Coinbase Sees Surging Solana Institutional Activity as SOL Gains 21.6% Weekly

Solana (SOL) has demonstrated remarkable performance this week, surging past $245 and posting an impressive 21.6% weekly gain driven primarily by robust institutional activity and substantial growth in decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystems. The network's Total Value Locked (TVL) reached a historic milestone of $12 billion, indicating strong adoption across lending, trading, and staking protocols. This substantial TVL growth underscores Solana's expanding utility and institutional confidence in its infrastructure. Institutional participation has been particularly notable, with Multicoin Capital executing significant on-chain movements totaling $680 million in SOL transactions. This substantial whale accumulation signals strong conviction among sophisticated investors in Solana's long-term prospects. Additionally, Galaxy Digital's massive $1.16 billion purchase further validates the institutional appetite for SOL exposure, highlighting the cryptocurrency's maturation as an asset class worthy of major investment allocations. The DeFi ecosystem on Solana has been a primary driver of this momentum, with protocols across lending, decentralized exchanges, and yield farming attracting substantial capital inflows. The network's high throughput and low transaction costs continue to make it an attractive platform for DeFi applications, contributing to the sustained TVL growth. This combination of technical advantages and growing developer activity positions Solana as a formidable competitor in the smart contract platform space. Market analysts attribute this week's performance to several factors beyond institutional interest, including network upgrades, expanding ecosystem partnerships, and increasing mainstream adoption. The price surge coincides with broader market Optimism about Solana's scalability solutions and its ability to handle high-volume transactions efficiently. As institutional players like Coinbase continue to facilitate access to SOL through their platforms, the cryptocurrency's liquidity and market depth are expected to improve further. The current momentum suggests that Solana is establishing itself as a cornerstone of the digital asset landscape, with its performance this week potentially setting the stage for continued growth through the remainder of 2025. Investors and traders on platforms like Coinbase are closely monitoring whether SOL can maintain its upward trajectory and potentially test new resistance levels in the coming weeks.

Solana's 21.6% Weekly Gain Driven by Institutional Activity and DeFi Growth

Solana (SOL) surged past $245 this week, posting a 21.6% gain as institutional investors and decentralized finance (DeFi) activity fueled momentum. The network's Total Value Locked (TVL) hit a record $12 billion, signaling robust adoption in lending, trading, and staking protocols.

Whale accumulation intensified, with Multicoin Capital moving $680 million in SOL on-chain. Galaxy Digital's $1.16 billion purchase of the token—including a $326 million withdrawal from exchanges—further bolstered confidence in Solana's liquidity and institutional backing.

Traders now eye a potential push toward $260–$270 as technical and fundamental tailwinds converge. The rally underscores Solana's growing dominance in blockchain infrastructure amid broader crypto market gains.

Wall Street to Boost Bitcoin Allocations by Year-End, Says Veteran Analyst

Veteran Wall Street strategist Jordi Visser anticipates a significant uptick in Bitcoin exposure among US financial institutions before the close of 2025. This projection signals a potential surge of institutional capital into digital assets, building on current momentum.

Spot bitcoin ETFs and corporate treasuries now hold over $117 billion in BTC, reflecting accelerating institutional adoption. Technical indicators across crypto markets suggest broadening bullish momentum beyond Bitcoin alone.

"Between now and year-end, traditional finance allocations to bitcoin will increase," Visser stated unequivocally during a recent interview. His confidence mirrors institutional survey data showing 83% of investors plan to expand crypto holdings in 2026.

Market analysts project $120-300 billion in Bitcoin inflows by 2026, with spot ETF flows serving as an immediate catalyst. The institutional narrative continues evolving from speculative experiment to portfolio necessity.

Coinbase Expands Financial Services Amid Intensifying Crypto Competition

Coinbase is aggressively diversifying beyond its Core exchange business as competitive pressures mount. The platform now spans custody solutions, derivatives, and stablecoin offerings—a strategic pivot timed with Bitcoin's record highs and shifting US regulatory winds.

Despite securing ETF custody revenues and launching new ventures, Coinbase remains tethered to Bitcoin's volatility. Trading fees, still accounting for the lion's share of revenue, fluctuate wildly with crypto market cycles. The company's S&P 500 debut and $83 billion valuation contrast sharply with its recent 15% stock drop after disappointing Q2 earnings.

A rejected UK advertising campaign—deemed noncompliant for omitting risk disclosures—highlighted Coinbase's struggle to balance mainstream appeal with regulatory scrutiny. The attempted rebranding as a holistic financial services provider comes as traditional finance giants and nimble crypto startups alike encroach on its territory.

Coinbase Unpacks IRS 2026 Rulebook: The Truth About Wallets, Exchanges, and Taxable Events

The IRS is tightening its grip on cryptocurrency taxation, with new rules set to take effect in 2026. Form 1099-DA will become mandatory for brokers like Coinbase, requiring them to report crypto sales and exchanges to the IRS. For the 2025 tax year, investors will see both cost basis and gross proceeds on their forms, but only gross proceeds will be reported to the IRS. Starting in 2026, the IRS will receive both metrics.

Lawrence Zlatkin, Vice President of Tax at Coinbase, emphasizes that taxable events remain unchanged: receiving crypto as payment, selling assets, exchanging tokens, or using crypto for goods and services all trigger tax obligations. The new reporting requirements aim to bring clarity to a historically murky area, but misconceptions persist. Investors must stay vigilant to avoid compliance pitfalls.

The changes will eventually extend to DeFi platforms, ETFs, and other crypto intermediaries, reshaping how institutions and individuals manage their tax liabilities. Proactive planning is now essential.

Institutional Investors Now Control 12.3% of Bitcoin Supply

Institutional investors, funds, and public companies have rapidly expanded their Bitcoin holdings, now accounting for 12.3% of the total supply. This marks a pivotal shift as Bitcoin transitions from early adopters and retail investors to large-scale institutional portfolios.

Analytics platform Ecoinometrics reports a 5% increase in institutional Bitcoin holdings over the past year, coinciding with an 80% price surge. ETFs, sovereign funds, and corporate treasuries collectively safeguard over one million BTC, representing tens of billions in dollar terms.

MicroStrategy leads the corporate charge with 638,000 BTC—more than 3% of circulating supply—while Metaplanet's treasury exceeds 20,000 BTC. Their strategy combines aggressive accumulation with innovative balance sheet management, positioning Bitcoin as a primary reserve asset.

Wall Street's embrace deepens as JPMorgan now accepts Bitcoin ETF shares as loan collateral and partners with Coinbase for direct digital asset access. With $7.5 trillion in U.S. money market funds seeking yield, institutional Bitcoin adoption appears poised for continued growth.

Bank of England's Proposed Stablecoin Caps Spark Crypto Industry Backlash

The Bank of England's controversial plan to impose strict ownership limits on stablecoins has drawn sharp criticism from the cryptocurrency sector. Proposed caps of £10,000-£20,000 for individuals and £10 million for businesses on 'systemic stablecoins' are being framed as a threat to financial innovation.

Industry leaders warn the measures could position Britain as a regulatory outlier, with Coinbase's Tom Duff Gordon calling the approach 'bad for UK savers, bad for the City and bad for sterling.' The central bank maintains these safeguards are necessary to prevent deposit flight from traditional banks as digital assets gain traction.

Market participants counter that the restrictions WOULD be impractical to enforce and may ultimately drive crypto activity to more accommodating jurisdictions. The debate emerges as UK regulators work to finalize frameworks for fiat-pegged digital tokens.