Solana’s native token, SOL, has recorded a 9% decline over the past week, with a 3% drop on Dec. 19 alone. As of today, SOL trades at $210, 20% below its $264 all-time high reached on Nov. 24. This downturn is influenced by a combination of market-wide sell-offs, declining total value locked (TVL), and reduced on-chain activity.

Market-Wide Sell-Off Affects SOL Price

A broader cryptocurrency market correction has weighed heavily on Solana’s price. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s hawkish comments about the 2025 economic outlook triggered panic selling. Bitcoin (BTC) dropped 2.7%, and Ethereum (ETH) fell 4.6%, reflecting a general bearish sentiment.

The Federal Reserve’s decision to cut rates by 25 basis points was overshadowed by Powell’s post-announcement statements, which revised the 2025 inflation outlook to 2.5% and indicated limited further rate cuts. These developments caused the total crypto market cap to fall 3.8% over 24 hours, resting at $3.53 trillion.

Declining TVL on Solana

Solana’s total value locked (TVL) decreased by 4.5% over the last seven days, dropping from $9.37 billion on Dec. 12 to $8.9 billion. Data from DeFiLlama shows that layer 2 protocols like Jito and Sanctum posted significant TVL losses, reflecting reduced interest in Solana-based DeFi applications.

This decline in TVL mirrors the drop in SOL’s price, highlighting fading trader interest. On-chain data from Dune reveals a sharp reduction in daily transactions on Solana’s network, nearly halving since Nov. 20. Additionally, daily revenues fell from a year-to-date high of 55,832 SOL ($12 million) on Nov. 23 to 5,391 SOL ($1.13 million) on Dec. 18.

Solana’s price action has painted an inverted V-shaped pattern on the daily timeframe. Resistance at the $215–$230 supply zone, coupled with a Relative Strength Index (RSI) below 50, signals seller dominance. Immediate support lies between $190 and $200, reinforced by the 100-day and 200-day exponential moving averages (EMAs). A close below $190 could push SOL toward $150.

Conversely, holding above $200 could invalidate the bearish outlook. Optimistic analysts like Jelle anticipate a breakout, citing Solana’s formation of a falling wedge and higher lows on lower timeframes. “Still believe this one is back in price discovery before Christmas. Bring on $300,” Jelle shared on Dec. 18.

Challenges Ahead for Solana

The current trends indicate significant challenges for Solana, including declining TVL, suppressed on-chain activity, and stiff market resistance. However, the community’s resilience and potential recovery in broader market conditions may support SOL’s price rebound, according to Cointelegraph.