FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Solana

The native cryptocurrency of the Solana blockchain, Solana (SOL) is used to pay for transactions and run smart contracts at high speed and low cost. Known for its throughput capabilities, SOL underpins a growing ecosystem of DeFi applications and payments.

EXAMPLE

Visa piloted USDC settlement on Solana, leveraging the network's high throughput and near-zero fees to process cross-border payments at scale.

Relevant Roles and Functions

On-chain Role
Smart Contract Risk & Architecture Lead
Function
Blockchain Network Integrations
Node Operations
Smart Contract Infrastructure
Validator Participation
TradFi Equivalent
Core Banking Architecture
Distributed Systems
Payments Infrastructure
Technology

Related Sessions

Policy and Regulation: State of Play for Digital Assets and On-Chain Finance

Mar 20, 2026
1:40 pm – 2:15 pm (35 min)
Zunera Mazhar
Zunera Mazhar
Head of U.S. & Global Policy and Government Relations
The Digital Chamber
Kristin Smith
Kristin Smith
President
Solana Policy Institute
Brooke Ybarra
Brooke Ybarra
SVP, Innovation & Strategy
American Bankers Association
Nikhilesh “Nik” De
Nikhilesh “Nik” De
Managing Editor, Global Policy & Regulation
CoinDesk

Related Terms

Stablecoin

A digital token designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged 1:1 to a fiat currency and backed by reserve assets or algorithmic mechanisms. Unlike tokenized deposits, stablecoins are generally issued outside the regulated banking system.

Example

Circle's USDC stablecoin settled over $400B in adjusted on-chain transactions in 2025, increasingly used by institutions for treasury and cross-border payments.

Tokenized Deposit

A bank-issued, blockchain-based representation of a commercial bank deposit that moves on distributed ledger infrastructure while remaining a liability of the issuing bank—distinct from a stablecoin, which is typically issued by a non-bank entity.

Example

Citi's tokenized deposit pilot allows corporate clients to move cash between subsidiaries in real time on a permissioned ledger, with the same credit standing as a traditional deposit.

Smart Contract

Self-executing code deployed on a blockchain that automatically enforces and carries out the terms of an agreement when predefined conditions are met—without requiring an intermediary to oversee performance.

Example

A smart contract can automatically release collateral when a loan is repaid, eliminating manual processing and reducing operational risk.

Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)

A digital form of a sovereign currency issued directly by a central bank, representing a claim on the central bank rather than a commercial bank. Wholesale CBDCs target interbank settlement; retail CBDCs target consumer use.

Example

The Bank for International Settlements' Project mBridge tested wholesale CBDCs to replace correspondent banking in cross-border settlements between central banks.

Agentic Finance

The use of autonomous AI agents—capable of interpreting intent, evaluating market conditions, and executing multi-step financial operations—within on-chain environments. Agentic systems go beyond rule-based automation by exercising judgment within defined guardrails.

Example

An agentic treasury system at a global bank monitors real-time on-chain liquidity, automatically rebalancing stablecoin positions across chains based on yield and risk parameters set by human operators.