Solana's market performance has lagged behind Ethereum due to several structural issues, according to market analyst Dominic Basulto. The 2024 meme-coin frenzy, which saw the market balloon to $150 billion, has left a lasting impact on Solana, now associated with speculative activity. Additionally, Solana's mobile-first strategy, highlighted by the Saga smartphone launch, failed to gain traction due to high pricing and limited market adoption. Furthermore, Solana's spot ETFs have not attracted significant institutional capital, with combined assets under management at $1.1 billion, compared to Bitcoin's $100 billion inflows. Despite these challenges, Solana is pivoting towards stablecoins and DeFi, leveraging its technical advantages of lower fees and faster settlements. This strategic shift could enhance its long-term investment appeal, though rebuilding investor confidence will require time.