Just seeing a lot of discussions about Solana lately because I noticed that the SOL price has dropped significantly recently. But in reality, there are many interesting things about it.

Solana is a blockchain designed differently from Ethereum from the start. Its founder, Anatoly Yakovenko (an engineer from Qualcomm), had the idea that using Proof of History, a decentralized cryptographic clock, would help the network recognize the order of events much faster without waiting for mutual confirmations all the time.

What’s impressive is the speed and low fees. Currently, SOL can handle 3,000-5,000 transactions per second, which is much faster than Ethereum’s 15-30 TPS. The average transaction fee is only $0.00025, about 10,000 times cheaper than Ethereum. This is why Solana is suitable for DeFi, NFTs, and blockchain gaming.

However, there are concerns. Notably, Solana has experienced 7 network outages in the past. Although there have been no issues for the last 15 months, it still makes investors cautious. Another issue is that validators require expensive hardware, which raises the risk of centralization.

What could change the game is Firedancer, a new validator client developed by Jump Crypto. Many analysts expect that if Firedancer succeeds, it could boost TPS to 1 million and permanently solve network outage problems.

Regarding SOL’s price, it’s currently around $88 (down 47% over the past year). But analysts remain optimistic. VanEck predicts that in a bullish scenario, the price could reach $3,211 by 2030, while Bitwise targets $6,636. In a bearish scenario (if Firedancer fails or faces regulatory issues), the price could fall below $30.

The SOL token itself fuels the network: paying transaction fees, staking to secure the network, and serving as the main currency in DeFi. Currently, SOL has a supply of about 578 million coins, with inflation decreasing from 8% per year to 4.3%. If Solana’s usage skyrockets, the coins burned from fees could surpass new issuance, making SOL a deflationary asset.

For investors, Thai investors can buy SOL through trusted centralized exchanges. If they want to speculate on volatility, CFD tools are also available.

In summary, Solana has high potential but also risks that need understanding. The key factors are the success of Firedancer and ETF approvals. If successful, reaching $1,000 by 2030 isn’t impossible. But if it fails, be prepared for a deeper correction.