Solana Foundation

What Solana Foundation does

The Solana Foundation is a non-profit foundation based in Zug, Switzerland, founded in 2018, dedicated to the decentralization, adoption, and security of the Solana blockchain ecosystem. The foundation operates with 11-50 employees and pursues its mission through grants programs, validator delegation, developer tooling, and enterprise partnership development rather than commercial revenue generation. Its core operational vehicles include the Solana Developer Platform (SDP), an enterprise-grade API gateway launched in March 2026 that consolidates 20+ infrastructure partners into unified modules for tokenized asset issuance, payments, and trading; Pay.sh, a payment gateway co-developed with Google Cloud enabling AI agent micropayments via the x402 protocol; the STRIDE security framework and Solana Incident Response Network (SIRN); and the Solana Research Institute (SRI) in Switzerland supporting regulatory compliance.

The foundation's technology stack is centered on Solana's high-performance blockchain, which features Proof of History consensus, parallel transaction processing, sub-second finality, and transaction costs at fractions of a cent. The network is being upgraded through the Agave v4.0.2 validator client and the Firedancer client targeting one million transactions per second, with post-quantum cryptography (Falcon signatures) being implemented for future-proofing. Solana captures 27.61% of global on-chain DEX volume, 32.6% of global stablecoin transfers, and 95% of tokenized equity trading volume, processing over $1 trillion in stablecoin volume in 2025 and reaching 167 million unique holders by April 2026.

The foundation's go-to-market combines enterprise field sales targeting financial institutions, developer community engagement, API-first infrastructure delivery through SDP, and event-driven mainstream awareness campaigns including World Series of Poker sponsorship. Named enterprise partners include Mastercard, Western Union, Worldpay, Google Cloud, Toss Bank, Shinhan Card, Gwangju Bank, MoneyGram, KG Financial, Securitize, Ethena Labs, Backpack Exchange, KASE, BitGo, Modern Treasury, Fireblocks, and Anchorage Digital. As a non-profit, the foundation does not charge for its services and is funded through ecosystem treasury allocations, grants programs, and a $10M funding round in January 2025.

Name

Solana Foundation

Legal name

Solana Foundation

Website

https://solana.foundation

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Solana Foundation is a non-profit foundation based in Zug, Switzerland, dedicated to the decentralization, adoption, and security of the Solana blockchain ecosystem. It operates grants, validator delegation, enterprise developer tools, and partnerships with financial institutions globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blockchain Infrastructure

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Smart Contract Frameworks & SDKs (developer kits, templates, standards) (FSAPABAB), Developer Portals, SDKs & Documentation Platforms (BPAMADAG), Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Blockchain infrastructure
• Non-profit foundation
• Developer platform
• Stablecoin payments
• Tokenized assets

Headquarters

HQ city

Zug

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Non-profit Foundation Model: The Solana Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to decentralization, adoption, and security of the Solana ecosystem. Revenue generation is not the primary objective; the foundation funds ecosystem development through grants and delegation programs rather than commercial revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Solana Foundation is a non-profit foundation that builds, supports, and grows the Solana blockchain network and its developer ecosystem. It operates the Solana Developer Platform (SDP), an enterprise API gateway for tokenization, payments, and trading; runs grants and delegation programs to decentralize the network; and provides security infrastructure such as the STRIDE framework. The foundation does not sell commercial products for revenue but funds ecosystem development and provides open developer tooling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solana Developer Platform (SDP) Unified API gateway that lets banks, payment processors, and enterprises build tokenization, stablecoin payments, and trading applications on Solana without deep crypto expertise. Consolidates 20+ infrastructure partners (custody, compliance, fiat rails) behind a single interface with sandbox/test environments.
• Pay.sh AI Agent Payment Gateway Payment gateway built with Google Cloud that enables AI agents to discover, access, and pay for APIs using stablecoins on Solana at fractions of a cent per request. Uses the x402 protocol for authorization and micropayments, embedding Solana as the settlement layer for machine-to-machine commerce.
• STRIDE Security Program Tiered security framework for DeFi protocols on the Solana network providing ongoing security monitoring, formal verification, technical support, and threat monitoring, with funding provided by the foundation to harden ecosystem protocols.
• Solana Incident Response Network (SIRN) Coalition of security firms coordinating real-time threat responses and crisis handling across the Solana DeFi ecosystem, providing coordinated incident response capabilities for protocols facing exploits.
• Solana Open Data Platform Aggregated ecosystem metrics dashboard at solana.com/data providing unified access to Solana network and ecosystem data points for transparency and data accessibility.
• Native Subscriptions and Allowances On-chain program providing shared infrastructure for fixed allowances, recurring payment delegations, and merchant subscription plans, enabling developers to add recurring billing flows without building custom billing logic.
• Solana Foundation Grants Program Funding program operated by the Solana Foundation that provides grants to teams and projects building censorship resistance tools, developer infrastructure, and ecosystem components on the Solana network.
• Solana Foundation Delegation Program Program that delegates SOL stake from the Solana Foundation to qualifying validators based on performance criteria, helping decentralize network security and incentivize high-quality validator operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of tokenized equity trading volume captured ($1.298B of $1.324B total)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration24 records

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Gwangju BankminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Korean bank partnered with Solana Foundation to develop blockchain-based payment and remittance infrastructure. Collaboration aims to establish foundation for digital asset field cooperation and enhance bank's competitiveness.
• Backpack ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Backpack Exchange launched Backpack Securities, tokenized equity platform on Solana enabling investors to hold real equity rights and convert them into on-chain tokens for DeFi use. Platform launched SPCX (SpaceX) and $MU (Micron) tokenized stocks.
• Baillie GiffordminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026UK-based investment manager Baillie Gifford launching UK-regulated fund natively on Solana, signaling growing institutional adoption of onchain equity markets.
• Toss BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026South Korea's third-largest internet-only bank (15M customers) signed MoU with Solana Foundation to test stablecoin-based cross-border remittances. First direct strategic partnership between a South Korean internet-only bank and Solana Foundation. Pilot focused on verifying feasibility of stablecoin settlement for global remittances.
• MoneyGramcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 June 2026MoneyGram joined Solana network as an active validator, staking SOL to secure blockchain and process transactions as part of broader multi-chain strategy to route remittances through efficient rails.
• SecuritizecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026Securitize expanded its tokenized AAA CLO Fund (STAC) to Solana blockchain with BNY as custodian. Fund invests in U.S. dollar-denominated AAA-rated CLO tranches, positioning Solana as preferred settlement layer for tokenized finance.
• Mastercard (AP4M)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Solana Foundation joined Mastercard's Agent Pay for Machines initiative alongside 30+ partners including Coinbase, Stripe, Ripple to enable AI agent payments across cards, bank accounts, and stablecoins.
• World Series of PokercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Solana Foundation became presenting sponsor of WSOP 2026 and WSOP Paradise 2026, enabling tournament ticket purchases with Solana through MoonPay at zero processing fees. Winners can receive settlements in stablecoins on Solana.
• FireblockscoreTechnology or Integration · 28 May 2026Fireblocks partnered with Solana Foundation as infrastructure partner for Open Transaction Layer (OTL) protocol standardizing coordination across onchain transactions, alongside 25+ companies including B2C2, Checkout.com, and Coinbase.
• Hashed / ShardLabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Solana Foundation co-hosted Southeast Asia Blockchain Week 2026 with Web3 VC firm Hashed and ShardLab in Bangkok, featuring regulatory frameworks, RWA tokenization, AI-Web3 convergence tracks.
• KASE (Kazakhstan Stock Exchange)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Kazakhstan Stock Exchange launched digital asset platform at Solana Summit Kazakhstan using Solana blockchain infrastructure. Platform received regulatory approval from Kazakhstan's National Bank.
• BinanceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026Solana Foundation President Lily Liu participated in Binance Online event discussing stablecoins, tokenization, and AI-powered payments as drivers of crypto adoption alongside Ripple CEO and Binance leadership.
• BeezieminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Collectibles marketplace Beezie expanding to Solana blockchain in Q2 2026 as part of multichain strategy, bringing $142M annual recurring revenue and 540,000+ claw pulls to ecosystem.
• Google CloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2026Joint launch of Pay.sh payment gateway enabling AI agents to autonomously pay for APIs using stablecoins on Solana. Google Cloud infrastructure hosts the platform with x402 protocol for real-time micropayments. Google also became a Solana validator in 2026.
• Anchorage DigitalcoreTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2026Anchorage Digital provides custody infrastructure for Solana-based stablecoins including Western Union's USDPT, Tether, Ethena, and serves as custody rail behind BlackRock's BUIDL. Also unveiled agentic banking infrastructure at Consensus 2026.
• Western UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Western Union launched USDPT stablecoin on Solana through Anchorage Digital Bank, enabling near-instant 24/7 settlement between Western Union and global agents across 200+ countries. Strategic shift away from legacy payment rails toward digital assets, targeting reduced $500M annual cost of prepaid funding.
• KG Financial / KG InicisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026KG Financial, fintech arm of KG Group, entered strategic partnership to develop stablecoin payment infrastructure across its network of approximately 220,000 merchants via regulated payment gateway KG Inicis.
• Shinhan CardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026South Korea's second-largest credit card issuer (16.9% market share) partnered with Solana Foundation for advanced stablecoin payment proof-of-concept. Following successful initial pilot testing 6 areas including P2P payments and cross-border remittances, partnership aims to develop hybrid TradFi-DeFi financial model.
• Solana Research Institute (SRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Swiss-based research institute launched to assist European financial institutions in evaluating Solana blockchain technology, supporting compliance with MiCA and US GENIUS Act regulations.
• Asymmetric ResearchcoreTechnology or Integration · 7 April 2026Solana Foundation partnered with security firm Asymmetric Research to launch STRIDE security framework and Solana Incident Response Network (SIRN) following $285M Drift Protocol exploit.
• Coinbase (x402 Foundation)coreTechnology or Integration · 2 April 2026Solana Foundation participates in x402 Foundation launched by Linux Foundation alongside Coinbase, Google, Microsoft, AWS, Mastercard, Visa for governing agentic AI payments protocol on crypto and fiat rails.
• BitGocoreTechnology or Integration · 25 March 2026BitGo selected as wallet infrastructure partner for Solana Developer Platform, providing institutional custody, multi-signature and MPC wallet configurations, transaction policy controls, and secure cold storage architecture.
• MastercardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Mastercard joined as early user of Solana Developer Platform for stablecoin settlement capabilities. Also partnered on Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M) initiative alongside 30+ companies to enable AI agent payments through cards, accounts, and stablecoins. Represents major enterprise validation of Solana as payment infrastructure.
• WorldpaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Worldpay joined as early user of Solana Developer Platform, testing merchant payment and settlement infrastructure on Solana blockchain. Part of enterprise push to modernize payment processing through blockchain technology.
• Modern TreasurycoreTechnology or Integration · 24 March 2026Modern Treasury selected as payments infrastructure partner for Solana Developer Platform, enabling enterprises to access account infrastructure, real-time ledger, compliance controls, and U.S. payment rails including ACH, wire, RTP, and FedNow.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NEAR Foundation: Swiss foundation supporting NEAR Protocol with comparable non-profit structure, grants programs, and focus on developer tooling and AI agent infrastructure.
• Stellar Development Foundation: Non-profit foundation supporting Stellar blockchain with strong focus on cross-border payments and remittances (similar to Western Union USDPT partnership). Direct competitor for stablecoin remittance use cases.
• Ethereum Foundation: Swiss non-profit foundation supporting the Ethereum ecosystem. Direct peer as fellow blockchain foundation focused on decentralization, grants, and ecosystem development. Ethereum remains Solana's primary competitor for institutional DeFi and stablecoin volume.
• Interchain Foundation (Cosmos): Swiss foundation supporting Cosmos ecosystem with grants program. Comparable foundation structure and ecosystem development approach via validator delegation.
• Polygon Foundation: Foundation supporting the Polygon blockchain ecosystem with focus on Ethereum scaling, ZK proofs, and enterprise adoption. Competes directly for enterprise blockchain partnerships and developer mindshare.
• Tezos Foundation: Swiss foundation supporting Tezos blockchain. Peer in foundation structure and grantmaking model, with focus on regulated tokenization and formal verification similar to Solana's STRIDE security framework.
• Web3 Foundation (Polkadot): Swiss foundation supporting Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems with grants program model similar to Solana Foundation. Comparable non-profit structure and ecosystem development approach via delegation and funding.
• Cardano Foundation: Swiss-based non-profit foundation supporting the Cardano ecosystem. Direct peer with similar foundation structure, grantmaking programs, and focus on regulated markets and academic partnerships.
• Avalanche Foundation: Non-profit foundation supporting Avalanche blockchain with focus on subnets and enterprise tokenization. Direct competitor for institutional RWA and tokenization workloads where Solana captured 95% of equity trading volume.

Emerging players

• Aptos Foundation: Foundation supporting the Aptos blockchain, positioned as emerging competitor focused on enterprise and financial institution adoption with Move programming language. Comparable to Solana's enterprise GTM motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SolanaFoundation
• GitHubgithub.com/solana-foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solana-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments46 records

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Frequently asked questions about Solana Foundation