Solana is entering a quieter but more mature phase focused on building core financial infrastructure rather than chasing hype-driven trends like memecoins, NFTs, or blockchain games.

According to Backpack CEO Armani Ferrante, the ecosystem has spent the past year shifting its attention toward decentralized finance, trading systems, and payments. He says more people now see blockchains as a new form of financial infrastructure, with Solana positioning itself around high-speed onchain trading, market structure, and settlement — sometimes described as “internet capital markets.”

While parts of the crypto market remain subdued and retail sentiment is cautious, Ferrante notes that institutional interest is stronger than ever. Traditional finance players are increasingly optimistic about tokenization, stablecoins, and onchain settlement.

Ferrante argues that the long-term value of Solana and other blockchains lies in serving as neutral settlement layers, where assets like stocks and derivatives can move seamlessly across platforms as standardized tokens instead of being locked in siloed databases.

He also stresses that real-world adoption will require deeper alignment with regulations. As crypto evolves into embedded financial infrastructure, compliance and legal clarity will be essential — a sign of industry maturity rather than a limitation.