Solana Volume Surges 70%: Why SOL Is Positioned to Outperform Ethereum in September 2025

Solana just ripped past expectations with a staggering 70% volume explosion—setting the stage for what could be Ethereum's toughest month yet.

The Scaling Showdown

While Ethereum grapples with layer-2 fragmentation and gas fees that still occasionally sting, Solana’s monolithic architecture is pulling ahead. Transaction throughput isn’t just higher; it’s consistently usable. No sharding complications, no rollup uncertainty—just raw speed meeting rising demand.

The Developer Momentum

Builders are voting with code. Major protocols are launching first—or exclusively—on Solana, drawn by lower costs and simpler deployment. Ethereum’s network effect remains immense, but innovation is accelerating where friction is lowest.

The September Factor

Timing matters. With ETH still digesting its latest upgrade and macroeconomic uncertainty lingering, traders are pivoting to assets with clearer narratives and stronger technical momentum. Solana’s recent surge isn’t just a spike—it’s a signal.

Of course, in crypto, today’s darling can be tomorrow’s bag—just ask anyone who bought the last ‘Ethereum killer’ at the top.

Key takeaways

Solana is gaining serious momentum, with trading volumes and Open Interest rising sharply. Market conditions remain healthy, and talk of a solana ETF is adding fuel to the fire. September could be critical.

Solana [SOL] is back in the spotlight.

DEX trading volumes on the network have surged, a clear sign that momentum and activity are heating up fast.

With ethereum [ETH] still holding the top spot but showing slower growth, the big question for September is simple: can SOL keep this pace and actually outshine ETH?

Solana outpaces Ethereum as ETF hype builds

Solana’s daily DEX volume hit $7.93 billion, nearly doubling Ethereum’s $4.03 billion, with SOL posting an 8% weekly gain while ETH volumes slipped almost 13%.

Source: DeFiLlama

Over the past 30 days, Ethereum still holds the lead at $135.6 billion versus Solana’s $109.6 billion, but the gap is narrowing fast.

Source: DeFiLlama

What could tilt the scales further is the growing speculation around a Solana ETF.

Polymarket now places approval odds at 99%, fueling Optimism that institutional demand could accelerate SOL’s momentum.

If approved, the ETF could become a powerful catalyst, putting Solana in a stronger position to challenge Ethereum’s dominance in September.

SOL holds strong despite pullback

Looking at the charts, Solana has managed to stay well in the green this month, still up more than 12% over the past 30 days.

Ethereum, meanwhile, is up a bigger 24%, but the difference isn’t as wide as it once was. SOL saw a sharp rally mid-August before cooling off, while ETH has followed a similar path with slightly stronger upside.

Source: TradingView

Even with the dip in the latest session, Solana’s price trend showed resilience, especially with solid trading activity backing it.

The real test now is whether SOL can sustain this momentum into September, or if ETH’s stronger gains will start to pull further ahead.

OI shows confidence

Open Interest for Solana has climbed back above $6.2 billion; traders are staying active despite the recent pullback in price.

Market participants aren’t shying away; in fact, they’re keeping positions open and looking for the next move.

Source: Coinalyze

At the same time, Funding Rates have held almost flat, which means there isn’t a big tilt toward longs or shorts right now.

Put simply, the market looks balanced.

This kind of setup often points to a healthy trading environment, where momentum can build naturally without extreme leverage.

If Solana keeps this tone, it could give the token the support it needs to keep challenging Ethereum into September.