocurrency coin with its distinctive logo stands prominently on stacks of other crypto coins. To its left, a white die shows 'HOLD' and 'BUY,' while to its right, another white die shows 'HOLD' and 'SELL.' The background features a blurry digital screen displaying green cryptocurrency candlestick charts and market data, illustrating a trading environment.

Stanslavs / Shutterstock.com

Over the past month, Cardano has performed strongly, gaining 11.6%, while Solana has climbed 5.1%. Cardano’s stronger month suggests it recovered somewhat before the recent drop.

Despite this monthly performance, the gap between each crypto’s current price and its all-time high highlights a different story. Solana would need to surge nearly 180% to reclaim its $293 record, while Cardano would need about a 1,240% increase, or roughly 13 times its current price, to return to its $3.09 peak.

Market size also plays a significant role. Solana’s market cap is about seven times Cardano’s, making it easier for Solana to attract more investors as market conditions improve.

Solana’s Alpenglow Upgrade Is Due October 21, but Fund Investors Keep Selling

Cryptocurrency trading or exchange concept: Male hand index finger pressing computer key with Solana token logo.

Morrowind / Shutterstock.com

Solana has an important network upgrade, Alpenglow, scheduled for October 21. This update aims to improve transaction finality to around 150 milliseconds, meaning transactions will settle much faster and be irreversible sooner.

However, despite this promising upgrade, investor behavior has been concerning. Throughout October, U.S.-listed Solana funds—investment options that let you buy SOL through regular brokerage accounts—have seen net outflows in eight of the nine trading sessions. On October 13 alone, these funds lost $1.04 million in net outflows. This trend indicates that institutional investors are hesitant, casting doubt on the upgrade’s potential impact.

Cardano’s 11.6% Monthly Gain Has No Clear Driver

Interest rates,saving money, dividends and investment growth. Coins with growing tree with uparrow of coin money indicate business growth or increase in interest rates

Sichon / Shutterstock.com

For Cardano, its 11.6% increase over the past month is harder to explain. No notable upgrade or news has driven investors to buy. Without a clear reason for this rise, it’s difficult to assess whether the momentum will continue.

In Cardano vs Solana, Which Coin Has the Better Shot at Recovery?

Overall, we believe Solana has a better chance of bouncing back more quickly. Its larger market size, closer proximity to its all-time high, and the upcoming upgrade give it an edge. However, this also comes with risks. Smaller coins like Cardano tend to have more volatile price movements, meaning they can rise faster in a broader market rally.

Keep an eye on Solana fund flows after October 21. If these funds shift from outflows to inflows, Solana’s outlook improves. But if the outflows continue into late October, Cardano’s unexplained rise may warrant a second look as a potential recovery candidate.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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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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