- Nikita Bier, an advisor to the Solana blockchain, has taken on a new role as a leading product developer at X.
- Musk has hinted that more crypto integrations could be on the table for X alongside Grok’s rollout, and even xAI plans to ship its next AI model in the coming weeks.
Solana (SOL) is in the spotlight, and this time it’s thanks to a surprising new hire. Nikita Bier, the brain behind viral apps like TBH and Gas, has joined X as Head of Product. That’s a big role; he’ll be shaping product direction, features, and possibly even helping decide how crypto fits into the platform.
Since Bier is also a Solana advisor, his move has stirred up speculation: could Solana be the blockchain that powers X’s long-rumored crypto payments?
The market certainly noticed. SOL saw a quick 1% bump following the news, adding to a 7% gain over the past week. It’s now trading around $148, and trading volume has shot up 80% in just 24 hours to reach $5.17 billion, a clear sign that investors are paying attention again.
Still, SOL is nearly 50% below its all-time high of $295, so there’s room to run. Analysts say if it breaks through the $160 resistance, we could see a climb toward $200 or more. But if it slips under $140, a short-term pullback could be in the cards.
Commenting on his new role, Bier said,
𝕏 is the most important social network in the world. It’s where internet culture originates and where the world’s most influential people convene. Finding my community and building an audience on X has impacted my life more than any single thing.
With that kind of mission, and Musk hinting at crypto payments and deeper Grok AI integration, there’s growing curiosity about what’s coming next.
Solana Gains Recognition
Robinhood is finally making it easier for U.S. users to get involved in crypto staking, officially rolling out support for Ethereum (ETH) and Solana staking right inside its app. As explained in our last news piece, the announcement was made at “To Catch a Token,” a crypto event in Cannes, France, and it marks a big shift; until now, staking through Robinhood was only available to European users.
The new system keeps things simple: users just pick a token, choose how much they want to stake, and the app takes care of the rest.
This move comes on the heels of another big update from Robinhood. Earlier, the platform introduced micro futures products for Ripple (XRP) and Solana. These are designed to give smaller traders easier access to crypto derivatives, lowering the financial barrier to entry.
Talk around a possible Solana ETF is heating up. The Rex-Osprey Solana ETF, which includes staking, could launch as early as this week. Betting markets like Polymarket put the odds of a Solana ETF approval by the end of July at 91%, and nearly 98% for some time in 2025.
If it does go through, analysts predict SOL could rally past $200 and possibly reach as high as $300, especially if it follows the pattern set by other ETFs.
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