Solana price drops to $172 even as RWA integration accelerates DeFi evolution

  • RWA functionality could enable tokenised treasuries and synthetic ETFs.
  • Oracle model uses on-demand data for improved cost efficiency.
  • Key price support at $168, resistance at $178.50; outlook cautious.

Solana is facing renewed pressure in the market as its native token, SOL, has dropped to $172.67 at the time of writing, down 1.26% in the last 24 hours and 3.58% over the past week.

Solana price
Source: CoinMarketCap

Despite posting a strong monthly gain of 16.05%, the recent pullback comes as traders reassess short-term positioning across risk assets, especially in the altcoin segment.

Still, behind the price action, important ecosystem changes are underway that could shape Solana’s long-term relevance, particularly the growing momentum around real-world asset (RWA) integration in decentralised finance (DeFi).

RedStone, a modular oracle provider, has formally launched its support for Solana, enabling developers to feed off-chain data such as financial, commodity, and macroeconomic indices directly into smart contracts.

As traditional and digital finance converge, this kind of infrastructure is increasingly seen as a prerequisite for sophisticated DeFi products that seek to mirror or interact with real-world markets.

RedStone brings real-world market data to Solana smart contracts

RedStone’s launch on Solana introduces a new layer of functionality to the network’s DeFi protocols.

The oracle platform delivers price feeds and broader financial data through a unique “on-demand” model, which allows decentralised apps to pull data only when required, keeping costs low and performance high.

This is particularly suited to Solana’s high-speed, low-fee environment.

The oracle integration could enable the creation of tokenised treasuries, synthetic ETFs, and structured products that rely on real-world inputs—use cases previously limited by on-chain data constraints.

With RWA products projected to grow significantly as institutional investors look for blockchain-native representations of familiar assets, Solana’s inclusion in this ecosystem could increase its appeal among developers and financial players alike.

DeFi ecosystem may benefit from RWA demand

The real-world asset trend is picking up across several Layer 1 chains, with Ethereum and Avalanche previously leading the charge.

However, Solana’s growing developer base and infrastructure upgrades make it well-positioned to compete in this arena.

Its ecosystem already includes lending platforms, decentralised exchanges, and yield aggregators that can now incorporate external data streams for enhanced offerings.

This opens the door for dynamic interest rates based on treasury yields, derivatives tied to commodity prices, and more complex instruments that mimic TradFi structures, giving institutional players a familiar risk framework within a decentralised context.

The integration also aligns with Solana’s broader mission to offer scalability without compromising on functionality.

Price outlook cautious as SOL clings to support

Despite the promising technical upgrades, market participants are watching SOL’s near-term price action closely.

After rallying earlier this month, the token has encountered resistance near the $178.50 level and is now hovering just above a key support band at $168.00–$170.00.

The 9-period simple moving average (SMA) currently aligns with $172.50, which has become a short-term pivot.

A sustained move below this level could invalidate the bullish bias and expose the asset to further declines toward $160.00.

On the upside, a break above $178.50 could prompt a retest of $185.00 to $190.00, though momentum indicators suggest buyers may need stronger catalysts.

Traders are increasingly cautious as macroeconomic uncertainty and a modest decline in daily trading volume—$3.66 billion at present—point to thinning conviction in the short term.

However, long-term participants continue to watch Solana’s ecosystem development, particularly how it evolves around RWA functionality.

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Best crypto presales to buy as Bitcoin ETFs hit $45 billion milestone

Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has remained above the crucial zone of $100,000 as hype surrounding the 2025 crypto bull run intensifies. Earlier in April, the crypto major plunged to a 5-month low as President Trump’s aggressive tariffs weighed on risk assets. 

Interestingly, Bitcoin has since benefited from the aftermath of the US president’s stiff tone in two folds. On the one hand, softening of his position on importation levies improved the market sentiment. Besides, the persistent economic uncertainties have increased the demand for Bitcoin as an alternative store of value. 

The result of this shift is a rally to a fresh all-time high at $111,977. While profit-taking has placed the crypto major on consolidation mode for a week now, it remains above the previous resistance zone of $105,000 with the bullish golden cross pattern still in place. 

A look at the Bitcoin ETFs inflows shows heightened investor interest despite the observed volatility. According to SoSoValue, BTC ETF inflows have recorded a streak of 10 sessions of daily net inflows. On Wednesday, BlackRock’s IBIT inflows of $480.96 million overrode FBTC and ARKB daily net outflows. This led to daily total net inflows of $432.62 million and cumulative inflows of $45.34 billion. 

Bitcoin price chart
Bitcoin price chart

Bitcoin Pepe is one of the best crypto presales as tier-1 exchange listings approach

As the market readies for further Bitcoin price rallying and the broader crypto bull run of 2025, related projects have become particularly attractive. Being the only Bitcoin meme ICO, Bitcoin Pepe offers crypto enthusiasts a more affordable opportunity to activate their Bitcoin capital. 

Since the launch of this meme project on 11th February, it has recorded steady upward momentum. Its unique mission of bringing the meme culture home to the Bitcoin network had crypto enthusiasts hooked from the onset. This saw it raise over $1 million within the first 24 hours of the presale. 

Slightly over three months later, the presale is coming to an en, and the momentum is skyrocketing as savvy investors strive to benefit from the presale prices. They acknowledge that after the tier-1 exchange listings slated for 31st May at 2:00 PM UTC, it will be the market deciding the token’s value.

Based on its virality, proper positioning, and one-of-a-kind infrastructure, BPEP token could record a hundred-fold growth in just a couple of days or even hours. Even if it rallies to $1, that will already be an over 2,500% surge from its current token price of $0.0377. 

As the rush to buy BPEP tokens at the currently affordable price intensifies, the supply is dwindling. This further fuels the upward momentum, which is set to continue once the token hits the public shelves on Saturday.  

Hurry up and buy Bitcoin Pepe here.

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Chainlink price prediction amid increased selling pressure despite DeFi integrations

  • Chainlink (LINK) faces resistance despite a recent 22.14% monthly price gain.
  • On-chain data shows selling pressure and weak buyer momentum.
  • DeFi integrations support a long-term bullish outlook for Chainlink.

Chainlink, a prominent decentralised oracle network, is currently navigating a pivotal phase as the price of its native token, LINK, grapples with mounting selling pressure.

Although LINK has enjoyed notable gains in recent weeks, the broader market sentiment reveals a fragile balance as technical and on-chain indicators flash warning signs of a potential correction.

Profit taking outweighs LINK accumulation impact

Despite recovering to a recent price of $15.99, marking a robust 22.14% gain over the past month, Chainlink’s upward momentum appears to be tapering off amid weakening demand.

The recent climb, which began in late April 2025, was largely fueled by investor accumulation and strategic withdrawals from exchanges, suggesting long-term holding behaviour.

According to CryptoQuant data, over the past two weeks, approximately $66 million worth of LINK has been moved out of cryptocurrency exchanges, a move typically interpreted as a bullish signal.

Chainlink Exchange Reserve

However, this accumulation has yet to overcome the short-term pressure exerted by traders taking profits following the token’s earlier surge above the $15 threshold.

Chainlink price outlook

Chainlink’s current trading range, tightly constrained between $14.84 and $18.00, underscores a period of consolidation that could precede either a breakout or a downturn.

Although the asset recently breached key levels earlier in May, its failure to sustain higher highs has introduced hesitation among bullish investors.

Technically, LINK is encountering a long-standing descending trendline that dates back to December 2024, forming a structural resistance zone now under repeated testing.

This trendline, validated through several contact points across February and May 2025, continues to limit upside potential unless decisively broken.

Market analysts suggest that a confirmed breakout above this descending resistance could initiate a stair-step rally toward resistance levels at 17.28, 18.00, and even 21.99 USDT.

Nonetheless, indicators such as the On-Balance Volume (OBV) and Mean Coin Age paint a more cautious picture, revealing a decline in buying pressure and a tendency for holders to liquidate.

The OBV’s persistent downtrend signifies increased distribution, while Mean Coin Age data implies that long-held tokens are re-entering circulation.

Chainlink price chart

Furthermore, Chainlink’s Stochastic RSI hints at the potential for a short-term rebound, yet without sustained volume and broader market participation, such movements may remain fleeting.

Adding to the complexity, liquidation heatmap data has exposed dense liquidity zones near $14.80, highlighting a possible 7–8% drawdown if bearish pressure intensifies.

The presence of heavy liquidation volumes around local highs of $17.30 also underscores the vulnerability of any unconfirmed breakout attempts.

Although short-term weakness remains evident, Chainlink continues to benefit from its increasing integration within the decentralised finance sector.

Key partnerships, including collaborations with JPMorgan’s Kinexys, Ondo Finance, and deployment on the Solana mainnet, have reinforced LINK’s role as a crucial data bridge in blockchain ecosystems.

The adoption of Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) in these networks further strengthens its utility, enabling secure cross-chain data exchange for smart contracts.

These integrations are not only expanding Chainlink’s use cases but also setting the foundation for potential long-term appreciation once market sentiment recovers.

Currently, LINK’s position above the 200-day moving average and within a rising channel pattern supports the broader bullish structure that has yet to fully materialise.

Nevertheless, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovering at 54.92, sentiment remains neutral to slightly bearish, indicating that bulls have not regained firm control.

The BBPower reading of 1.37 reflects a slight advantage for buyers, though it lacks the confirmation required to suggest a sustained rally.

In conclusion, while Chainlink’s long-term outlook remains positive thanks to DeFi growth and increasing utility, the short-term narrative is clouded by on-chain selling and technical resistance.

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XRP drops 1.05% to $2.29 as key resistance blocks further gains

  • Trading below the 100-hourly SMA, signalling bearish momentum.
  • Key support levels are $2.280, $2.260, and $2.2320.
  • Bulls need a clear move above $2.3720 to shift short-term trend.

XRP has lost momentum again, dropping by 1.05% over the last 24 hours to trade at $2.29.

After a brief attempt to recover, bulls failed to break through the $2.36 resistance zone, leading to renewed selling pressure.

XRP
Source: CoinMarketCap

Market data from Kraken shows the XRP/USD pair remains under its 100-hourly Simple Moving Average (SMA), with technical indicators pointing to a potential retest of key support levels if selling continues.

This latest decline follows a modest bounce from a local low of $2.2670 earlier in the week.

XRP’s price action reflects broader weakness in the crypto market, where top tokens are struggling to maintain momentum amid macroeconomic uncertainty and regulatory headwinds.

Rising expectations of delayed interest rate cuts in the US have added pressure across all major risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.

XRP faces heavy resistance at $2.36

XRP briefly rallied above $2.320 and $2.350 earlier in the week, even climbing past the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of the downward wave from $2.4768 to $2.2670.

It also broke a key descending trend line at $2.305, offering short-term optimism.

However, this recovery stalled at the $2.360 level—currently acting as the first major resistance.

Without a clear breakout above this zone, bears regained control, pushing the price back down to $2.29.

A move above $2.3720, which aligns with the 50% Fib retracement, would be needed for momentum to turn.

Until then, XRP remains technically weak and vulnerable to further short-term declines.

Price at risk of deeper decline below $2.260

XRP is now hovering just above the $2.280 support zone.

A sustained break below this could send the token toward $2.260. Below that, support levels sit at $2.2320 and $2.2000.

The 100-hourly SMA continues to act as a barrier to upside movement, and the chart structure still shows lower highs, confirming a bearish trend.

A close above $2.360 would be needed to change short-term sentiment, but with selling pressure intensifying, further downside remains a possibility.

Meanwhile, Ripple Labs, the company associated with XRP, continues to expand its partnerships and utility-based applications globally, including ongoing developments in central bank digital currency (CBDC) platforms.

However, these advancements have yet to translate into consistent price support for the XRP token, which remains closely tied to speculative flows and broader market sentiment dynamics.

Wider market uncertainty weighs on altcoins

The drop in XRP mirrors caution across the broader digital asset market.

Bitcoin and Ethereum have also faced resistance in recent sessions, with traders reluctant to make strong moves ahead of macroeconomic data from the US.

With no immediate bullish catalysts and interest rate speculation weighing on investor sentiment, altcoins are particularly vulnerable to further downside movement.

XRP’s next moves will likely depend on whether it can hold above the $2.260 zone.

A breakdown could extend losses and signal a deeper correction, while any bounce will require a clear move above the $2.36 and $2.3720 levels to be sustained.

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Solana could lag Ethereum as meme coin activity dips, warns Standard Chartered

  • Solana’s current funding rate sits at -0.0002%, signalling short pressure.
  • Solana DEX volumes fell behind Ethereum earlier this year.
  • Accumulation of SOL suggests long-term investor confidence remains.

Standard Chartered has cautioned that Solana (SOL) could underperform Ethereum (ETH) due to fading meme coin activity, a key driver of Solana’s on-chain volume in recent quarters.

While Solana has proven its technical capabilities, particularly during the recent meme coin trading boom—the bank now sees a risk of underutilisation as seasonal trends shift.

According to the bank’s Head of Digital Assets Research, Geoff Kendrick, Ethereum’s broader adoption and institutional partnerships place it in a stronger position for sustained growth.

Ethereum gains from broader use cases

Solana has often been positioned as a faster and cheaper alternative to Ethereum, with the ability to handle high transaction volumes at low cost.

However, Standard Chartered points out that much of this activity has been driven by short-term trading of meme coins, a sector known for its volatility and limited utility.

With meme coin enthusiasm cooling off in 2025, Kendrick projects a possible usage gap for Solana before other applications, such as decentralised finance platforms, gaming projects, or social media integrations, gain critical mass.

The bank says Ethereum’s advantage lies in its diversified user base, which includes enterprise-level applications, financial products, and long-term smart contract development.

Blockchain analytics also supports this view. Earlier this year, Ethereum overtook Solana in decentralised exchange (DEX) trading volumes after a slump in trading on Raydium (RAY) and Pump.fun, two of Solana’s most active meme coin platforms.

That shift underlined Ethereum’s dominance across multiple sub-sectors of the blockchain space.

Market sentiment reflects short-term Solana risks

Investors appear to be reacting to these signals. In February, traders began trimming exposure to Solana-based assets due to uncertainty over the future of meme coin projects and delays in scaling up major Solana-native protocols.

Standard Chartered says these concerns are now being priced into market forecasts, particularly in terms of revenue from transaction fees and new user onboarding.

One key indicator is Solana’s funding rate. According to blockchain data firm Glassnode, Solana currently has a negative funding rate of -0.0002%, the only such figure among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation, excluding stablecoins.

A negative funding rate means short sellers are paying fees to hold bearish positions, which typically indicates mounting downward pressure on price.

However, a negative funding rate can sometimes be a contrarian indicator. Traders may be expecting a short squeeze, where sudden upward price moves force shorts to buy back their positions, potentially creating a sharp rally.

BeInCrypto reports that the accumulation of SOL by institutional players in May suggests that long-term investors may still see value in Solana, even if near-term performance lags Ethereum.

Analysts say Ethereum remains the dominant layer-1

While Solana has demonstrated rapid growth and robust technical infrastructure, analysts from IntoTheBlock believe the network still has significant ground to cover before challenging Ethereum’s dominance.

The research group said that although Solana may continue to grow and target niche applications, surpassing Ethereum remains a long-term goal rather than an imminent milestone.

Ethereum’s integration with traditional finance, widespread developer support, and upgrades like the shift to proof-of-stake have helped entrench its position as the go-to blockchain for decentralised applications.

Until Solana’s next wave of real-world use cases gains momentum, Standard Chartered believes the network’s price and on-chain activity may continue to trail Ethereum.

As the market matures, both blockchains may find space for growth—but in the short term, Ethereum’s ecosystem breadth and investor confidence give it the edge, according to the bank’s latest analysis.

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