Solana Spot ETFs Spike to $220M — Is Institutional Interest Heating Up?

Solana’s fledgling spot ETFs just logged a blockbuster day — and it could be an early signal that institutional interest in SOL is heating up. On January 6, on-chain analytics firm Santiment flagged a surge in Solana spot ETF trading volume to roughly $220 million, eclipsing the initial launch high of $122 million seen on October 28. That October spike faded quickly, and volumes remained subdued through the end of the year, but the January burst marks a clear reboot of activity for these new investment vehicles. Why it matters: spot ETFs let investors gain off-chain exposure to a crypto asset without holding tokens directly — the fund buys and custodizes the coins on investors’ behalf. The U.S. SEC green-lit Bitcoin spot ETFs in January 2024 and Ethereum spot ETFs in July 2024; Solana followed later, receiving approval in October 2025. That makes SOL products much younger than their BTC and ETH counterparts, so patterns from SOL ETFs are still emerging. Santiment compared the Solana move to established dynamics in the Bitcoin ETF market. Bitcoin has shown two distinct ETF-volume behaviors: steady, sustained volume growth that supports longer-term price moves, and abrupt spikes that often precede local market reversals. Given the short track record for Solana ETFs, Santiment says the latest surge could fit either pattern — a one-off anomaly or the start of a sustained new normal. Adding fuel to interest, Solana’s price has been rallying alongside ETF activity, and financial heavyweight Morgan Stanley has filed for Solana and Bitcoin ETF products, signaling growing institutional attention. As of publication, SOL trades around $138, up more than 9% over the past week. Bottom line: the $220 million day is a notable milestone for Solana’s ETF market, but with SOL spot ETFs still in their infancy, traders should be cautious about drawing firm conclusions. Watching whether volumes remain elevated or revert to episodic spikes will help determine if this is an enduring inflow trend or a short-lived event. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news