Solana Surges 4.28% After Visa Doubles Down on Stablecoin Pilot—Is This the Blockchain Breakout?

Visa just handed Solana a rocket booster. The payments giant expanded its stablecoin pilot to the high-speed blockchain—and SOL investors are cashing in.

Why it matters: When traditional finance titans dabble in crypto, markets move. Visa’s vote of confidence sent Solana’s price soaring 4.28% overnight—proving institutional adoption still moves needles (and wallets).

The cynical take: Of course Wall Street prefers stablecoins—all the volatility of crypto with none of the fun. But hey, if it pumps your bags, who’s complaining?

Bottom line: This isn’t just about price action. Visa’s move signals something bigger—blockchain infrastructure is becoming financial plumbing. And Solana’s looking shinier than a banker’s Oxfords.

Visa Brings Stablecoin Settlements to Solana

Visa’s decision to expand its USDC-based stablecoin settlement program to Solana validates the blockchain’s technical capabilities—particularly its speed and scalability. In a statement, Visa emphasized Solana’s ability to process high transaction volumes with low fees and fast finality as key factors behind the integration.

This development makes Solana the second blockchain to support Visa’s stablecoin initiative, after Ethereum. With Visa’s global footprint and Solana’s efficient architecture, the partnership has the potential to streamline cross-border payments and drive further adoption of blockchain-based finance.

Institutional Activity Boosts Confidence

Beyond Visa’s reveal, Solana has seen rising institutional interest. Futures trading volume for SOL surged to $8.1 billion in July—a 252% increase—according to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). This growing demand for derivatives exposure to Solana signals growing maturity and investor confidence.

Meanwhile, the Solana Foundation started its second-generation blockchain smartphone, Seeker, on August 4. This real-world hardware release adds utility to the ecosystem and shows the network’s ambition to MOVE beyond DeFi and NFTs into broader consumer applications.

Together, these developments reinforce Solana’s credibility and momentum as one of the top LAYER 1 blockchains in 2025.

Technical Analysis: Mixed, With Room to Grow

Solana’s current price of $174.33 reflects a near-term recovery. The technical indicators, however, offer a mixed outlook:

• RSI (Relative Strength Index): At 52.29, Solana’s RSI suggests neutral momentum. It’s neither overbought nor oversold, leaving room for movement in either direction.

• Moving Averages:

  • 7-day SMA: $167.41 (current price is above this short-term support)

  • 20-day SMA: $178.23 (SOL remains slightly below this resistance)

  • 200-day SMA: $160.50 (long-term trend remains bullish)

• MACD: The MACD line is positive at 0.2447, but the histogram reads -1.3971—indicating weakening bearish momentum. A flip to a positive histogram would confirm a stronger bullish move.

• Bollinger Bands: With SOL trading in the lower half of its band range (band width at 0.4178), there’s potential for upward movement toward the upper band, currently near $188.

Daily ATR (Average True Range) sits at $9.31, reflecting moderate volatility and suggesting room for price swings.

SOL Support and Resistance Levels to Watch

Key price levels are forming as Solana consolidates:

• Support:

  • $155.83: Immediate support and potential stop-loss zone for swing traders.

  • $126.00: Strong longer-term support level tested during previous market corrections.

• Resistance:

  • $178.23: 20-day SMA, which is acting as near-term resistance.

  • $206.30: July peak and immediate upside target.

  • $261.97: 52-week high, considered long-term resistance and a bullish breakout level.

Solana has traded within a 24-hour range of $166.88 to $175.92, showing consolidation. A break above $178.23 could initiate a fresh rally toward $200+.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy SOL?

The current price action presents several opportunities, depending on your trading strategy:

• Swing Traders: Buying near $174 offers a solid setup with a stop-loss at $155.83 and upside potential to $206.30—a favorable 18% gain-to-risk ratio.

• Conservative Investors: May prefer to wait for a confirmed breakout above the 20-day SMA at $178.23, signaling stronger bullish momentum and reducing downside risk.

• Day Traders: Should monitor the $172.38 pivot level and use the current ATR ($9.31) to identify volatility-driven entry and exit points.

Despite recent pullbacks, Solana’s long-term fundamentals remain strong. Visa’s integration and growing institutional interest provide underlying support for further gains.

Conclusion

Solana’s price has received a much-needed boost following Visa’s expansion of its stablecoin settlement system to include the blockchain. This development not only validates Solana’s utility in real-world financial infrastructure but also re-energizes investor confidence.

With neutral technical indicators and growing institutional interest, SOL is poised for a potential breakout if it can overcome near-term resistance at $178.23. Traders should monitor trading volume and news from Visa for further catalysts, while keeping an eye on the broader crypto market for confirmation.

For now, Solana remains one of the most promising altcoins to watch, combining technical innovation, real-world use cases, and market momentum in one rapidly evolving package.