Dmytro Kharkov

Solana price slips below $85 as sellers regain control

Solana price slips below $85 as sellers regain control
Altcoins have generally underperformed as traders rotate toward cash or higher-liquidity assets during periods of uncertainty

​Solana (SOL) is trading at $84.25, confirming a decisive move below the $85 level that had acted as a short-term price floor since late consolidation. The breakdown marks a clear bearish continuation signal rather than a temporary liquidity sweep. 

Highlights

  • Solana is trading at $84.25 after breaking below the key $85 support, confirming a bearish continuation pattern.
  • Weak volume structure and a negative MACD signal indicate that downside momentum remains intact rather than stabilizing.
  • As long as SOL stays below $85, risks remain skewed toward a move to $80 and potentially the $72–75 zone.

From a technical perspective, momentum remains firmly tilted to the downside, with price action respecting a sequence of lower highs and lower lows on the daily chart. All major moving averages are positioned above the current price. The 50-day moving average is trending lower near the $105 area, while the 100-day and 200-day moving averages remain significantly higher, reinforcing the broader bearish structure. The inability of SOL to reclaim even short-term averages highlights the absence of dip-buying conviction at this stage of the cycle.

Momentum indicators also support the bearish case. The Relative Strength Index remains below the neutral 50 mark, suggesting that downside pressure is dominant without yet reaching deeply oversold conditions. This is important, as it implies there is still technical room for further losses before a meaningful rebound becomes statistically attractive. 

Solana price dynamics (December 2025 - February 2026). Source: TradingView.

Volume dynamics reinforce the bearish technical signal. Selling volume expanded during the move below $85, suggesting that the breakdown was supported by genuine participation rather than thin liquidity. This reduces the likelihood of a quick false-break recovery. At the same time, the MACD indicator remains firmly in negative territory, with the signal line below zero and the histogram continuing to print red bars. There is no visible bullish convergence yet, indicating that downside momentum is still accelerating rather than stabilizing.

ETF optimism fails to offset risk-off sentiment

Recent headlines around potential Solana-linked exchange-traded products and broader institutional interest have provided a constructive long-term narrative for the asset. However, the current price action suggests that this optimism is not translating into near-term buying pressure. Instead, the market appears to be discounting future adoption benefits while reacting more forcefully to prevailing risk-off conditions across digital assets.

Altcoins have generally underperformed as traders rotate toward cash or higher-liquidity assets during periods of uncertainty. Solana, despite its strong ecosystem and developer activity, has not been immune to this trend. The failure of SOL to hold above $100 earlier in the year already signaled weakening confidence, and the subsequent breakdown below $85 reinforces the view that sentiment remains fragile.

Another factor weighing on Solana is the broader reassessment of valuation within layer-1 ecosystems. As speculative capital retreats, investors are becoming more selective, favoring assets with clearer near-term catalysts. In this environment, long-term positives such as ETF discussions or network upgrades tend to lose influence unless accompanied by immediate inflows or on-chain demand spikes.

Below $85 keeps focus on $80 and $75

In the short term, the key message for traders is clear: as long as Solana remains below $85, downside risks dominate. The base-case scenario points to a test of the $80 support level in the coming sessions. A brief consolidation above $80 is possible, but without a strong bullish catalyst, this area may struggle to hold on the first attempt.

The bearish scenario envisions a clean break below $80, opening the door toward the $72–75 zone. This area represents the next meaningful technical buffer and could attract medium-term buyers looking for value. However, such a move would likely coincide with continued weakness across the broader crypto complex.

The analyst Anton Kharitonov says Solana remains under strong technical pressure, citing bearish momentum, oversold signals and ongoing institutional outflows despite solid on-chain activity. He remains defensive on SOL until the price can reclaim and hold above $102.00, noting heavy resistance and a lack of near-term catalysts.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.
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