SOL up 16% – Exposing the strategy fueling Solana’s early 2026 momentum

Technically, high on-chain liquidity is considered a bullish signal. When liquidity is deep, a large number of trades can be executed quickly without causing sharp swings, thereby supporting more stable market conditions.Traditionally, centralized exchanges (CEXs) have played this role by concentrating liquidity and enabling fast trade execution. Basically, they act as hubs where traders meet, making it easier to enter and exit positions.However, what happens when this function moves onto a blockchain? While decentralized exchanges (DEXs) already exist, Solana [SOL] appears to be pushing beyond standard DEX models and taking this a step further.Solana’s strategic shift towards liquidity expansionHistorically, stablecoins have acted as a key liquidity engine.In particular, coins like USDT and USDC serve as on-chain bridges, allowing investors to move in and out of positions quickly. As a result, Layer-1 networks are now competing to capture this growing sector.Looking at Solana, the L1 is clearly making its mark. According to Token Terminal, the stablecoin market cap on Solana hit an all-time high of $15 billion – Representing a 200% jump from the $7.5 billion seen in 2025.Source: Token TerminalHowever, SOL now seems to be moving into a deeper phase of expansion.On 16 January, the network accelerated multi-chain listings, introducing four assets on top of its growing roster of in-house launches. Consequently, the market interpreted this move as a strategic pivot.At the core of this strategy is a CEX approach. By introducing new assets directly on its L1, Solana is clearly targeting deeper liquidity. In turn, supporting higher on-chain activity and strengthening the ecosystem.Looking at SOL’s start to 2026, the “timing” of this move is notable.Solana sees record capital flows across key sectorsSolana has kicked off 2026 by reinforcing confidence in its fundamentals.At the sector level, the network’s real-world asset (RWA) sector climbed to an all-time high of $1.13 billion in total tokenized value. As a result, Solana now leads among high-caps, with a nearly 20% hike in 30-day value.Meanwhile, its memecoin sector isn’t far behind. Data from Blockworks revealed memecoins now make up 63% of all DEX activity on Solana. In fact, figures for the same hit a seven-month high, with the daily trading volume averaging $4 billion.Source: BlockworksTaken together, these trends show that capital is moving across Solana.Moreover, when factoring in the stablecoin market and token launches, it becomes clear that the network is capturing liquidity through “diversification” across multiple asset types (stables, memes, and tokens).Looking at the technicals, the impact is evident. SOL is leading among top-cap L1s with a 16% rally so far in 2026 – A sign of strong market confidence in the expansion. Liquidity expected to drive further growth too.Final ThoughtsSolana is capturing on-chain liquidity through diversification.SOL is leading top-cap L1s with a 16% rally in 2026 so far.