 ▲ Will Solana and Tron truly join the $100 billion market cap club in 2026?/Gemini-generated image |
Although the cryptocurrency market has been battered by strong external headwinds this year, two strong candidates are drawing attention for their potential to reach a $100 billion market capitalization by the end of 2026, backed by powerful network upgrades and growing interest from institutional investors.
According to cryptocurrency media outlet Finbold on February 21 (local time), despite macroeconomic uncertainty, Solana (SOL) and Tron (TRX) have been identified as assets with a high likelihood of achieving a $100 billion market cap, supported by expanding on-chain activity and clear bullish catalysts.
Solana currently holds a market capitalization of $49 billion and is trading around $86. To reach the $100 billion target, the token would need to more than double to $175 per token, based on a circulating supply of approximately 570 million. Major financial institutions, including Standard Chartered, have issued optimistic forecasts that Solana could reach $250 by year-end, citing its strong position in stablecoin micropayments and ongoing infrastructure improvements.
In particular, the Alpenglow consensus upgrade, which increases transaction speed and shortens finality time, is seen as a key driver that could further accelerate adoption in the decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible token (NFT) markets. Although it has recently hovered near the $80 support level due to short-term selling pressure, including declining decentralized exchange volumes, experts believe this range could serve as a strong foundation for a rebound if overall investor sentiment recovers.
Another strong contender, Tron, currently has a market capitalization of $27 billion and is trading around $0.28. To surpass $100 billion, it would need an explosive 3.7-fold surge to approximately $1.06 per token, based on a circulating supply of about 94.5 billion tokens. Market observers believe Tron has room to rise steadily to $0.516 by year-end, supported by continued growth in total value locked and its overwhelming dominance in TRC-20 Tether (USDT) transaction volume.
Additionally, a clearer regulatory environment in major markets and increased institutional participation in staking are expected to serve as further bullish catalysts for Tron. Recently, more than 177,000 TRX were purchased through its treasury, establishing solid support around the $0.27 level. A decisive breakout above the $0.30 resistance line is anticipated to signal the start of a new upward rally.
Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference purposes only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses resulting from its use. The content should be interpreted solely for informational purposes.