Solana Upgrade Doubles Block Speed as SOL Eyes $125 Amid ETF Outflows
Solana has completed an upgrade that cuts its target slot time in half, following a September gain of about 14.6% for SOL. The token moved from roughly $103 to $118 last month, while network transactions and tokenized-stock trading increased. Recent ETF withdrawals totaling $24.8 million have raised doubts about whether SOL can break $125 in October.
Solana's October 9 upgrade halved the network's target slot interval from 400 to 200 milliseconds, after earlier steps at 350, 300, and 250 milliseconds. Measurements for October 9–10 showed an average of 218.3 milliseconds per slot. In September, SOL climbed from about $103 to $118, a 14.6% rise, and briefly exceeded $120.
Network activity also expanded: one dataset put September transactions near 10.7 billion, the most since May 2025, while the Solana Foundation counted 3.18 billion completed non-vote transactions, up 8.3% from August. Tokenized-stock trading reached about $4.4 billion, with $684 million in supply and one million holding wallets.
Faster slot times and more tokenized-stock activity could affect traders, validators, payment users, and firms exploring blockchain settlement. Lower latency may improve user experience, but ETF withdrawals and price swings may shape investor confidence. Samsung's planned USDC wallet transfers could expose more US users to stablecoin payments. These developments may influence how financial infrastructure is perceived, though adoption and risks remain uncertain.