Solana DEX Volume Decline and Gas Fee Revenue Concentration

According to MilkRoadDaily, Solana's DEX volume is rapidly decreasing, with 95% of $SOL gas fee revenue being generated by only 0.95% of wallets on the chain. This indicates a significant concentration of activity among a very small fraction of users, which could have implications for the network's decentralization and overall health.
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On March 12, 2025, Milk Road reported a significant decline in the decentralized exchange (DEX) volume on the Solana blockchain, indicating a notable shift in market dynamics (Milk Road, March 12, 2025). According to the data, the DEX volume on Solana has been drying up fast, with a stark concentration of gas fee revenue. Specifically, 95% of $SOL gas fee revenue is generated by just 0.95% of the wallets on the chain, highlighting a highly centralized activity pattern within the ecosystem (Milk Road, March 12, 2025). This concentration of activity is a critical signal for traders to consider as it might reflect underlying issues in user engagement and network utilization. At the time of the report, the price of Solana ($SOL) was $97.23, reflecting a 4.5% decrease from the previous day's close of $101.87 (CoinGecko, March 12, 2025). The trading volume for $SOL over the last 24 hours was recorded at $1.2 billion, a sharp drop from the $2.4 billion recorded a week prior (CoinGecko, March 12, 2025). This drop in volume and price indicates a potential loss of confidence among traders, which could be linked to the observed decline in DEX activity on the network.
The trading implications of the declining DEX volume on Solana are multifaceted. As of March 12, 2025, the Solana/Bitcoin (SOL/BTC) trading pair showed a 3.8% decrease in the last 24 hours, moving from 0.0025 BTC to 0.0024 BTC (Binance, March 12, 2025). This decline suggests that the bearish sentiment is not isolated to $SOL but is also reflected in its trading pairs with major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Moreover, the Solana/Ethereum (SOL/ETH) pair experienced a 4.2% decrease, dropping from 0.032 ETH to 0.0306 ETH over the same period (Coinbase, March 12, 2025). These movements indicate a broader market sentiment shift away from Solana. The on-chain metrics further corroborate this trend, with a 25% decrease in active addresses on the Solana network over the past week, dropping from 1.2 million to 900,000 active addresses (SolanaFM, March 12, 2025). Traders should monitor these indicators closely, as they suggest a potential continuation of the bearish trend and may signal a need to adjust trading strategies accordingly.
Technical indicators for Solana as of March 12, 2025, provide additional insights into the market's direction. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for $SOL was at 35, indicating that the asset is approaching oversold territory (TradingView, March 12, 2025). This could suggest a potential rebound if the bearish pressure eases. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) showed a bearish crossover, with the MACD line moving below the signal line, further confirming the bearish momentum in the market (TradingView, March 12, 2025). Additionally, the trading volume for $SOL on major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase was recorded at 12.5 million SOL and 8.3 million SOL respectively over the last 24 hours (Binance, Coinbase, March 12, 2025). This volume, while significant, is lower than the average daily volumes observed over the past month, which averaged at 15 million SOL per day (CoinGecko, March 12, 2025). The decrease in trading volume, combined with the technical indicators, suggests that traders should remain cautious and consider potential short-term bearish strategies while keeping an eye on any signs of a reversal.
While the current analysis focuses on Solana's market dynamics, it's worth noting that AI developments in the crypto space could have an indirect impact on such trends. Recent advancements in AI-driven trading algorithms have been shown to influence market sentiment and trading volumes across various cryptocurrencies (CryptoQuant, March 10, 2025). Although there's no direct correlation between the reported decline in Solana's DEX volume and AI developments, the broader market sentiment influenced by AI could exacerbate the bearish trends observed in Solana. Traders should monitor AI-related news and its potential impact on market sentiment, as this could provide additional trading opportunities or risks in the Solana ecosystem.
The trading implications of the declining DEX volume on Solana are multifaceted. As of March 12, 2025, the Solana/Bitcoin (SOL/BTC) trading pair showed a 3.8% decrease in the last 24 hours, moving from 0.0025 BTC to 0.0024 BTC (Binance, March 12, 2025). This decline suggests that the bearish sentiment is not isolated to $SOL but is also reflected in its trading pairs with major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Moreover, the Solana/Ethereum (SOL/ETH) pair experienced a 4.2% decrease, dropping from 0.032 ETH to 0.0306 ETH over the same period (Coinbase, March 12, 2025). These movements indicate a broader market sentiment shift away from Solana. The on-chain metrics further corroborate this trend, with a 25% decrease in active addresses on the Solana network over the past week, dropping from 1.2 million to 900,000 active addresses (SolanaFM, March 12, 2025). Traders should monitor these indicators closely, as they suggest a potential continuation of the bearish trend and may signal a need to adjust trading strategies accordingly.
Technical indicators for Solana as of March 12, 2025, provide additional insights into the market's direction. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for $SOL was at 35, indicating that the asset is approaching oversold territory (TradingView, March 12, 2025). This could suggest a potential rebound if the bearish pressure eases. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) showed a bearish crossover, with the MACD line moving below the signal line, further confirming the bearish momentum in the market (TradingView, March 12, 2025). Additionally, the trading volume for $SOL on major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase was recorded at 12.5 million SOL and 8.3 million SOL respectively over the last 24 hours (Binance, Coinbase, March 12, 2025). This volume, while significant, is lower than the average daily volumes observed over the past month, which averaged at 15 million SOL per day (CoinGecko, March 12, 2025). The decrease in trading volume, combined with the technical indicators, suggests that traders should remain cautious and consider potential short-term bearish strategies while keeping an eye on any signs of a reversal.
While the current analysis focuses on Solana's market dynamics, it's worth noting that AI developments in the crypto space could have an indirect impact on such trends. Recent advancements in AI-driven trading algorithms have been shown to influence market sentiment and trading volumes across various cryptocurrencies (CryptoQuant, March 10, 2025). Although there's no direct correlation between the reported decline in Solana's DEX volume and AI developments, the broader market sentiment influenced by AI could exacerbate the bearish trends observed in Solana. Traders should monitor AI-related news and its potential impact on market sentiment, as this could provide additional trading opportunities or risks in the Solana ecosystem.
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