Lightspeed The Solana Playbook With Leah Wald
Mar 27, 2025
Leah Wald, CEO of SOL Strategies and key player in the Solana ecosystem, shares her insights live from DAS NY 2025. She discusses the upcoming launch of Solana ETFs and the evolving interest from institutions in the crypto space. Leah reveals her vision for Solana and how SOL Strategies aims to influence the ecosystem significantly. The conversation also touches on strategic growth through acquisitions and the potential of Solana compared to major blockchains like Bitcoin, showcasing an optimistic outlook for the future.
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Solana ETF Launch Insights
- The first US Solana ETF launched quickly after CME Solana futures, indicating market robustness.
- It's too early to assess ETF success; meaningful volume analysis requires 3-6 months of observation.
Bitcoin Futures ETF Launch Experience
- Leah Wald launched a Bitcoin futures ETF at Valkyrie, experiencing high initial volume but complex market maker coordination.
- Futures ETFs are more intricate than spot ETFs due to additional participants and the separation from underlying spot assets.
Institutional Involvement in Crypto
- The concept of "institutions" in crypto isn't monolithic; individual holders often have significant influence, similar to traditional institutions.
- Solana's institutional adoption is focused on how institutions can participate, now enabled by futures, unlike Bitcoin's established allocation patterns.