Why Build Blockchain Projects on Solana?

Unmatched Performance at Scale

Solana currently processes between 1,400 to 2,000 transactions per second (TPS) on-chain already far ahead of most Layer 1 blockchains. For comparison, Ethereum handles roughly 15–20 TPS on its base layer. This represents a roughly 70x throughput advantage, and there’s more to come.

In Q3 2025, Solana will introduce Firedancer, a new validator client developed by Jump Crypto. Firedancer is expected to boost throughput to over 1 million TPS, reaching and potentially exceeding the theoretical capabilities of centralized systems like Visa (which peaks at ~65,000 TPS). Once live, the primary scaling constraint for Solana will shift from software to hardware. You can watch here how this masterpiece has been created.

Beyond throughput, Solana is also developing a custom communications layer for validators - an optimized networking stack designed to reduce latency and enhance coordination. Additionally, the upcoming Agave 2.2 client will bring an estimated  20% TPS increase without sacrificing decentralization.

Solana is Home for Builders and Users

Solana offers some of the lowest transaction fees in the industry, whether you’re executing a smart contract or sending USDC. Despite this, it consistently ranks among the highest-revenue blockchains, according to Blockworks.

What does this mean?

It shows that Solana isn’t just cheaper it’s actually used. Builders and users are choosing Solana not only for its technical advantages, but because it’s where real activity and demand are happening.

Ethereum’s Different Path

Ethereum’s architecture doesn’t allow for the same level of integrated optimization. To scale, Ethereum relies on Layer 2 solutions (L2s), which increase throughput but at the cost of decentralization and user experience. Most L2s use centralized sequencers, introduce bridging complexities, and fragment liquidity.

Solana, by contrast, scales natively with no need for external scaling layers allowing a more seamless and cohesive user and developer experience.

Read more about the risks here: https://l2beat.com/scaling/projects/base#risk-summary

Costs That Actually Make Sense

Solana’s cost efficiency is just as critical as its speed. The average cost to send a transaction is approximately $0.000025.

By comparison, Ethereum Layer 2s such as Base or Arbitrum typically charge around $0.005 per transaction - 250x more expensive, and that’s under ideal conditions. During network congestion, Ethereum fees can spike significantly, while Solana’s remain stable. This stability ensures that even during high traffic, performance doesn’t degrade and costs don’t spiral.

In practice, if Ethereum were to handle Solana’s current volume:

• Transaction fees would skyrocket, or
• The network would slow down dramatically.

Solana’s efficiency is proven not only in benchmarks, but in everyday usage.

Usage That Matches Real-World Needs

Solana isn’t just theoretically scalable, it’s actively used at scale.

Recent data from Syndica indicates that over 68 million wallets have interacted with the network. Wallets with fewer than 1,000 transactions make up 18% activity highlighting Solana’s appeal to both power users and everyday participants.

That’s a key signal: Solana is the “chain of the people”, serving both power users and everyday consumers.

Stablecoin usage offers further insights:

• On Ethereum, the average stablecoin transfer is ~$125,000, reflecting institutional activity.
• On Solana, it’s just $126 pointing to widespread retail and peer-to-peer adoption.

Thanks to Solana Pay and other native integrations, sending stablecoins on Solana is as simple as sending a message. With near-zero fees and instant finality, real-world financial applications become viable and accessible.

A Thriving Ecosystem of Innovation

"Solana offers a cohesive vision of integrated scalability, removing the need for external layers. Its architecture supports mass adoption by combining high throughput with low costs-an approach particularly well-suited for projects targeting real-world, everyday usage." - Michał Wojtas, Leader of Solana Superteam Poland

Solana has drawn inspiration from other chains but re-engineered key ideas for better performance at scale. For example, while Uniswap pioneered automated market makers, protocols like Meteora evolved the concept to suit Solana’s high-throughput environment.

Similarly, tools like Jupiter, the network’s leading swap aggregator, demonstrate best-in-class UX and execution. Swaps are instant and feel effectively gas-free (i.e. fees for network transactions) meaning users don’t need to manage or think about variable network fees. This seamless experience sets Solana apart:

You don’t need to monitor network conditions or optimize for costs, it just works.

Final Thoughts

Solana isn’t competing solely on speed or cost, it’s building a full-stack ecosystem where performance, efficiency, user experience, and scalability come together.

From innovations like Firedancer, Solana Pay, Double Zero, Agave, APE, ZK compression, and Gulf Stream to core infrastructure like Turbine and Local Fee Markets, the network is powering everything from decentralized stablecoin payments to the next generation of DeFi.

It’s carving out its own path by focusing on integrated scalability and real-world usability.

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