Solana Price Jumps, But Network Adoption Remains Weak

On-chain data shows the Network Growth indicator has continued to fall for Solana recently, a sign that adoption of the asset has remained weak.

According to data from on-chain analytics firm Santiment, SOL’s recent price recovery has come despite a drop in the Network Growth. This metric measures the weekly total number of addresses that are coming online on the blockchain for the first time. A wallet comes “online” on the network when it participates in some kind of transfer activity. Thus, the wallets that the Network Growth is counting are the ones that are making their first transaction on the network.

When the value of the Network Growth is high, it means that a large number of addresses are being created on the blockchain. Such a trend can be a sign that an influx of users is occurring. On the other hand, the indicator being low suggests that there isn’t much new address generation taking place on the network, which can be a potential indication that the chain isn’t attracting fresh investors.

Now, here is the chart shared by Santiment that shows the trend in the Solana Network Growth over the last couple of years:

As displayed in the above graph, the Solana Network Growth has witnessed a drawdown recently, despite the fact that the SOL price has made some recovery since its December low. This suggests that the bullish price action has been unable to bring fresh attention to the cryptocurrency.

Historically, rallies have generally needed the incoming of new investors to be sustainable, as it’s the increased trading activity that provides them with the fuel to go on.

In the chart, Santiment has highlighted the case of a rally where this requirement wasn’t met. The Network Growth was initially at a significant level, but as this price surge from 2025 played out, the metric’s value plummeted. This could be a potential factor behind the rally eventually running out of momentum.

In late 2024, the opposite conditions were present, as the Network Growth shot up alongside the Solana bull run, implying adoption backed the price appreciation. Considering these past cases, it’s possible that the indicator might have to reverse its trajectory if SOL’s recovery has to last.

The latest downward move in the Network Growth is also not the only development SOL is dealing with right now. From the graph, it’s visible that the indicator has gone through a long-term downtrend since its high in November 2024.

Back then, the metric had a value of 30.2 million, but today, the figure has dropped to just 7.3 million. It now remains to be seen whether the long decline in the adoption of Solana will continue or if a turnaround will appear.

Solana recovered back to $144 on Sunday, but the coin has retraced to open the week as its price is back at $139.