Galaxy Digital Buys $1.35B in Solana as SOL Outperforms BTC and ETH in September

SOL rallies past $240 as Galaxy Digital acquires $1.35B in Solana, pushing institutional interest and ETF approval expectations.

Solana has entered September with strong momentum as institutional investors increase their exposure. Galaxy Digital accumulated $1.35 billion worth of SOL in just one week, making it the largest institutional Solana purchase of 2025. This development comes while Solana is showing stronger performance than both Bitcoin and Ethereum this month.

Institutional Interest in Solana Grows

Galaxy Digital’s purchase of 5.82 million SOL in seven days signals strong institutional interest in the network. The acquisition was not at cycle highs, suggesting that the firm expects deeper growth ahead. Market observers view this move as positioning before wider adoption returns.

On-chain data shows Solana’s total value locked (TVL) reached a new peak of $13.3 billion. Activity such as transactions, active addresses, and net inflows are also climbing, although still below levels from 2024 and early 2025. Ash Crypto noted on X that Solana is already outperforming despite retail investors not being fully active.

Solana Outperforms Bitcoin and Ethereum

September has shown Solana leading major assets in growth. Month-to-date, SOL is up 23.5%, while Bitcoin rose 6.92% and Ethereum gained 6.45%. This means Solana’s gains are nearly four times higher than Bitcoin’s within the same period.

Market analysts see this type of price action as part of “Phase 3” of altcoin season. Historically, this stage is when large-cap altcoins begin to move faster than Bitcoin and Ethereum. Ash Crypto also noted that the last two times Solana ended September in green, the following months saw strong rallies.

Solana Technical Outlook and Key Levels

Solana has gained about 89% in the past three months, supported by strong chart structures. The asset broke out from an ascending channel and saw a golden cross on its daily chart, which reflects buying strength. It also formed an ascending triangle pattern, signaling consolidation before the latest breakout.

Broader optimism is linked to expectations of a spot Solana ETF approval in the United States. Industry experts, including Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, expect this to drive more institutional capital into SOL. VanEck’s Solana ETF has already appeared on the DTCC listing, moving closer to regulatory clearance.

If the ETF gains approval, Solana could see capital inflows similar to Bitcoin and Ethereum after their products launched. This would coincide with growing corporate holdings of SOL and a market already showing stronger performance than its larger peers