Can Solana’s strong network demand offset July’s token unlock pressure?

On paper, Solana’s [SOL] July token unlock calendar couldn’t look more bearish. 

At the macro level, the market is already in a bear phase, with large-cap assets breaking below key support levels and kicking off Q3 with clear capitulation signals. Against that backdrop, Solana’s latest token unlock schedule couldn’t have arrived at a worse time, coming right after SOL closed June down more than 10%.

Fourteen Solana-based tokens will unlock in July, as the chart below shows. PUMP tops the list, with $123.65 million worth of tokens scheduled to enter circulation on the 12th of July, increasing its circulating supply by a massive 21.35%. Several other Solana ecosystem tokens will also unlock throughout the month, increasing near-term supply pressure.

Naturally, the question is: What does this mean for SOL?

Under normal circumstances, a wave of token unlocks is typically a bearish overhang. As more tokens enter circulation, the market generally expects higher sell-side pressure, which can weigh on both token prices and ecosystem sentiment. From a technical perspective, though, Solana is telling a different story.

Despite ending June down more than 10%, the SOL/ETH pair climbed over 13% during the month, showing that Solana continued to outperform most large-cap assets on a relative basis. If anything, that relative strength suggests the market is already absorbing the expected supply overhang, potentially allowing SOL to diverge from the broader market once again.

Can Solana’s July token unlock fuel a SOL divergence? 

Despite the broader market weakness, activity across the Solana ecosystem continues to hold up. 

One of the clearest examples is Pump.fun. The memecoin launchpad recently overtook both Hyperliquid and Polymarket in 24-hour revenue, underscoring the level of user activity still flowing through the Solana ecosystem. This matters because healthy on-chain activity can help absorb incoming token supply. 

The chart below reinforces that view. Solana continues to process around 1,200 transactions per second (TPS), averages roughly 100 million daily transactions, attracts 4.3 million unique Daily Active Users, and has generated more than $100 million in transaction fees year to date. 

Against this backdrop, upcoming token unlocks shift the narrative.

Instead of being viewed in isolation as a supply shock, they sit alongside a network that is clearly still attracting and retaining users at scale. In turn, that demand helps reinforce relative strength in SOL.

As a result, the odds of Solana continuing to outperform other altcoins into July look increasingly likely. With liquidity expanding through additional USDC issuance on Solana and on-chain activity remaining elevated, the market appears better positioned to absorb incoming supply.

Final Summary

• Token unlocks add near-term supply pressure, but SOL’s relative strength suggests much of it may already be priced in.
• Strong on-chain activity and liquidity growth could help Solana absorb the new supply and keep outperforming.