What happened?
Markets are recovering and money is rotating out of gold back into risk assets, with Solana standing out as a retail favorite. Alibaba’s Qwen AI — fresh off beating rivals in the Alpha Arena trading contest — gave a bullish three‑month call that could see SOL near $320 by January 2026. The case rests on Q4 seasonality, network upgrades like Firedancer, strong on‑chain activity, and growing institutional partnerships.
Who does this affect?
This mainly affects retail traders and DeFi/NFT users who hold or trade Solana, since they’d be first to feel any sharp price moves. Institutional investors and ETF buyers are next in line, especially if U.S. approvals follow Hong Kong’s Solana ETF green light and bring big inflows. Wallet providers and token platforms (like Best Wallet and its BEST token) could also benefit as investors reorganize portfolios and chase staking or yield perks.
Why does this matter?
A confirmed breakout toward the Qwen AI target could pull substantial capital into SOL and other Layer‑1 altcoins, potentially changing market leadership versus Ethereum and BNB. ETF approvals would be a major market catalyst, likely increasing liquidity, volatility, and institutional participation, which can amplify price moves. That dynamic would reshape risk allocation, boost demand for custody and wallet services, and could accelerate a broader altcoin rally into Q4 and early 2026.