Is It Possible for Solana (SOL) to Flip Ethereum (ETH) by 2026?

Solana’s (SOL) expansion has been exponential since its 2020 release. SOL has even exceeded other well-known coins available on the market, like Cardano (ADA), Tron (TRX), and Ripple (XRP). While this talk has been on for three years, the recent Standard Chartered projection of Solana flipping Ethereum Should Donald Trump win the US election has rekindled the debate. However, given the significant market cap differences, many believe 2024 and 2025 are still too early for Solana to oust Ethereum, so most SOL traders are focusing on what 2026 might bring for the coin in its struggle for the ETH crown.

Solana (SOL) vs. Ethereum (ETH): A Race to Finish in 2026?

While many available predictions are speculative, we have decided to go for key metrics in our analysis. Here is how they fair against each other:

Transaction Fees

One area in which Solana (SOL) has led is its low transaction costs. Its gas fee average cost is $0.00025 per transaction. On the other hand, the Ethereum (ETH) gas fee is very high, depending on network demand. This has drawn criticism over the years. Ethereum fees have even jumped as high as $50 per transaction before, although they are currently at $1.051. This notable difference has been a selling point for Solana, helping it attract more users.

Transaction Speed

Another factor that has led to Solana’s amazing expansion and appeal is its transaction speed. Solana can perform an astounding 65,000 transactions per second (TPS) when compared to Ethereum’s present capability of 15–30 TPS. Even if Ethereum intends to solve this through network upgrades, Solana will lead in transaction speed for now and continue to attract developers who use this capability.

Ecosystem Growth

They have both excelled in different areas of ecosystem growth. Ethereum leads Solana in the NFT space, as the most valuable and notable projects are built on it. On the other hand, Solana has gained traction through meme coins with successful projects like Book of Meme (BOME), Dogwifhat (WIF), and Bonk (BONK) dominating the meme scene in 2024 with their mega rallies. However, recent Ethereum-based meme coins like Pepe Coin (PEPE) and Neiro (NEIRO) have mounted great challenges in the industry. Also, Solana has seen several partnership deals and endorsements with notable companies like Visa and Citibank, further boosting its appeal.