The crypto market is witnessing a showdown between two ultra-fast blockchain giants: Sui and Solana. Both bring superior features such as fast transaction speeds, low fees, and robust security. Although there are many similarities, can only one of these blockchains claim the crown in this cycle?
Solana, a veteran contender, has made a strong impression since the 2021 craze, while Sui, an ambitious newcomer, is proving its strength in the blockchain world. So which one has greater growth potential? Let's analyze further.
Solana (SOL): A muscular veteran
Solana has proven itself to be one of the strongest competitors in the blockchain world. Launched in 2020, it made a strong impression from day one. From a price of just 1.5 USD, Solana skyrocketed to 260 USD in a short time, with an increase of 173 times in less than a year. An absolutely crazy figure!
Despite significant growth, Solana continues to improve and develop. Its blockchain is now much more stable, experiencing almost no issues since late 2022. This stability has attracted the attention of major institutions, with the launch of the SOL staking ETF and a series of other ETFs being rolled out. This indicates that Solana is not only of interest to retail investors but also to large investment funds.
Solana is also making strong strides in the traditional finance space. It not only supports cryptocurrency transactions but is also expanding into tokenized physical assets, such as stocks and treasury bonds. Particularly, collectible platforms and real-world assets (RWAs) are becoming an important part of Solana's ecosystem.
It can be said that Solana is not just a trend – it is exploding like a tsunami, as in just one year, the daily active wallet count for Solana surged from under 1 million to over 16.3 million—a leap that cannot be ignored. This is not a small step – but a jump of 17 times.
Just since October 2024, the number of wallets has doubled. At that time, the number was only 8.8 million. Since then, on-chain activity has increased vertically, and prices have kept pace: from 130 USD at the end of 2024 to over 200 USD.
This is the kind of déjà vu the crypto market experiences: a sharp increase in users, and prices rise. History tends to repeat itself—and this time, the scale seems even larger.
Furthermore, in just one week, Solana attracted 78 million USD through ETP products – outperforming both Ethereum and Bitcoin. This is not retail investor FOMO. This is institutional investment, financial organizations, and Wall Street sharks seriously betting on the future of Solana. ETPs are the gateway for them to enter crypto legally and safely. And when they invest, it is not gambling—but a long-term strategy.
Moreover, Solana has led all Layer 1 and Layer 2 blockchains in network revenue for 16 consecutive weeks. A blockchain generating more fees than Ethereum, yet still vastly undervalued? This is an asymmetry that investors cannot overlook.
After a period of capital withdrawal, net inflows on Solana are now stabilizing. No one is in a hurry to sell anymore. And that says an important thing: the market is accumulating.
Decreasing supply + increasing demand = classic formula for a parabolic price surge. This is no longer a theory—it's happening, day by day, hour by hour.
Famous analyst Ali Martinez has used Fibonacci tools to outline a potential path to 2,000 USD. It could start from a critical point: prices exceeding 172 USD. If that happens, the domino effect could spread rapidly to unexpected results.
Key price levels to watch:
172 USD – first short-term resistance
198.25 USD – clear breakout signal
217.89 USD – strong psychological threshold
274.61 USD and 366.39 USD – extended targets
2,000 USD – long-term destination.
It all revolves around closing weekly above 170 USD. If maintained, a strong bullish trend could be triggered – just like what happened in early 2025.
Even AI models like ChatGPT agree: with on-chain growth momentum, abundant institutional capital, and active retail participation, the 200 USD mark is just the next stop—and 2,000 USD is entirely possible, if the factors continue to converge.
SUI: Ambitious newcomer rewriting the rules of the game
Unlike Solana – a “veteran” making dramatic breakthroughs – Sui is the rising name, just launched in mid-2023. However, in a short time, this blockchain has created real tremors: directly entering the top 10 in terms of total value locked (TVL) in the DeFi space, surpassing many veteran predecessors.
Part of the reason comes from the explosion of real-world applications on the Sui platform. For example:
Bluefin – a DEX attracting a huge user base with a smooth experience and low costs.
BTCFi – opening the door to bring Bitcoin into the DeFi world, making this traditional asset more flexible than ever.
One of the most outstanding highlights of Sui is the Walrus Protocol – a decentralized storage solution that is up to 80% cheaper than current competitors. This is not just a technical advancement, but also a strategic leverage that helps Sui scale quickly.
This also explains why not only retail investors but also giants like Grayscale have begun to closely monitor every move of this blockchain.
In 2024, Sui reached an unbelievable milestone: over 230 million user accounts – a number that makes even veteran blockchains wary.
Not stopping there, Sui's growth rate has outpaced Bitcoin, gold, S&P 500, and Coinbase stock during the same period. It doesn't take long to realize that this is not a name to be taken lightly.
From a newcomer, Sui is gradually redefining its position on the global blockchain map. With a rapidly growing ecosystem, optimized technology, and increasing interest from financial institutions, Sui is not just a new wave—it could be the next wave.
Who will win this battle?
Solana is one of the few blockchains that can confidently stand firm in a volatile market. Often referred to as a “monster” of the Web3 world, Solana boasts high stability, abundant liquidity, and a rich ecosystem spanning from DeFi, NFTs, to RWAs. With a solid position in the top of leading blockchains, Solana is a top choice for long-term investors seeking safety and efficiency.
However, it is precisely Solana's current scale that makes the potential for exponential price increases more challenging. Although analysis models expect SOL to reach 600 to 800 USD in the next cycle, achieving 100x its value like in the early days is nearly impossible in the context of a more mature and competitive market.
In contrast to Solana, Sui is a young newcomer but not at all inexperienced. The Sui blockchain architecture centered on the user is not only different but also allows for optimization of speed, scalability, and user experience. Although it has only emerged since mid-2023, Sui has risen to the top 10 blockchains by TVL – an impressive feat for any project.
With the current price at around 4 USD, it is entirely reasonable for SUI to rise to 15 USD – equivalent to a 4-fold increase. And if it continues to maintain its current growth rate, Sui could far exceed expectations, becoming one of the strongest growth blockchains in the market.
In the short term, Solana is clearly the more stable and less risky option – a familiar path for many institutional investors seeking capital preservation and clear profitability. But if you are someone willing to take risks for the chance to break through, then Sui is the dark horse worth betting on.
The race between Solana and Sui is not just a story about transaction speed or user numbers. It is a competition between a mature giant and an ambitious newcomer. Solana brings peace of mind. Sui offers opportunity. And regardless of who you choose, one thing is certain: both are shaping the future of the blockchain industry – and the game has only just begun.