Solana faces massive DDoS attack: the network withstands while SOL gives in to market pressure

In recent hours, Solana has been subjected to a large-scale DDoS attack, with peak traffic reported near 6 Tbps. Despite the severity of the incident, Solana’s blockchain has maintained its operation, contrasting with the congestion issues faced in previous cycles. However, this technical event has not prevented SOL’s price from remaining under pressure, reaching critical levels in the broader market.

According to the latest data, SOL is trading around $88.35, down 1.73% in the last 24 hours, with a market capitalization of $50.35 billion. This decline reflects not only the impact of the DDoS attack but also a deeper correction driven by macroeconomic changes, reduced liquidity, and movements in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) affecting risk assets.

The DDoS attack did not break Solana’s infrastructure

Despite receiving millions of data packets per second during the DDoS attack, Solana validators managed to keep the network operationally stable. Specialized sources like FXStreet confirmed that traffic reached approximately 6 Tbps, but no significant service disruptions were reported, a positive indicator of the blockchain’s technical resilience.

This performance sharply contrasts with previous episodes where Solana experienced severe congestion. The network has demonstrated an improved capacity to absorb extreme traffic volumes without collapsing, suggesting that the optimization and scalability efforts implemented have yielded measurable results. However, the network’s technical strength has not translated into price stability.

Derivatives and liquidity: why SOL’s price falls regardless of technical resilience

The real risk to SOL’s price does not stem from the DDoS attack itself but from derivatives market dynamics. According to CoinGlass data, open interest in Solana futures has fallen about 3.6% in 24 hours, dropping to nearly $7.04 billion. More concerning, the funding rate turned negative (around -0.0078%), meaning short sellers must pay to maintain their positions.

This market structure reflects a shift in sentiment: traders are betting on further price declines. Technical indicators confirm this bearish trend. Solana’s daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers around 37, approaching oversold territory, while the MACD is near a bearish crossover, with red bars dominating below the zero line—classic signs of downward momentum.

Persistent risks: the real threat is not the DDoS attack but changing sentiment

A common mistake among investors is assuming that “the network is functioning properly” means “the price has bottomed out.” The reality is substantially different. Even if Solana validators operate smoothly, derivatives data, macroeconomic liquidity changes, and fund flows can trigger deeper price drops. In the price chart, SOL has broken through previous support levels, approaching zones that could trigger cascading liquidations of leveraged long positions.

In the short term, if the price continues to fall and leveraged longs are forced to close, this would accelerate selling and validate the bearish bets already in place. The DDoS attack is merely a catalyst that exacerbates a broader market correction, not the root cause. Traders should pay close attention to how market sentiment evolves, whether funding rates normalize, and if Solana can turn this stress test into a positive development milestone rather than the start of a more pronounced collapse.