Solana (SOL) Surges to $246 as DEX Volume Overtakes Ethereum - Bulls Eye $250 Breakout
Terrill Dicki Sep 18, 2025 12:06
SOL trading at $246.21 (+5.12%) after surpassing Ethereum in DEX volume, with technical indicators pointing to potential $250+ breakout despite network concerns.

Quick Take
• SOL currently trading at $246.21 (+5.12% in 24h) • Solana's RSI at 69.31 signals strong momentum without extreme overbought conditions • Solana DEXs surpass Ethereum in trading volume, driving institutional interest
What's Driving Solana Price Today?
The SOL price surge to $246.21 stems primarily from Solana's landmark achievement of surpassing Ethereum in decentralized exchange trading volume, announced September 17th. This milestone represents a fundamental shift in DeFi market dynamics, as Solana's faster transaction speeds and lower fees attract more traders and liquidity providers.
Institutional interest continues building momentum, with the SOL price climbing above $211 earlier this week as major funds increase their Solana allocations. This institutional backing provides crucial support for sustained price appreciation, particularly as traditional finance embraces blockchain technology.
However, mixed signals emerge from technical infrastructure concerns. Despite the positive volume metrics, Solana's on-chain activity shows increased failed transaction rates, raising questions about network efficiency during peak usage periods. The SEC's decision to delay Solana ETF approval until November 2025 adds regulatory uncertainty, though market participants appear focused on current adoption metrics rather than potential ETF catalysts.
SOL Technical Analysis: Strong Bullish Signals Emerge
Solana technical analysis reveals compelling upward momentum across multiple indicators. The SOL price currently trades well above all major moving averages, with the 7-day SMA at $240.95 providing immediate support. Most significantly, SOL's position at $246.21 sits just below the Bollinger Bands upper resistance at $254.45, suggesting potential for a decisive breakout.
SOL RSI readings at 69.31 indicate healthy bullish momentum without reaching overbought territory above 70. This positioning allows room for further upward movement before technical corrections become likely. The MACD histogram shows positive momentum at 1.9048, confirming the underlying strength in Solana's price action.
Solana's stochastic indicators paint an interesting picture, with %K at 93.26 suggesting near-term overbought conditions while %D at 86.22 indicates the trend remains intact. This divergence often precedes short-term consolidation before continuation moves higher.
Solana Price Levels: Key Support and Resistance
Based on Binance spot market data, SOL faces immediate resistance at $249.60, representing the next critical hurdle for bulls. A clean break above this level opens the path toward the 52-week high of $261.97 and potential extension to the $270-280 range based on fibonacci projections.
Solana support levels provide multiple safety nets for long positions. The pivot point at $242.14 offers the first line of defense, followed by stronger Solana support levels at $194.19 and $155.83. The wide gap between current SOL price and immediate support at $194.19 reflects the strength of the current uptrend.
The daily ATR of $10.87 suggests normal volatility conditions for SOL, meaning moves of approximately $11 in either direction remain within expected ranges. This volatility measure helps traders size positions appropriately and set realistic profit targets.
Should You Buy SOL Now? Risk-Reward Analysis
For swing traders, the current SOL/USDT setup offers favorable risk-reward dynamics. Entry near $246 with stops below the pivot at $242 provides a tight 1.6% risk while targeting the $260-265 resistance zone offers potential 6-8% gains. This 4:1 reward-to-risk ratio aligns with professional trading standards.
Long-term investors may consider dollar-cost averaging into SOL positions, particularly given the fundamental strength demonstrated by surpassing Ethereum in DEX volume. However, network efficiency concerns warrant monitoring, as sustained transaction failures could impact long-term adoption.
Conservative traders might wait for a pullback to the $235-240 range, where the 7-day moving average and previous resistance-turned-support converge. This approach sacrifices potential gains for improved entry prices and reduced downside risk.
Risk management remains crucial given the SEC ETF delay and ongoing network challenges. Position sizing should account for potential 15-20% corrections, which remain normal in cryptocurrency markets even during strong uptrends.
Conclusion
Solana's surge to $246.21 reflects genuine fundamental progress, with DEX volume leadership over Ethereum validating the network's value proposition. Technical indicators support continued upward movement toward $250-260, though traders should monitor resistance at $249.60 for confirmation signals. The combination of institutional interest and improved market positioning suggests SOL price strength may persist through the remainder of September, barring unexpected regulatory developments or network issues.
Image source: Shutterstock