Solana-Powered 24/7 Crypto Banking: SoFi’s Enterprise Leap with Mastercard, Galaxy, and Wintermute
In a landmark development for institutional cryptocurrency adoption, SoFi—a nationally chartered U.S. bank—has launched 'Big Business Banking,' an enterprise-grade platform built on the Solana blockchain. Announced on April 3, 2026, this initiative introduces 24/7 operational capability for deposits, transactions, and settlements in both fiat and digital assets, directly challenging the limitations of traditional banking hours. Partnering with financial and crypto industry giants Mastercard, Galaxy Digital, and Wintermute, SoFi is positioning Solana as the foundational infrastructure for global, round-the-clock business finance. CEO Anthony Noto underscored the critical need for such continuous financial infrastructure in today's interconnected, always-on global economy. This move signals a significant maturation phase for crypto, transitioning from retail speculation to core enterprise utility. By leveraging Solana's high throughput and low latency, the platform specifically targets corporations and financial entities operating across time zones, where delays in legacy settlement systems can incur substantial costs and operational friction. The involvement of Mastercard points toward deeper integration between traditional payment rails and blockchain networks, while Galaxy and Wintermute bring deep liquidity and market-making expertise to ensure robust on-ramp and off-ramp services. This development is a powerful bullish signal for Solana's ecosystem, validating its technical architecture for high-stakes, institutional-grade applications beyond decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It demonstrates a clear path for blockchain technology to solve real-world business inefficiencies in treasury management and cross-border payments. For the broader digital asset market, SoFi's launch as a regulated bank deploying such a platform adds a layer of legitimacy and could accelerate similar offerings from other traditional financial institutions, driving further capital inflow and integration. The partnership model here—a chartered bank, a global payments network, and leading crypto-native firms—may become the blueprint for future hybrid financial services, solidifying crypto's role not as a parallel system, but as an enhancement to the existing global financial framework.
SoFi Launches 24/7 Crypto Banking on Solana With Mastercard, Galaxy, Wintermute as Partners
SoFi, a nationally chartered US bank, has unveiled Big Business Banking—an enterprise platform enabling round-the-clock deposits, transactions, and settlements in both fiat and crypto. Built on Solana, the platform targets businesses operating in global markets where legacy banking hours fall short. CEO Anthony Noto emphasized the need for 24/7 financial infrastructure in today's economy.
Key institutional players including Mastercard, Galaxy, Fireblocks, and Wintermute have joined as launch partners. Mastercard's participation follows its recent $1.8 billion bid for stablecoin infrastructure firm BVNK, signaling deeper payment rail integration with crypto. The move builds on SoFi's November 2025 milestone as the first US national bank to offer crypto services.
North Korea-Linked Hackers Suspected in $285 Million Drift Protocol Exploit
Blockchain security firm Elliptic has uncovered evidence suggesting North Korean cyber groups orchestrated a $285 million attack on Drift Protocol, a leading decentralized futures platform on Solana. The breach triggered a collapse in the platform’s native token, which plummeted to $0.06, sending shockwaves through the DeFi community.
Elliptic’s analysis reveals striking similarities between this attack and previous state-sponsored operations tied to North Korea. The hackers employed sophisticated money-laundering techniques, rapidly moving stolen funds through a network of wallets and dispersing them across multiple addresses—a hallmark of coordinated, large-scale cyber theft.
Investigators noted the use of test transactions and pre-configured wallets, indicating meticulous planning. The incident underscores the growing threat of nation-state actors targeting decentralized finance protocols.
Solana Tests Critical Support as Market Awaits Next Catalyst
Solana's price action reflects broader crypto market fragility, with SOL failing to reclaim its $110–$120 support-turned-resistance zone. The asset now hovers near a decisive $50 level—historically a consolidation area with strong demand.
Technical patterns suggest distribution rather than accumulation, with lower highs forming since the breakdown. Trading volumes remain subdued, indicating weak conviction among buyers despite oversold conditions.
The next directional move may hinge on whether $50 holds as institutional traders monitor ETF flows and macroeconomic signals. Market makers currently price in 68% implied volatility for SOL options, reflecting heightened uncertainty.
Solana Ecosystem Reels as Drift Protocol Exploit Exposes 20 Projects
The fallout from the $285 million Drift Protocol exploit has metastasized across Solana's DeFi ecosystem, with 20 projects now confirming exposure according to SolanaFloor's tracker. What began as an isolated incident now threatens systemic contagion.
Prime Numbers Fi faces the most severe impact, with potential losses exceeding $10 million still being assessed. Reflect Money has already absorbed $1.95 million in damages, forcing temporary suspensions of USDC and USDT operations as a containment measure.
Newly affected protocols including PiggyBank, Perena, and Gauntlet reveal the exploit's lateral spread through Solana's interconnected infrastructure. The breach underscores the fragility of composable DeFi systems when core protocols are compromised.
