While Solana continues to secure its position within traditional finance, its market price is telling a starkly different story. The digital asset recently touched a new annual low, even as one of Germany’s largest banks announced support for investment products tied to it. This creates a paradoxical scenario for investors: growing long-term institutional adoption is being overshadowed by intense selling pressure driven by broader economic concerns.
Price Plunge Amid Macroeconomic Strain
Market sentiment is currently overriding positive fundamental developments for Solana. The token’s value has experienced a severe contraction, with key metrics highlighting the downturn:
* New Annual Low: The price of Solana recently fell to $98.09, marking a fresh 52-week low.
* Weekly Decline: Over the past seven days, the asset’s value has dropped approximately 22.86%.
* Distance from Peak: From its 52-week high above $234, Solana’s price has now more than halved, representing a decline of -58.19%.
Analysts attribute this sharp correction to widespread macroeconomic uncertainties affecting the entire cryptocurrency sector, coupled with specific challenges within Solana’s own ecosystem.
ING Germany Opens Doors to Crypto ETPs
In a significant move for European retail adoption, ING Germany revealed on February 3, 2026, that clients can now trade cryptocurrency Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) directly through their “Direkt-Depot” accounts. This offering includes products based on Solana alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum, issued by established asset managers such as 21Shares, Bitwise, and VanEck.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Solana?
This development holds particular weight for German investors due to favorable tax treatment. Physically-backed crypto ETPs are often taxed similarly to holding the underlying coins directly, with profits becoming tax-free after a one-year holding period—a compelling incentive for long-term investment strategies. Martijn Rozemuller, CEO of VanEck Europe, noted the strong investor demand for transparent crypto solutions that fit within existing brokerage frameworks.
Institutional Momentum Builds Beyond Banking
The ING integration is part of a broader pattern of institutional engagement. Just before this announcement, asset manager WisdomTree expanded its tokenized fund offerings onto the Solana blockchain. Furthermore, South Korea’s Hanwha Asset Management signed a memorandum of understanding to develop educational programs and investment products centered on the network.
Network Fundamentals Present a Mixed Picture
The underlying health of the Solana network shows contrasting signals. On one hand, driven by a surge in activity related to artificial intelligence (AI) applications on the blockchain, the number of active addresses jumped sharply from 14.7 million to 18.9 million in late January. On the other hand, security incidents have shaken short-term confidence. A hack on the Step Finance decentralized finance platform on January 31 resulted in losses of $27 million. In response, core developers promptly released the Agave v3.0.14 update to address critical vulnerabilities.
Outlook: A Battle Between Narrative and Sentiment
The divergence between Solana’s institutional integration and its market performance is pronounced. Partnerships with entities like ING Germany and R3 reinforce its role as a serious financial infrastructure alternative to Ethereum. However, in the near term, fear dominates trading floors. The path toward establishing Solana as a top-tier asset continues, but a sustained price recovery will likely require a stabilization of the macroeconomic climate and a restoration of user confidence following recent security events.
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