What is Solana (SOL)? It is a protocol that enables the creation of blockchain applications with scalability. This means that developers can use it under their own brand to create applications. And due to its scalability, it can manage a large volume of transactions without any issues.

The Solana price is currently hovering around the 33.36 GBP level, this project is undergoing numerous exciting developments. SOL can be purchased at spot GBP price on any of the [major UK exchanges](/news/article/best-exchanges-for-crypto-uk).

This post will examine SOL in greater detail and explain whether you should consider investing in it!

## What is SOL?

It is a project that wants to [scale blockchain protocols](/news/article/solana-price-uk) so that they can handle real-world applications. The team behind Solana appears to have a lot of experience in both the traditional financial sector and technology.

So, SOL is a new cryptocurrency created to help make the technology more accessible and user-friendly. The Solana coin protocol allows developers to create and launch their blockchain-based applications on a white label basis. 

They can use SOL to power their applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. In addition, Solana can be used to pay for transaction fees and other costs associated with using the latest technology. 

## What are the use cases of SOL?

•	It can be used to produce and manage digital assets.

•	Developers can construct decentralized applications (dapps) using SOL.

•	On its platform, it can be used to pay for goods and services.

•	Participating in the platform's consensus mechanism enables users to earn interest in their SOL.

•	SOL can be traded for other cryptocurrencies or fiat money on exchanges.

In addition, SOL provides [many features and benefits](https://www.cryptonewsz.com/forecast/solana-price-prediction/) that make it an attractive option for developers looking to create and launch their decentralized applications.

## Bottom line

SOL is a scalable protocol that facilitates the creation of decentralized applications by programmers. The protocol employs a one-of-a-kind consensus mechanism to achieve high transaction throughput without compromising security.

Additionally, it features a native token, SOL, which can be used to pay network transaction fees. The protocol is open source and available for white label use by anyone.


The Solana blockchain & current price in GBP

Solana wallets are experiencing a severe cyberattack that has nearly drained $8 million. A leading [SOL-based NFT](/news/article/solana-nft) marketplace, Magic Eden has sent an alert to its users to cancel permission for dubious sources. The marketplace has pointed out that there has been a widespread exploit on the SOL blockchain. 

## Solana wallet funds being transferred to unspecified addresses

Many Solana wallet holders are reporting a loss of funds on Twitter. The funds from these wallets are being transferred to an unspecified address. However, some users have claimed that the wallet where all the SOL funds are drained is “Htp9MGP8Tig923ZFY7Qf2zzbMUmYneFRAhSp7vSg4wxV”.

![solana wallet 1.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/solana_wallet_1_91ef2d1dd4.png)

Mainly, the hot wallets are being targeted. Therefore, the hot wallets on Phantom and Slope are at the risk of being hacked and drained. So far, these wallets, including Magic Eden, are the firms that have reflected on this hack.

[Phantom](https://twitter.com/phantom/status/1554626111535026177) has ensured that it is working with its team to gather the information regarding the hack. Also, it has clarified that the hack is ‘Phantom-specific’. Likewise, Slope commented on the hack and said its team is working to identify the issue. Moreover, Slope is also updating its users regarding the developments. 

On the other hand, Magic Eden has also confirmed the breach in the SOL blockchain. Moreover, it has provided directions for its users to keep themselves safe from the cyberattack. Magic Eden has firstly directed to cancel permissions to unverified sources. Secondly, the marketplace has suggested transferring the Solana wallet funds to either a new or cold wallet. 

![solana wallet 2.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/solana_wallet_2_bd3fd1d4cc.png)
 
[Source](https://twitter.com/MagicEden/status/1554620084831674370)

## What’s the issue?

Though there is limited information regarding the breach, some speculate it to be a ‘supply chain issue’. PeckShield, a blockchain investigator, has pointed out that the supply chain has been breached before to steal the private keys. This could be the reason behind the Solana wallet hack that transferred funds to an unknown address.  



Cyberattack on Solana wallets drained $8 million

One of the leading Solana NFT marketplaces, Magic Eden, has announced a venture capital fund focusing on web3 games. The marketplace is looking to expand in the web3 games as it has launched an investment arm. 

Magic Eden is a Solana NFT marketplace that recently became a crypto unicorn startup. It's worth reached more than $1.6 billion. Now, the marketplace is preparing for expansion as it will focus on web3 games. The platform has announced a venture capital fund specifically for web3 games. 

## What's the gaming VC fund for Solana NFT marketplace Magic Eden for?

A venture capital fund is a pool of investments of small or medium-sized companies or startups. It is used to organise and regulate all the funds for the company's growth. Magic Eden, a growing startup that deals in Solana NFTs, has also announced a venture capital fund. 

According to the [press release](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/magic-eden-launches-magic-ventures-with-focus-on-web3-gaming-301584577.html), the company has named the recently launched investment arm Magic Ventures, which is dedicated to web3 games. In addition, it will also scale up its gaming subsidiary, Eden games, through it. 

The company has diversified its team by onboarding several experienced game developers. Moreover, the company has established new partnerships with various gaming leaders.

## Tony Zhao, the head of gaming investments at Magic Eden

Besides, Magic Eden has appointed Tony Zhao as the gaming investments head. Zhao is a prominent name in this industry as he was associated with the leading Chinese game company, Tencent.  

It is expected that the appointment of Tony Zhao will help Eden games to develop its portfolio. Zhao will be working on developing web3 game infrastructures which can turn this Solana NFT market into a promising web3 games startup. 

In other news, Shanghai has developed a five-year plan that includes policies for crypto, NFTs, and also web3. Moreover, a leading video game enterprise, GameStop, has introduced its own marketplace for NFTs. Learn more about cryptocurrency, NFT, and blockchain-related news on [Moni Talks](/news). 
  



Solana NFT marketplace launch Web3 gaming fund 

## Here, we rank the top 5 Solana NFT marketplace options based on their unique specs. Find out the pros and cons of each of them below!

Ethereum has shaped and dominated the non-fungible token (NFT) market for years. It is considered a pioneering blockchain for these digital assets. But lately, its dominance is shrinking with the availability of more efficient blockchains.

Solana now has become an increasingly popular alternative to Ethereum. It is much faster and requires low transaction fees. That’s why many NFT marketplaces have already emerged for Solana NFTs. Besides,[ these marketplaces](https://decrypt.co/101342/solana-overtakes-ethereum-daily-nft-trading-trippin-ape-tribe) are even overtaking Ethereum in NFT trading.

If you're looking to explore Ethereum alternatives for minting NFTs, you can review the best Solana NFT marketplace options here.

## What Distinguishes Solana from Ethereum?

Before we review the best NFT marketplaces based on the Solana blockchain, we must understand how Solana differs from Ethereum. Here’re the key differences:

1.	Solana can handle 65,000+ transactions in a second, much faster than Ethereum’s limit of 30 transactions per second.

2.	Solana blockchain offers much lower transaction fees in comparison to Ethereum.

3.	Unlike Ethereum’s Proof-of-Work (PoW), Solana operates with a mix of both; Proof-of-History (PoH) and Proof-of-Stake (PoS) mechanisms. This makes the systems energy-efficient and less harmful to the environment.

## Five best Solana NFT marketplace

Across the wide range of NFT marketplaces, you can review the best NFT marketplaces based on the Solana blockchain here!


## 1) Magic Eden

Magic Eden is one of the most well-reputed Solana NFT marketplaces. It allows the trading of Solana NFTs with a low transaction fee of only 2%. It also ensures an efficient transaction process. Besides, if you make a sale on Magic Eden, you can instantly set out your royalties.

Currently, Magic Eden is only approving limited projects to maintain quality. It’s quite an intuitive platform that works with every Solana wallet. The platform also runs a unique collection called Magic Ticket for showcasing its digital assets. Also, it has a separate NFT gaming section, where you can create different in-game objects.

### Pros

•	Low transaction fee

•	Compatibility with nearly all Solana wallets

•	Gaming section


### Cons

•	Approves lesser number of projects


## 2) DigitalEyes

The first NFT marketplace for trading Solana NFTs is DigitalEyes and comes second on our Solana NFT marketplace rankings. It is another popular platform where you can trade your SOL-based NFTs with ease. The platform offers various NFT collections, and if you become the first buyer of any NFT, you can earn profit through its resale.
Moreover, the platform has a mint calendar that gives you updates for the coming NFTs. It creates anticipation for the projects and allows buyers to learn about the upcoming NFTs. However, DigitalEyes charges you a slightly higher transaction fee of 2.5%. An additional fee is payable for royalty on this platform.

### Pros

•	Variety of NFT collections

•	Supports numerous Solana wallets

•	Easy-to-navigate


### Cons

•	Slightly higher transaction fee (2.5%)

•	Extra fee for royalty


## 3) Metaplex

Metaplex can be a good option if you don’t want to list your SOL NFTs on competitive marketplaces. This platform allows you to design your own storefront to market your NFTs. Because of that, you don’t have to follow the set criteria of a platform and enjoy the freedom to showcase your collection as you like.

In addition, you can trade NFTs on this platform via this decentralised platform. Your marketing fee will also reduce as you trade more NFTs. Unlike most marketplaces, Metaplex provides numerous incentives to NFT creators. This is why it has become an affordable option for marketing your collection. 

### Pros

•	Allows separate and creative storefronts

•	Give incentives to NFT creators

•	Secure transactions

•	Affordable marketing cost


### Cons

•	Supports fewer wallets

## 4) Solanart

Among the best marketplaces based on Solana, Solanart is another popular name. It is the biggest Solana NFT marketplace in terms of the collections it offers. The platform features an array of diverse Solana NFT projects. Among them, the notable ones are Aurora and Degenerate Ape Academy.

Other than the collections, Solanart also ensures efficient transactions. Besides, you can integrate any of the Solana wallets with this platform. However, Solanart has one disadvantage: the high transaction fee. It charges you around 3% on each NFT trade, which is higher than most other marketplaces. As an NFT creator, you’ll also have to bear the additional royalty charges.    

### Pros

•	A diverse range of Solana NFT projects

•	Smooth and secure transactions

•	Integrates with most of the wallets

•	Intuitive interface

### Cons

•	Charges 3% transaction fee

•	An additional royalty fee for NFT creators

## 5) SolSea

SolSea is one of the most used Solana NFT marketplaces, as it supports both creators and buyers. The platform features many creative NFT projects that have earned great recognition. Moreover, SolSea features NFTs that support SPL (Solana Program Library) tokens and provide rarity rankings, too.

It is easy to navigate and allows the effortless integration of artwork licences to your NFT collections. It also offers numerous handy features like the SolSea calendar that reminds you of the upcoming NFTs, and for managing finances, there is MoonPay and FXT-pay.

However, SolSea is quite expensive in terms of the transaction fee. It charges 3% on each transaction and an extra royalty fee from NFT creators. Nonetheless, the features it offers justify the high prices.

### Pros

•	Effortless licence integration

•	Rarity rankings

•	SPL compatible NFTs

•	MoonPay and FXT-pay

•	Reminders for upcoming NFTs


### Cons

•	3% transaction fee

•	Royalty fee

## Final Thoughts

The NFT market has been shaped and ruled by Ethereum since the beginning. Though it still holds a large market share, few other blockchain-based marketplaces are also emerging. Among them, Solana is the leading blockchain as it offers faster transactions with lower fees and has energy-efficient systems.

In this article, we reviewed the best NFT marketplaces based on Solana. According to our rankings, Solana NFT marketplace Magic Eden can be the ideal choice for you. It charges much less for transactions and can be integrated with many Solana wallets. Moreover, DigitalEyes, Metaplex, Solanart, and SolSea are also worth exploring marketplaces, as they make up our list of the top 5 Solana NFT marketplaces till today!



Review the Best Solana NFT Marketplace Options

If you're a fan of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), you're in for a treat! There are many upcoming Solana NFT projects to watch out for.

## Using Solana for NFTs

Solana is a blockchain with a significant NFT sector. It is considered useful to create a safe and secure environment for artists to sell their work and buyers to complete their purchases.
It also has lower transaction fees than Ethereum.

## About NFTs

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital assets used to represent ownership. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, which are fungible and can be exchanged for other currencies or goods, each NFT is unique and cannot be replaced by another token. This makes them ideal for representing digital art, collectibles, or game items.
Recently, the Solana Foundation announced plans to launch a new NFT standard, which will make it easier for developers to create and issue NFTs on the Solana blockchain. This is just one of many upcoming Solana NFT projects that could help boost the adoption of this emerging technology.

## Upcoming Solana NFT Projects

Here are some of the upcoming NFT projects that are being built on Solana:
- [Decenturion](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/decenturion): Decenturion is a decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO) that is based on the principles of blockchain democracy. It is one of the first DAOs to utilise NFTs as a means of governance, and it plans to use Solana to issue its own currency, the Decenturion Dollar.
- Aquarius: Aquarius is a platform that allows users to buy, sell, or trade digital collectibles. It plans to utilize Solana to issue NFTs that represent unique collections of digital art, music, and other media.
- DTube: DTube is a decentralised video sharing platform powered by the STEEM blockchain. It plans to migrate to Solana to take advantage of its faster transaction speeds and lower fees.

These are just examples of the many projects that are being built on Solana. With its support for [NFTs](/news/category/nft-news), Solana is quickly becoming one of the most promising platforms for decentralised applications.


Upcoming Solana NFT Projects

The Altcoin Season Index tracks whether investor interest points towards altcoins or [Bitcoin](/coins/btc). Normally, if three-quarters of the top 50 coins by market capitalization outperform Bitcoin over the last quarter (3 months or 90 days), the index could be called altseason.

On the other hand, if 75% of the top 50 coins cannot outpace Bitcoin regarding price performance in the last season (90 days), then there is Bitcoin Season.

[Altseason](/news/article/altcoin-season) is when there are more inflows into alternate coins than into the largest digital asset by market capitalisation, BTC.

## Importance of Altcoin Season Index 

Savvy crypto traders and investors use the altcoin season index to make decisions on whether they have to invest in altcoins or inject more money into Bitcoin.

A great example of the relevance of the Altcoin Season Index can be attributed to the current crypto climate, which is the second quarter (April to June) of 2022.

In April, the crypto altcoin season returned as Bitcoin dominance faded. An index of 100 tokens outperformed Bitcoin in March. Investors who wanted to diversify their assets in case Bitcoin plunged to new high lows bought more altcoins. They were not wrong, as the market crash of May led by Do Kwon's Terra project signaled a steep decline in all cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin taking much of the fall.

In April, May, and June, the top 50 cryptocurrencies - including Ethereum (ETH), Binance Coin (BNB), Cardano (ADA), Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), Dogecoin (DOGE), Polkadot (DOT), TRON (TRX), Avalanche (AVAX), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Polygon (MATIC), FTX Token (FTT), Litecoin (LTC), Chainlink (LINK), Stellar (XLM), Uniswap (UNI), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) - have not outperformed Bitcoin.

Although BTC has reached the same price levels as 2020, collectively, these cryptocurrencies and others have shed more in market value. Therefore, we can say that we are in Bitcoin Season and not altseason.
It is not surprising to see trader interest reflected in the liquidity of Bitcoin. Though much of this is related to huge selling due to the bearish trends of the market, high investor interest relative to a low-priced asset is a sign of positive reserve risk.

## How does Altcoin Season Index Relate to Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index?

Bitcoin [Fear and Greed Index](https://edition.cnn.com/markets/fear-and-greed) and Altcoin Season Index rely on BTC to make conclusions about crypto seasons.

Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index presents a bull market when the index is closer to 100 (greed) and a bearish market when the index is closer to 0 (fear). The performance of altcoins is measured against that of Bitcoin.

In conclusion, while we are not in an altcoin season in June, there is fear in the market concerning holding Bitcoin.


Latest Moni

Latest Solana News

Read the latest Solana news.

The Solana blockchain & current price in GBP

Cyberattack on Solana wallets drained $8 million

Solana NFT marketplace launch Web3 gaming fund

Review the Best Solana NFT Marketplace Options

Upcoming Solana NFT Projects

What is Altcoin Season Index?

Crypto scams are falling as victim investors exit

Best wallets to store your Ethereum

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