cryptocurrency Solana is a high-performance blockchain platform known for its speed and low transaction fees. Launched in 2020, it aims to rival Ethereum by providing a scalable infrastructure for decentralized applications (dApps) like Decentralized Finance (DeFi) platforms and NFT marketplaces. Solana achieves this through a unique consensus mechanism called Proof of History (PoH), which allows it to process thousands of transactions per second while maintaining security. Its native cryptocurrency, SOL, is used for transaction fees and staking to secure the network.