Solana's real strength? It's not just hype anymore—people are genuinely using it. DeFi protocols, payment rails, consumer-facing apps... they're all running on this chain now, and the scale is getting hard to ignore.

What shifted? The network actually stabilized. Fees stayed low. Transactions got fast enough that normal users don't notice the tech. That combo unlocked something—apps that feel smooth, not clunky.

Institutional players are noticing too. Some major asset managers recently launched products tracking Solana's performance, which says something about where they think this ecosystem is headed.

Still early, but the use cases are stacking up.