Solana (SOL-USD) Price Forecast: $180 Faces Key $190 Resistance

Solana (SOL-USD) Price Forecast: $180 Under Pressure as Resistance at $190 Caps Upside

SOL-USD Technical Structure at $180–$190

Solana (SOL-USD) is trading near $180, stabilizing after sliding from recent highs around $209–$210 earlier this month. The cryptocurrency has tested support between $178 and $176, while sellers continue to control momentum after a wedge breakdown. Resistance at $185–$188 remains intact, with the 200-EMA at $178.47 acting as a fragile floor. A decisive reclaim of $190 is required to shift bias back to the bulls. On the downside, losing $176 exposes $172 and $168, with a deeper flush toward $160 if selling pressure accelerates.

Whale Accumulation and On-Chain Outflows

Despite short-term weakness, long-term positioning shows accumulation by large holders. Wallets with more than 10,000 SOL have reached all-time highs, signaling strategic accumulation. At the same time, exchanges recorded $24.2 million in net outflows on August 19, extending the pattern of capital leaving Solana in recent weeks. Persistent outflows, especially after the rejection at $210, suggest that while whales are adding, broader conviction remains fragile. Historically, sustained outflows during price retracements align with weak appetite for fresh accumulation.

Solana ETF Impact and Institutional Flows

Institutional adoption remains one of the biggest tailwinds. The REX-Osprey SOL Staking ETF has funneled significant inflows since mid-2024, helping push Solana from lows of $95 to peaks above $200 in 2025. ETF-driven staking demand continues to provide a floor under SOL, even as speculative traders unwind leverage. Daily trading volume recently hit $5.22 billion, confirming strong institutional and retail participation despite near-term technical headwinds.

Network Scalability Stress Test

Over the weekend, Solana briefly peaked at 107,540 transactions per second (TPS) during a stress test. While throughput remains Solana’s defining strength, the test also revealed bottlenecks during peak loads. Competing ecosystems such as Coldware (COLD) are capitalizing on Solana’s scaling concerns by focusing on real-world adoption (RWA) and hybrid hardware integrations. While Solana dominates staking and DeFi, competitors with alternative models highlight the market’s appetite for diversification.

Derivative Positioning and Liquidity Zones

Options activity surged more than 90% while futures open interest fell 7% to $11.5 billion, showing traders are hedging exposure and deleveraging after the drop from $208. Liquidity clusters between $183 and $190 continue to cap rallies, and RSI readings near 39 reflect weak buying power. Short-term trading setups favor swing shorts between $183–$190 with stops at $200, while profit-taking targets remain at $150, $132, and $115, based on historical liquidity zones.

Macro Forces and Market Correlation

Broader market conditions are compounding the selloff. Bitcoin’s slide below its bullish trendline has weakened overall sentiment, while the stronger U.S. dollar following reduced odds of a September Fed cut has drained risk appetite. Solana remains correlated with Bitcoin dominance, which recently climbed above 54%, redirecting capital flows toward BTC at the expense of altcoins like SOL.

Emerging Competition in DeFi and Stablecoins

Projects such as Mutuum Finance (MUTM) and Remittix (RTX) are drawing capital away from Solana. Mutuum raised $14.6 million in presale funding, offering tokens at $0.035, with Stage 7 pricing set at $0.04 (+14.3%). Its overcollateralized USD-pegged stablecoin and dual-lending model appeal to DeFi users seeking higher yields. Meanwhile, Remittix, priced at $0.0969, has raised over $20.2 million with real-world cross-border payment use cases. These emerging ecosystems highlight shifting investor attention even as Solana consolidates.

Strategic View: Bullish or Bearish?

At $180, Solana is at a crossroads. The technical structure leans bearish in the short term, with downside risks toward $172–$160 if $176 breaks. Yet whale accumulation, ETF inflows, and network adoption continue to provide medium-term support. If bulls reclaim $190–$200, upside targets remain at $205, $225, and $268, with long-term projections eyeing the $245–$270 range. For now, Solana is a hold-to-cautious-buy, with traders favoring dips near $176–$172 while monitoring on-chain flows and ETF demand.

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