In the ever-expanding landscape of blockchain technology, Solana has emerged as a prominent player, revolutionizing its thriving ecosystem, forward-thinking approach and its potential to reshape industries. Solana has captured the attention of developers, creators, collectors and enthusiasts alike with its impactful innovations. But why should you read on and why is Solana Blockchain worthy of featuring in this blog? Let's explore the answers to these questions.

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Brief History

Foundation and Launch (2017-2019): Solana was founded by Anatoly Yakovenko in 2017. He started his professional career at Qualcomm where he led the development of operating systems. The team behind Solana aimed to create a highly scalable(ability of a network to perform well under an increased or expanding workload) blockchain platform capable of supporting decentralized applications.

Solana Labs and Funding (2019-2020): In March 2019, Solana Labs, the company behind the Solana blockchain, raised $20 million in a funding round led by Multicoin Capital. This funding allowed Solana Labs to further develop and promote the Solana ecosystem. Solana Labs introduced Solana in 2020 as a blockchain platform.

Mainnet Launch and Defi (2020-2021): In March 2020, Solana's mainnet officially went live and marked a significant milestone for the project, and it gained attention within the blockchain community for its innovative approach to scalability. With the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi), numerous projects and applications emerged, taking advantage of various blockchain platforms, including Solana. Solana's high output and low transaction fees made it an attractive choice for DeFi projects seeking scalability and efficiency.

Growing Ecosystem and Partnerships (2021-Present): As Solana gained recognition, it attracted prominent partners and collaborations. Solana Labs partnered with leading companies such as Chainlink, Serum, Terra, and Serum DEX, further expanding its reach and utility. The network’s popularity achieved new milestones in terms of active communities, transaction volumes, and the number of projects built on the platform. Today, Solana continues to evolve. Its growing ecosystem demonstrates the platform as a great choice in the blockchain industry.

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How does Solana work?

Solana blockchain serves as a scalable and secure platform for decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contract execution. Decentralized applications (dApps) are software applications built on the Solana blockchain that is not controlled by a central authority, making them more transparent, secure, and resistant to censorship (the freedom to transact). Smart contracts, on the other hand, are self-executing contracts that automatically execute actions when specific conditions are met, without the need for intermediaries or third parties.

Solana distinguishes itself from its closest competitors by a unique combination of “Proof of History" and delegated “Proof of Stake" mechanisms, empowering developers to create and carry out decentralized applications. Solana's integration of PoH and PoS provides a record of events, validations and mechanisms that allows for the efficient and secure processing of transactions. This innovative approach enables Solana to “process lots of transactions quickly”  compared to its competitors. The native cryptocurrency of the Solana platform is known as SOL.

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What is the purpose of Solana Blockchain?

Solana focuses on overcoming the limitations of other blockchains by offering fast transactions and low fees. This makes Solana suitable for real-time processing and high-volume transactions. Its goal is to enhance the efficiency and experience for developers and users building.

Solana aims to make blockchain technology accessible to a wide range of individuals, including power users, new consumers, and everyone in between. By offering user-friendly experiences and features, Solana strives to ensure that blockchain is inclusive and enjoyable for all types of users, regardless of their level of expertise or familiarity with Web3 technology.

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What makes Solana stand out?

Based on research, the Solana blockchain is capable of supporting over 50,000 transactions per second (TPS) at peak load, making it arguably the fastest blockchain in operation today. In a study conducted last May 2023, in terms of average transaction fees and transactions per second, Solana undeniably surpasses Ethereum in terms of performance. Here’s why:

Solana offers insanely cheap transaction fees and blazing-fast TPS. Solana’s all-time average fees are $0.00025 (compared to Ethereum’s $1.68), and Solana’s TPS is 4,760 (compared to Ethereum’s 11.2). These great numbers are due to Solana’s hybrid POS and POH system.

These qualities collectively, make Solana one of the best choices for developers, creators, collectors and users seeking a high-performance blockchain platform. To sum it up, its scalability, speed, security, developer-friendly environment, and thriving community position Solana as a standout in the blockchain ecosystem.

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Redefining Blockchain Experiences

Solana is a high-performance blockchain that has gained popularity among developers and users that offers unique advantages for building decentralized applications (dApps). Here are some examples of apps that demonstrate the versatility and advantages of building on the Solana blockchain, showcasing its ability for faster transactions, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

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1. Phantom - Solana’s leading soft wallet
‍https://phantom.app/

‍The most popular wallet for the Solana ecosystem, Phantom, came out in 2021. It empowers users to effortlessly send, receive, store, and trade digital collectibles on the Solana platform. Phantom integrates with popular web browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Brave, as well as iOS mobile operating systems. With its user-friendly interface, Phantom stands as the top-choice wallet for Solana users.

Phantom revamped its brand and partnered with the leading gamified discovery platform, @layer3xyz to infuse it with a sense of fun and accessible to everyone and amplify the excitement of learning and exploring Solana. Check it out:
https://twitter.com/phantom/status/1678434516447399936

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2. Orca - The first user-friendly cryptocurrency exchange built on Solana.

‍Orca is one of the easiest way to exchange cryptocurrency on the Solana blockchain. Here, you can seamlessly trade with minimal transaction fees and enjoy lower latency compared to any decentralized exchange on other blockchains, knowing you'll receive a fair price for your trades.

To get updates on the latest trades, visit their website:
https://www.orca.so/

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3. Star Atlas - a metaverse sci-fi game built on Solana blockchain

Star Atlas is an innovative blockchain-powered gaming metaverse that combines elements of strategy, exploration, and space-themed gameplay that runs on Unreal Engine 5. Using a high-quality cinematic experience, players can engage in a virtual universe where they can navigate, trade, battle, and establish their presence in a dynamic sci-fi world. A role-playing game allows for space exploration, flight stimulation and blends several genres in its futuristic science fiction setting.
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The game leverages blockchain technology to provide players with true ownership of in-game collectibles. Star Atlas offers an immersive and evolving gaming experience that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the world of blockchain gaming.

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4. Audius - a decentralized music streaming platform

‍Designed for both fans and creators, Audius is a platform that allows anyone to publish and listen to music without paying subscription fees. Artists can host their music on the platform for free and begin generating revenue from their creative work. It utilizes Solana's blockchain to ensure transparent and fair distribution of royalties to artists. Audius’ native token is called AUDIO. Solana's fast transaction speeds enable seamless streaming and sharing of music within the Audius ecosystem.

Although Audius was originally built on the Ethereum blockchain, its content management system was later migrated to Solana to accommodate its rapidly expanding user community.

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Listen and revisit some of the remarkable Twitter Threads on “Why Choose Solana” from the founder himself and other incredible Solana projects:

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1. Toly @aeyakovenko

“Solana development keeps accelerating with ecosystem-born innovations like xNFTs - the launch of Backpack's first xNFT (executable NFT) collection, Mad Lads"

https://twitter.com/aeyakovenko/status/1649790980588175361

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2. @RogueSharks

“Unboxing Solana Saga - a symbol of Solana’s commitment to bringing blockchain closer to the people”

https://twitter.com/RogueSharks/status/1671684449535401984

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3. @RightsMint

“NFTs not only mainstream but easily accessible through low fees, user-friendly architecture and a very strong existing community of builders and users”
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https://twitter.com/RightsMint/status/1577297591137701889

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4. @SnapperAI

“Vibes of Ecosystem, I really really resonate.. Solana Space in general has a higher level of accountability and we really like that”
-Cyber Frogs @AndyRewNFT
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‍https://twitter.com/SnapperAI/status/1562615304605552640

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5. @thenoxal

“With the ability to process high transactions at a very low cost, The Noxal chose Solana to build its project”

https://twitter.com/thenoxal/status/1577690076624015361

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"Furthermore, one of the key factors that drew Infinity Labs to build on Solana was its thriving community. This dynamic and vibrant community fosters collaboration, innovation, and a spirit of exploration.

Solana offers exceptional accessibility of chain and merging, empowering developers to create friendly user experiences. The community is a core value that resonates with Infinity Labs' vision and by working with Solana, this accessibility ensures that the benefits of Web3 technology are not confined to a select few but can be harnessed by everyone, regardless of their technical expertise."

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Conclusion:

Solana’s cutting-edge capabilities have become a breeding ground for developers to craft innovative solutions. Through Solana's advanced features, developers can provide users with experiences that are not only more accessible but also significantly more efficient. This groundbreaking technology opens up new possibilities, paving the way for a future where users can enhance their NFT journey like never before.

In my next content, I would like to feature Solana’s NFT Marketplaces. Let me know which platform you are interested in so I can provide a spotlight on it.

Creative Grant application Wave 2 is still open! Don’t miss out! Be bold and submit yours today:
‍https://t.co/JuQsvmkn8v


Thank you for reading, Explorers!

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This content is not intended for promotion nor financial advise. This is for educational purposes only.

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