# What is Solana (SOL)?
Solana is not just a cryptocurrency — it is a **high-performance blockchain platform** designed to run decentralized applications (dApps), such as decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, non-fungible token (NFT) markets, and even voting and prediction systems. Its native currency is called **SOL**, and it is used to pay transaction fees, secure the network through staking, and participate in decision-making regarding network updates.
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### What makes Solana stand out?
What distinguishes Solana is not only that it is "fast", but **how it achieved this speed while maintaining decentralization and security**:
- **Ultra-fast**: Supports up to **50,000 transactions per second** — thousands of times faster than the current version of Ethereum, and much faster than most traditional blockchain networks.
- **Very low fees**: Often less than **$0.000025 per transaction**, making it suitable for applications that require frequent or low-value interactions.
- **"Proof of History" mechanism**: This unique technology is like a "trusted digital clock" within the network, automatically recording the timing of transactions without needing to wait for confirmation from all validators — this is the secret behind its ultra-fast speed.
- **Integrates with "Proof of Stake"**: To provide security, where validators risk a portion of their SOL balance if they attempt to manipulate the network.$SOL
