Solana Whales Make Waves as PUMP Token Investors Cash Out $39.6M Amid Market Dip

Two early investors in Pump.fun's PUMP token have executed massive sell-offs, liquidating 25.5 billion tokens for $39.65 million in profits. This move comes as the meme coin experiences a 31.4% price decline over the past month. The larger whale transaction involved 13 billion PUMP tokens routed through FalconX and multiple exchanges, yielding $19.5 million at an average price of $0.0055. A second address completely exited its position of 12.5 billion tokens for $20.15 million. These substantial transactions highlight the volatile nature of meme coins and the strategic moves by early investors in the solana ecosystem. While the sell-off has contributed to PUMP's recent price pressure, such whale activity often signals important market inflection points that savvy investors watch closely in the dynamic crypto landscape.

Whales Cash Out $39.6M in PUMP Tokens Amid Price Decline

Two early investors in Pump.fun's PUMP token have liquidated 25.5 billion tokens, realizing $39.65 million in profits. The sales occurred as the meme coin's value dropped 31.4% over the past month.

The larger whale moved 13 billion PUMP through FalconX and multiple exchanges, netting $19.5 million at an average price of $0.0055. A second address sold its entire 12.5 billion token position for $20.15 million. Both investors participated in Pump.fun's private round, acquiring tokens at public sale prices without lock-up restrictions.

PUMP trades at $0.0043, down 3.6% in 24 hours, despite being one of Solana's most notable meme coin launches. The unconstrained exit of institutional backers raises questions about sustainable tokenomics in speculative crypto projects.

Jito Unveils Block Assembly Marketplace to Enhance Solana's Transaction Efficiency

Jito, commanding 87% of Solana's validator stake, is launching a block assembly marketplace (BAM) to refine transaction routing on the network. This upgrade aims to mitigate toxic MEV, optimize performance for perpetual exchanges and central limit order books, and enable revenue-sharing between applications and users.

The new infrastructure leverages Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to maintain transaction privacy until execution. Jito's existing block engine, a lucrative off-chain auction system generating an estimated $25 million in Q4 2024, will integrate with BAM's node network to streamline transaction ordering.

CEO Lucas Bruder cited Solana's opaque market structure and the success of transaction-control models on rival chains as key motivations for the development. The MOVE signals Jito's evolution from a blockspace auctioneer to a core architect of Solana's market infrastructure.

Solana Market Cap Surges Past $100 Billion Amid DeFi Revival

Solana's market capitalization has reclaimed the $100 billion threshold, riding a wave of renewed Optimism in the crypto markets. The asset's valuation now stands at $104 billion—its highest level since January—after a 7% surge in the past 24 hours. SOL prices peaked at $194, a six-month high.

The network's decentralized finance ecosystem mirrors this resurgence. Total value locked across Solana DeFi protocols has breached $10 billion for the first time in six months. Decentralized exchanges on the network processed $23 billion in weekly volume, marking a 22% week-over-week increase.

This activity underscores growing confidence in Solana's technical capabilities. The parallel surge in both market cap and DeFi metrics suggests institutional and retail investors are returning to the ecosystem after its prolonged winter.

Solana’s DeFi TVL Hits $10B, Marking Six-Month High Amid Crypto Bull Run

Solana’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem has surged to a total value locked (TVL) of $10.453 billion, its highest level since January. The rebound aligns with SOL’s price rally, which pushed its market cap above $100 billion this week. At $194.62 per token, Solana now hovers NEAR its January peak.

DEX activity on Solana climbed to $22.58 billion in weekly volume, up from $18.5 billion the prior week. Raydium, Orca, and Meteora lead the network’s decentralized exchanges, processing $8.4 billion, $5.9 billion, and $5.3 billion respectively. Despite the uptick, volumes remain well below January’s $98.28 billion record.

The resurgence appears driven by broader market momentum. As capital flows back into crypto, Solana’s liquidity and developer activity have outpaced many Layer 1 competitors. Network upgrades and institutional interest may further solidify its position as an ethereum alternative.