Solana Broadly Steadies Amid Growing Institutional Liquid Staking Interest

Solana is showing resilience in a volatile market, holding support at $170 and drawing increased attention from institutional players. With new liquid staking initiatives and a billion-dollar infrastructure fund in the works, the ecosystem appears primed for further growth—despite regulatory delays surrounding the proposed SOL spot ETF.

Institutional Interest: DeFi Dev Corp and SOL Strategies Step Up

Two major institutions have announced new initiatives in Solana’s ecosystem:

• DeFi Development Corp has launched a liquid staking initiative, adopting dfdvSOL tokens. This move diversifies its SOL treasury, enabling more flexibility and returns through staking while keeping assets liquid. The company aims to strengthen its validator operations and boost its SOL holdings.
• SOL Strategies, a Canada-listed firm, has filed a preliminary prospectus seeking to raise up to $1 billion over two years. The funds are intended to support investments and build infrastructure within the Solana ecosystem. Although specifics are yet to be revealed, the scale of this fundraising effort highlights growing institutional confidence in Solana.

Parker White, Chief Investment Officer at DeFi Dev Corp, stated, “The adoption of dfdvSOL not only creates additional ways to drive stake to our validators and increase SOL holdings, but also advances our role as a long-term participant in the Solana ecosystem.”

Technical Analysis: SOL Holds Steady Above Key Support Levels

At the time of writing, Solana is trading around $172, firmly above the $170 support level. The price has been climbing within an ascending channel since the April 7 tariff-induced sell-off, when SOL briefly dropped to $95.30.

Key technical levels include:

• Support: The 200-day EMA at $163.58, and the confluence of the 100-day and 50-day EMAs near $160.
• Resistance: Eyes are on the $200 mark as the next major target if bullish momentum holds.

However, there are warning signs. The MACD issued a sell signal on May 18, suggesting bearish momentum, while the RSI is trending lower toward the 50 midline. If RSI dips below 50, it could confirm growing sell pressure.

If the $170 support breaks, the next critical levels lie at $140 and the April 7 low of $95.30.

Outlook: Bullish Structure, But Caution Warranted

Solana’s uptrend remains intact, with strong institutional tailwinds from DeFi Development Corp and SOL Strategies. These developments are vital for long-term ecosystem health, particularly as liquid staking gains traction and new funds are allocated for infrastructure.

That said, technical signals suggest traders should stay alert for potential short-term pullbacks. Should the bullish structure hold, the path toward $200 remains open, but if sell-side pressure builds, the $170 support zone will be critical.

Final Take

Solana’s ability to attract major institutional interest—even amid ETF delays—reinforces its position as a leading blockchain in the evolving crypto landscape. Liquid staking innovation and billion-dollar funding ambitions reflect the growing confidence in Solana’s long-term potential.