Key Takeaways:
- Standard Chartered warns Solana’s reliance on memecoin trading risks branding it a “one-trick pony” amid falling activity.
- Ethereum’s post-Dencun upgrade and modular scaling are pressuring Solana’s speed-cost advantage.
- The bank expects Solana to underperform Ethereum over the next 2–3 years unless it diversifies beyond memecoins.
Standard Chartered has warned that Solana risks becoming a “one-trick pony” due to its heavy reliance on memecoin trading, which currently dominates the network’s activity.
While Solana’s architecture excels at high-volume, low-cost transactions, the bank notes that this strength has mostly served speculative and unstable memecoin markets.
Standard Chartered has started coverage on Solana, saying it could underperform Ethereum over the next 2–3 years due to heavy reliance on memecoin trading.
— Satoshi Club (@esatoshiclub) May 27, 2025
Analyst Geoffrey Kendrick says Solana is strong in speed and low fees, which helped it dominate memecoins, but that trend… pic.twitter.com/iYMZpaizAf
As trading volumes decline, the report suggests that the network’s momentum could slow unless it broadens its focus.
The bank believes Solana’s technical capabilities could be better applied in sectors like financial services or social media platforms, though realizing these use cases could take years.
In the meantime, Solana may underperform Ethereum, which has gained ground with its Dencun upgrade and increasingly efficient Layer-2 solutions.
Standard Chartered emphasized Ethereum’s modular design as a key advantage, allowing it to scale while maintaining decentralization and security.
In contrast, Solana’s monolithic structure may hinder its adaptability in the evolving blockchain landscape.
To stay competitive, Solana must diversify its ecosystem beyond memecoins and demonstrate broader utility.
Without doing so, the network’s identity could remain tied to a fading trend, jeopardizing its long-term prospects compared to Ethereum and other scalable platforms.
About The Author
Adam Morris, the co-founder of Crypto Head and a respected crypto expert, offers insightful commentary and analysis on cryptocurrency, NFTs, and the evolving digital landscape.
His extensive experience and features in top-tier publications like Forbes and CNN underscore his deep understanding of the crypto world and its future potential.
Check Adam out on: