Best Crypto to Buy Now: Five Cryptocurrencies Worth Watching in 2026

Best Crypto to Buy Now: Five Cryptocurrencies Worth Watching in 2026

by | Oct 19, 2026 | Adoption

Not financial advice. This article is for information only and reflects opinion and publicly available data at the time of writing. Crypto assets are volatile and you can lose all of the money you put in. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell.

Investors searching for the best crypto to buy now face a market with thousands of digital assets, but a small group of established names continues to dominate attention in 2026. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP and BNB are among the most recognised and widely held cryptocurrencies, each occupying a distinct role within the broader ecosystem, according to VT Markets.

What began as a niche technology has matured into an acknowledged digital asset class, underpinned by exchanges, payment platforms and rising institutional participation, VT Markets said. Bitcoin remains the dominant reference point for the sector, while the other four assets have each built their own position through specific strengths, from smart contract platforms to cross-border payments.

How cryptocurrency works

A cryptocurrency is a digital asset protected by cryptography and tracked through blockchain technology. Rather than being issued by central banks like conventional money, these assets run on decentralised networks of computers that independently verify and log transactions without any single institution in control, according to VT Markets.

A blockchain functions as a shared digital ledger, storing transactions transparently and permanently without requiring a central authority. That design lets participants send value to one another across the network, with ownership and transaction history preserved in a record that resists tampering.

The design also places responsibility on the holder. Each user must protect their own holdings, and once a transaction is confirmed on the blockchain it generally cannot be reversed, VT Markets noted.

Bitcoin and Ethereum lead the best crypto to buy now list

Measured by market capitalisation, liquidity and adoption, Bitcoin and Ethereum still stand as the two biggest and most established cryptocurrencies, according to VT Markets. Bitcoin, introduced in 2009 as a peer-to-peer alternative to traditional money, relies on proof-of-work and a hard cap of 21 million coins, a design that has shaped its reputation as digital gold rather than an everyday payments tool.

That limited supply keeps drawing individuals, companies and institutions seeking a long-term store of value. Bitcoin holds the largest market capitalisation and deepest liquidity of any cryptocurrency, and institutional adoption has grown through custody services and exchange-traded products, VT Markets said.

Ethereum brought smart contracts to the market, code that executes automatically and allows developers to build applications on the network itself, making it a platform rather than simply a currency. From that foundation emerged decentralised finance, NFT marketplaces and thousands of tokens created on top of its infrastructure.

Since moving to proof-of-stake in 2022, Ethereum has focused on scaling solutions that lower fees, and it remains one of the most widely used platforms for blockchain development. It holds the largest developer ecosystem and share of decentralised application activity, while ongoing protocol upgrades aim to improve scalability and reduce transaction costs, according to VT Markets.

Solana, XRP and BNB fill specialist roles

Solana was designed to tackle the congestion that has left Ethereum slow and costly at peak times, processing a high volume of transactions per second while keeping fees low. Those characteristics have drawn gaming, NFT and high-frequency decentralised exchange activity to the network, though its history of outages is worth weighing against those advantages, VT Markets said.

XRP was built to address one problem in conventional banking: moving money across borders is slow and expensive. Its network settles transactions within seconds for a fraction of what correspondent banking costs, and Ripple, the company behind it, has spent years cultivating ties with financial institutions exploring this use case.

A long-running legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission once created uncertainty around XRP. The resolution of that multi-year proceeding has provided greater regulatory clarity and influenced investor sentiment around the asset, according to VT Markets.

BNB began life as a token that gave holders reduced trading fees on Binance, one of the world's largest exchanges, before evolving into the native asset of its own blockchain, BNB Chain. Binance periodically burns a portion of BNB's supply to support its value over time, though the asset's performance remains closely tied to the wider Binance ecosystem, VT Markets said.

Risks and portfolio approach for the best crypto to buy now

The asset class is still highly volatile, and prices can swing on market sentiment, regulation, technological developments and broader economic conditions. Even the largest cryptocurrencies trade with less market depth than major equities, so news or shifts in sentiment tend to move prices faster and further, according to VT Markets.

Given that volatility, VT Markets said these coins generally work better as one component of a wider allocation than as a single concentrated position. Spreading exposure across several assets, guided by research, tends to be more resilient than betting on one coin, and a structured approach helps manage downside risk while preserving exposure to the sector's upside.

More conservative investors may weight allocations toward core holdings, while those comfortable with higher risk might shift toward growth and speculative names. Either way, keeping a reserve means a portfolio can act on opportunities instead of sitting fully committed at any given moment, VT Markets said.

Common mistakes include buying purely on momentum, neglecting security and ignoring taxes. Assets with the largest short-term gains are not reliably the best performers going forward, weak or reused passwords and disabled two-factor authentication have cost many investors their holdings, and selling, exchanging or spending cryptocurrency can trigger tax liabilities in many jurisdictions, VT Markets said.

Ways to gain exposure

Investors considering the best crypto to buy now can gain exposure in different ways. Some buy and hold digital assets directly, while others use derivatives such as contracts for difference to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset, according to VT Markets.

VT Markets provides access to selected cryptocurrency markets through CFDs, supported by trading tools and educational resources. The firm said traders should determine the amount of capital to allocate to each trade and weigh factors such as volatility, leverage and potential losses before opening a position.

For storage, keeping smaller amounts on a reputable exchange is common and convenient. For larger holdings, many investors move funds to a personal wallet for added control over custody, though that comes with the responsibility of securing it, VT Markets said.

Conclusion

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP and BNB stand out in 2026 as established, widely held assets, each with a distinct role spanning store of value, smart contracts, high-throughput applications, cross-border payments and exchange ecosystems. VT Markets frames these five as the most recognised names for investors weighing the best crypto to buy now, while stressing that volatility, security and tax planning remain central to any allocation. The firm points investors toward a diversified, research-driven approach and notes that exposure can be taken directly or through instruments such as CFDs, with position sizing and risk limits set before any trade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the five best crypto to buy now in 2026, according to VT Markets?

VT Markets names Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP and BNB as five of the most recognised and widely held cryptocurrencies in 2026. Each occupies a distinct role: Bitcoin as a store of value, Ethereum as a smart contract platform, Solana for high-throughput applications, XRP for cross-border payments and BNB as the native asset of BNB Chain.

Why is Bitcoin still considered digital gold in 2026?

Bitcoin runs on a proof-of-work network with a fixed supply of 21 million coins, a scarcity that has shaped its reputation as digital gold rather than an everyday payments tool. VT Markets says that scarcity continues to attract individuals, companies and institutions seeking a long-term store of value, alongside growing institutional adoption through custody services and exchange-traded products.

How did the SEC case affect XRP?

A long-running legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission once created uncertainty around XRP. According to VT Markets, the resolution of that multi-year proceeding has provided greater regulatory clarity and influenced investor sentiment around the asset, which targets cross-border payments settling within seconds.

How much of a portfolio should go into cryptocurrency?

There is no fixed answer, since the right allocation depends on individual risk tolerance and financial goals, VT Markets says. Many investors treat cryptocurrency as a smaller slice within a diversified portfolio rather than a core holding, but the firm describes this as a personal decision rather than a rule.

What are the most common mistakes crypto investors make?

VT Markets highlights buying purely on momentum, weak security and ignoring taxes. Assets with the largest short-term gains are not reliably the best performers going forward, weak or reused passwords and disabled two-factor authentication have cost investors their holdings, and selling, exchanging or spending crypto can trigger tax liabilities in many jurisdictions.

Sources

Aurora Intents Elara Link Connects Solana Wallets to Ethereum Yield

Aurora Intents Elara Link Connects Solana Wallets to Ethereum Yield

by | Oct 16, 2026 | Altcoin News

Aurora Intents Elara integration is now live, with Aurora Labs saying its Aurora Intents Connect service has launched on Elara, the treasury product built by Brila Finance, letting Solana wallet holders put idle stablecoins to work in Elara's Ethereum-based yield product without leaving the wallet they already use. The integration, announced in an October 15 press release, moves deposited funds to Ethereum while the user keeps control through the same Solana wallet.

The tie-up removes two of the most common frictions in moving value between blockchains: there is no bridging step and no second wallet to manage, and withdrawals land back where they started. Aurora Labs said the Solana pathway is live in the Elara app, with both deposits and withdrawals handled through one wallet.

How the Aurora Intents Connect flow works

Under the process Aurora Labs described, a user first signs a deposit transaction from a Solana wallet, and Aurora Intents processes that deposit before any staking approval. Once the funds arrive on Ethereum, Elara mints elUSD, its USD-denominated treasury asset. The user then approves a second transaction from the same Solana wallet to stake elUSD into sELUSD.

Elara said the staked token generates yield from stablecoin market-making activities. Aurora Labs said both elUSD and sELUSD stay on Ethereum in accounts controlled by the user's Solana wallet, and that Aurora Intents does not hold any funds during the process.

Through Intents Connect, Aurora Labs said an application can carry out operations on a destination chain once funds are transferred there, including minting, staking and deposits. For Elara, that means deposit approval is granted first and staking is completed with a separate signature, with both actions originating from the initial Solana wallet.

On the way out, users first unlock their sELUSD stake and redeem elUSD for a stablecoin, according to the announcement. Aurora Intents then returns the funds to the original Solana wallet, completing the exit through the same wallet used to enter.

Executives cite friction as the target

Declan Hannon, chief executive of Aurora Labs, connected the launch to the hurdles people encounter when they try to use a product built on a different chain. "Every additional step between the user and the product reduces its deposits," Hannon said. He added that users prefer to skip "cross-chain bridges and buying gas," and said Aurora Intents handles connecting their existing wallets to Elara.

Sebastien Davies, head of strategy at Elara, said the integration is aimed at people who already hold stablecoins on Solana rather than requiring them to manage another wallet. "Aurora Intents provides these holders with a direct pathway to Elara, without the need for a cross-chain bridge or managing a second wallet," Davies said.

Elara's treasury product and the infrastructure behind it

Elara positions itself as a treasury management offering inside the Brila ecosystem. Its documentation states that when users deposit stablecoins the protocol creates elUSD, and locking that token up as sELUSD opens the door to strategies that earn yield from market making.

Aurora Labs said Aurora Intents is built on NEAR Protocol's NEAR Intents solver network, which the company said has handled upwards of $34 billion in transaction volume. The announcement made clear that this number describes the underlying network rather than money deposited into Elara.

Aurora's earlier Sui and Zcash integrations

The Elara launch follows Aurora's earlier work on other chains. In September, crypto.news reported on Aurora's one-signature execution on Sui, where the company said people could deposit into and use supported applications without arranging a separate bridge, changing wallets or purchasing SUI gas. According to the September 17 announcement, NEAR Intents provided liquidity, settlement infrastructure and interchain connectivity, and Aurora Labs said applications could accept funds for lending, trading, staking and yield positions.

Hannon said at the time that Sui became the second chain outside the Ethereum model that the service supported, following Solana, and that the underlying network's routed trading volume had exceeded $30 billion. He also said the service handled the flow of money tied to the Zcash auction, executing 1,718 trades worth more than $19 million in total, according to a September 21 report. The zkSNARKS auction drew submissions of $36.94 million, and Aurora processed more than half of the assets that were converted and deposited.

Breaking down that auction volume, Hannon said USDC made up 27% of the total, flowing in from four networks, and Solana contributed the biggest portion, while native ETH made up an additional 21%. Participants could also fund bids with BTC, SOL, BNB and other supported assets. For those transactions, Hannon said competing solvers worked to supply the specified ZEC amounts at fees users had approved in advance of signing, and he cited reliance on the NEAR Intents settlement contract along with market makers and cross-chain bridges holding the source assets.

Security incident and tax context

The integration lands weeks after a security incident on the underlying network. On October 1, NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin announced that services had been restored following an exploit involving $3.8 million in USDT on BSC, which he traced to a weakness in how the Omni deposit and withdrawal systems interacted with the NEAR Intents smart contract. Polosukhin said the SHIELD monitoring system flagged the irregular activity, which led to a temporary halt in services, and that engineers resolved the problem within an hour of pinpointing the vulnerability.

Polosukhin pledged full compensation to affected users and said the NEAR Protocol core, NEAR tokens and other applications were unaffected, though some chain connections remained restricted when services restarted. He further promised a review and postmortem of the incident, saying the conclusions would feed into stronger security measures.

For U.S. users, the Internal Revenue Service states that income from digital-asset transactions must be reported on federal tax returns. Its April 2024 guidance covers stablecoins as well as rewards earned through staking or yield programs, and obliges anyone filing the designated federal forms to respond to the digital asset question and declare the associated income.

Conclusion

Aurora Intents Connect is live on Elara, giving Solana wallet holders a two-signature route into the Ethereum-based treasury product: one signature to deposit stablecoins, a second to stake elUSD into sELUSD for market-making yield. Aurora Labs said it never holds funds and that withdrawals return stablecoins to the originating Solana wallet after unstaking and redemption. The Solana pathway is available now in the Elara app, with deposits and withdrawals managed from the same wallet, and the companies have framed the launch around removing bridges and extra wallets from the deposit process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Aurora Intents and Elara integration let Solana users do?

It lets Solana wallet holders deposit stablecoins into Elara's Ethereum-based treasury product without a cross-chain bridge or a second wallet. Users sign a deposit from their Solana wallet, funds move to Ethereum where Elara mints elUSD, and a second signature stakes it into sELUSD, which earns yield from stablecoin market making.

How do withdrawals from Elara back to Solana work?

According to the announcement, users first unlock their sELUSD stake and redeem elUSD for a stablecoin on Ethereum. Aurora Intents then returns the funds to the original Solana wallet, so the exit is completed through the same wallet used to enter the product.

Does Aurora Intents hold user funds during the Elara deposit process?

Aurora Labs said Aurora Intents does not hold any funds during the process. The company said the elUSD and sELUSD positions stay on the Ethereum side, sitting in accounts that remain under the control of each user's Solana wallet.

What is elUSD and how does sELUSD generate yield?

Elara, a treasury management product in the Brila ecosystem, mints elUSD as its USD-denominated treasury asset when users deposit stablecoins. Staking elUSD as sELUSD grants access to market-making yield strategies, and Elara said the staked token generates yield from stablecoin market-making activities.

What infrastructure powers Aurora Intents, and was it affected by a recent hack?

Aurora Labs said Aurora Intents uses the NEAR Intents solver network from NEAR Protocol, which has processed over $34 billion in transactions. On October 1, NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin said services were restored after a $3.8 million USDT exploit on BSC, pledged full compensation to affected users, and said the NEAR Protocol core and other applications were unaffected.

Sources

Solana Captures 65% of Tokenized Equities Trading Volume

Solana Captures 65% of Tokenized Equities Trading Volume

by | Oct 12, 2026 | DEX

Solana captured 65% of tokenized equities trading volume across the sector in a single day, cementing its operational footprint in digital securities markets according to data released by SolanaFloor. The data revealed that Solana's volume stood roughly 85% above the aggregated share handled by all rival blockchain platforms combined.

The metric underlines how the network is processing digital tokens designed to track underlying conventional stocks. Overall sector figures show that global on-chain equity trading reached roughly $15.6 billion in tokenized equities trading volume during the prior month, reflecting the escalating transaction activity connecting traditional equities to distributed ledger systems.

Coin Gabbar reported that this 65% daily milestone occurred on October 10, 2026, aligned with tracking metrics displayed on a Blockworks dashboard. Trading volume represents the aggregate value of transactions processed, and the single-day print positioned the network well ahead of competing networks for that window.

Historical Flow and Decentralized Exchange Activity

The recent concentration of trading activity follows substantial momentum recorded across decentralized exchanges during the preceding quarters. In the second quarter of 2026, Solana processed 95% to 97% of worldwide tokenized equity volume executed on DEX platforms, Crypto Briefing reported.

During that second-quarter stretch, DEX volume on the network totaled $5.8 billion, representing a 114% rise from the first quarter. Solana reached a cumulative milestone when its historical tokenized stock transaction volume crossed $10 billion late in June 2026, Crypto Briefing reported.

Subsequent single-day records also documented heavy activity on the chain. Crypto Briefing noted that on September 12, 2026, Solana cleared more than $200 million in tokenized equity trades, eclipsing the combined tokenized equity volume connected to Nasdaq and the NYSE by over $100 million.

Much of this activity ran through Solana-based automated venues. Raydium alone executed a substantial share of those transactions, according to Crypto Briefing, capturing between 63% and 70% of network activity.

Supply Expansion and 24-Hour Trading Dynamic

The operational growth has coincided with wider asset creation. The network currently hosts more than 2,000 tokenized equities, CoinTrust reported, providing continuous trading channels for varied market participants.

Crypto Briefing reported that tokenized equity supply issued on the blockchain expanded to a record level of $684 million toward the middle of September 2026. That peak marked a 47% increase achieved over a span of three weeks.

On-chain stock trading has also deviated markedly from standard equity market sessions. Figures published by Crypto Briefing showed that through August 2026, 63% of Solana's tokenized equity trading transactions occurred outside standard US market hours.

Network Competition and Tokenized Equities Trading Volume Volatility

Despite periodic high marks in tokenized equities trading volume, the distribution of market activity has experienced significant shifts between competitors. Crypto Briefing reported that as late September arrived, Solana's market share receded to approximately 35% as alternative platforms expanded their transaction counts.

During that late September interval, Robinhood Chain temporarily surpassed Solana by capturing approximately 39% of the market, Crypto Briefing reported. Coin Gabbar noted that the climb to 65% on October 10 followed days in which Solana stood near that lower 35% mark.

CoinTrust noted that a single day of high volume does not confirm a permanent market reorganization, as overall liquidity levels regularly fluctuate. CoinTrust reported that total trading activity alone does not demonstrate the aggregate value of underlying equity assets or the absolute number of active market participants.

Ecosystem participants maintain that longer-term competition will extend beyond basic turnover metrics. CoinTrust reported that institutional uptake, regulatory compliance, asset issuer partnerships, liquidity, transaction costs, and security will determine sustained adoption across competing platforms.

Market Infrastructure and Broader SOL Developments

Analysts assess that multiple elements may drive network adoption, including throughput performance and ecosystem software support, although the data does not confirm which specific variables generated the recent market share, CoinTrust reported. Coinfomania reported that Solana is an infrastructure known for speed and cost-efficiency in managing decentralized applications.

Coinfomania reported that Solana's performance stands out amid mixed broader market signals, reflecting growing institutional attention toward its settlement infrastructure. The outlet reported that continued execution could position the platform as a core venue for institutions exploring blockchain rails for regulated finance.

Elevated tokenized equities trading volume does not inherently correlate with price increases for the native SOL cryptocurrency, according to CoinTrust. Coin Gabbar reported that the official Solana account on X announced a second spot Solana exchange-traded fund is set for an October 13 launch on HKEX.

Conclusion

Solana's capture of 65% of daily tokenized equities trading volume demonstrates significant network throughput in clearing digital securities trades, outpacing rival distributed networks over the measured session. Whether the blockchain can retain this volume lead will depend on forthcoming data, issuer retention, and upcoming institutional infrastructure developments such as the scheduled spot ETF listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of tokenized equities trading volume did Solana handle on October 10, 2026?

Solana accounted for 65% of the sector's tokenized equities trading volume on October 10, 2026, according to data from SolanaFloor and charts reported by Coin Gabbar. That volume exceeded the combined market share of all other tracked networks by approximately 85%.

How much tokenized equity trading volume was processed globally in the prior month?

Around $15.6 billion in trading volume was handled worldwide across on-chain equities during the preceding month, CoinTrust reported, illustrating the sector's mounting footprint.

Which decentralized exchange handled the majority of Solana's tokenized stock trading?

Raydium, a decentralized exchange operating on Solana, facilitated between 63% and 70% of the network's tokenized equity activity during elevated volume periods, according to Crypto Briefing.

What was the total supply of tokenized equities on Solana in September 2026?

Tokenized equity supply on Solana reached a record high of $684 million by mid-September 2026, Crypto Briefing reported. That total represented a 47% expansion achieved within a three-week window.

Sources

DeFi Development Expands Leveraged Exposure to Solana Past 2.56M SOL

DeFi Development Expands Leveraged Exposure to Solana Past 2.56M SOL

by | Oct 8, 2026 | DeFi

DeFi Development Corp. has expanded its corporate treasury past 2.56 million tokens, delivering leveraged exposure to Solana as it reports double-digit percentage gains in reserves alongside a preliminary surge in net asset value per share. The Nasdaq-listed company disclosed in an October 5 filing that it held roughly 2,564,212 SOL and SOL equivalents valued at approximately $302 million.

The corporate treasury model aims to offer investors leveraged exposure to Solana via ordinary equity markets. Through its capital structure, validator rewards and preferred share issuance, DeFi Development seeks to increase its reserves faster than the underlying token appreciates, magnifying per-share results for equity holders.

Treasury Growth and Preliminary Per-Share Gains

Between September 28 and October 2, the firm accumulated 26,203 SOL, representing an acquisition worth approximately $3 million, Decrypt News reported. Holdings have increased roughly 11% since the company's August 12 financial update, rising from nearly 600,000 SOL recorded in May 2025 to more than 2.56 million tokens.

Management expects net asset value per share to jump more than 100% from August 12 to September 30, according to preliminary estimates reported by Bitcoinist and Markets Insider. Chief Strategy Officer Dan Kang noted that total SOL reserves and SOL per share both experienced double-digit percentage gains over the period, MarketBeat reported.

Company calculations define net asset value by taking SOL assets and cash equivalents and deducting liabilities, out-of-the-money convertible notes, and preferred stock obligations. That net balance is divided by diluted shares, whereas SOL per share tracking incorporates liability deductions against common equity. DeFi Development noted these preliminary estimates remain subject to completion and do not constitute final audited figures.

CHAD Preferred Stock and Capital Strategy

To fund additional token purchases, DeFi Development is prioritizing its variable-rate cumulative preferred stock, listed under the ticker CHAD. The firm established a $300 million at-the-market distribution facility to issue CHAD shares around their $10 par value, using net proceeds to accumulate more Solana.

The instrument carries an annual dividend rate of roughly 13%, representing $1.30 per share yearly on the $10 stated balance, with distributions declared each business day. Decrypt News reported that daily distributions were set at $0.00516 per share through October. Chief Executive Officer Joseph Onorati highlighted the financing vehicle's role, stating, "CHAD is fuel for the DFDV engine and central to our next phase of growth."

The preferred equity structure targets yield-seeking buyers rather than pure cryptocurrency speculators. "That’s going to give us more leverage, give us more SOL Boost," Onorati said, pointing to the company's objective of generating equity gains that outpace Solana spot market returns.

If CHAD dips below par value following offerings, executives stated the firm could repurchase shares or elevate the dividend to reinforce price stability. The company has secured buyback flexibility while retaining provisions that prevent dividend decreases unless stated conditions are met, MarketBeat reported.

Staking Economics and Leveraged Exposure to Solana

Unlike corporate treasuries centered on Bitcoin, DeFi Development generates on-chain revenue through blockchain validation, reinforcing its ability to offer leveraged exposure to Solana. The company operates validator nodes across the Solana ecosystem, capturing proof-of-stake yields and network fees to cover corporate expenses.

Kang explained that these native staking returns provide the capital necessary to service daily preferred dividends without liquidating treasury tokens or issuing dilutive common shares. "The treasury works to pay CHAD itself," Kang said, arguing that network yields preserve balance-sheet value as the preferred instrument scales.

The company maintains ancillary decentralized finance activities, including exposure to $DONT, but Onorati stated the primary mission remains delivering leveraged exposure to Solana. Executive leadership also turned down financing alternatives requiring heavy discounts to share value, opting to preserve long-term balance-sheet flexibility.

Leveraged Equity Returns and Market Volatility

During the third quarter, DeFi Development common shares advanced approximately 83% while SOL gained roughly 57%, according to management metrics reported by MarketBeat. In August alone, common stock prices climbed over 100% as the underlying digital token rose about 38%, underscoring how its model produces leveraged exposure to Solana during market advances.

While leveraged holding strategies amplify gains in rising markets, they introduce symmetric downside risks during crypto pullbacks. Net asset value remains sensitive to token volatility, and corporate capitalization details such as outstanding debt and preferred claims directly affect equity values.

MarketBeat noted that Wall Street analysts currently assign DeFi Development a Hold rating. Kang stated that the company's long-term orientation involves securing resilient capital structures capable of navigating sharp digital asset cycles while preserving upside participation.

Conclusion

DeFi Development has expanded its treasury to 2,564,212 SOL and SOL equivalents valued at roughly $302 million, leveraging validator yields and preferred financing to build per-share value. The company's immediate operational focus centers on deploying its $300 million at-the-market preferred stock program at par value while preparing to publish finalized third-quarter financial results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much Solana does DeFi Development hold?

As of early October 2026, DeFi Development held approximately 2,564,212 SOL and SOL equivalents, according to corporate filings. The company valued those treasury holdings at roughly $302 million.

What is the CHAD preferred stock dividend rate?

CHAD preferred shares yield roughly 13% annually against their $10 stated balance, translating to a payment of $1.30 per share over the course of a year. The firm provides these cash payouts on each regular business day.

By how much did DeFi Development net asset value per share rise in Q3?

According to preliminary management estimates reported by Bitcoinist and Markets Insider, DeFi Development's net asset value per share increased by more than 100% between August 12 and September 30, 2026.

How does DeFi Development fund its preferred stock dividends?

DeFi Development uses staking yields and network fees generated by its Solana validator operations to meet dividend obligations. Management stated that this native yield allows the firm to pay dividends without selling treasury assets.

Sources

Read Also

Tensor Raises $3M For Solana-Focused NFT Trading Platform

Tensor Raises $3M For Solana-Focused NFT Trading Platform

by | Apr 4, 2023 | DeFi, Market News, NFTs

The Solana blockchain will be the primary focus of Tensor, a business that has acquired $3 million in seed funding to develop an NFT (non-fungible token) trading platform. Electric Capital was the primary investor in Tensor's fundraising round, with several others. Tensor will use the funds to complete development of its NFT trading system and increase its presence in the Solana ecosystem. With its maximum bandwidth and scalability, Solana, a fast, low-cost blockchain, has gained favour in recent months. Because of the platform Tensor is developing, customers of Solana will be able to trade NFTs without incurring excessive trading costs. This is a significant benefit over other block chains that impose prohibitive transaction fees, limiting its appeal to retail NFT traders.

Solana-focused NFT trading software Tensor reportedly raises $3 million in seed round lead by Placeholder, as reported by TechCrunch. Alliance DAO, Big Brain Investments, Solana Ventures, and Solana's Raj Gokal and Anatoly Yakovenko joined the round as well. Solana's popularity and the need for a cheap NFT trading platform are two of the many variables that will affect Tensor's platform's overall success. Tensor's platform, on the other hand, has the potential to become a key participant in the NFT industry in light of the increasing interest in NFTs and the increasing usage of Solana.

Tensor, a company with three employees, won between $60,000 and $70,000 at two Solana hackathons in 2022. Wu believes that Tensor's current yearly run rate of over $1 million is more than sufficient to meet all of the company's financial obligations. It was in 2022 that Richard Wu and Ilja Moisejevs established Tensor, an NFT trading platform with a special emphasis on the Solana token. Traders can take advantage of its many premium features, such as collection-wide bids, market-making orders, and TradingView connectivity. Moisejevs claims that it has 30,000 unique users per month and over $6.5 million in NFT volume in total.

While many Solana initiatives have merely aped Ethereum, "Solana NFTs may be so much more," Wu added, describing the platform's goal. He continued, saying that Tensor expects NFTs to become the "next trillion-dollar asset class," and that the company's mission is to build the necessary trading and technology infrastructure to support that. When asked about the similarities between their platform and Blur, Tensor responded by saying they aim to be "similar but different" for Solana. The Tensor team, for instance, considers it a core value to be "financially" and "motivationally" aligned with its users and to view them as partners rather than as customers. Some have drawn parallels between Tensor and the Blur marketplace, which recently caused a stir in the NFT industry by instituting a relatively low creative licence rate of 0.5%. After initially testing out modest creator royalty payments, Tensor has shifted to a "fully enforced royalties standard."

Several 2023 Fundraising Rounds Have Been Successful

Tensor and its users will benefit greatly from this additional round of investment. But, this is not the only Web3 startup to raise money and succeed this year. Many stories regarding recent investment rounds for Web3 ventures have been published on Rare Sniper. Classic online game Neopets, which was launched in 1999, closed a $4 million starting round in February, with Polygon Ventures as the round's lead investor. The money will be used to develop a play-to-earn game where players can invest in Neopets NFTs and earn cryptocurrency as a result of their participation. This is a rundown of the day's most important news.

First, in February, Prisms VR, a virtual reality (VR) learning platform, closed a $12.5 million Series A fundraising round headed by a16z. New technologies like virtual reality and 3D experiences are at the centre of the company's mission to raise the bar for math education in the United States.

Last but not least, "Hub72+ Digital Assets," a $2 billion fund for Web3 firms, was recently formed by Abu Dhabi's worldwide technology ecosystem, Hub71. It's clear that the Web3 industry is a hot topic, with numerous funding rounds being successfully completed. If Tensor can compete with other NFT trading platforms, only time will tell. Yet, it looks that the platform has enough funding to compete for the time being. Binance Labs, the Ton Foundation, and the Venom Foundation have all invested in the fund, which will provide assistance to entrepreneurs at all stages, from inception to unicorn status.