Bitcoin vs Solana: 12 months, side by side.
Both fell in the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, but not by the same amount: Bitcoin -26.6%, Solana -41.8%, a gap of 15.1 percentage points. Solana swung 1.5x as hard, and their daily moves lined up closely (correlation 0.87).
Free on iPhone and Android. Both coins are on the free plan. Also on Google Play.Also on the App Store.
How much each one swung
Solana was clearly the wilder of the two: 65.7% annualized volatility against 44.3% for Bitcoin. Solana had more than twice as many days with a move above 5%: 43 against 17. On a typical day Solana moved 1.82%, 1.4x the 1.26% of Bitcoin. Their worst day was the same, Feb 5, 2026: Bitcoin fell 13.9% and Solana 15.0%. So was their best day, Feb 6, 2026, when Bitcoin rose 12.2% and Solana 11.8%. Their widest one-day split came on a down day, Nov 3, 2025: Solana fell 11.7%, Bitcoin 3.7%.
| Measure | Bitcoin | Solana |
|---|---|---|
| Close on Oct 10, 2025 | $113,000 | $188.84 |
| Close on Oct 10, 2026 | $82,913 | $109.99 |
| 1-year change | -26.6% | -41.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 44.3% | 65.7% |
| Median daily move | 1.26% | 1.82% |
| Days with a move over 5% | 17 | 43 |
| Best day | +12.2%, Feb 6, 2026 | +11.8%, Feb 6, 2026 |
| Worst day | -13.9%, Feb 5, 2026 | -15.0%, Feb 5, 2026 |
| Maximum drawdown | -49.2% | -70.2% |
| Lowest close | $58,532, Jun 30, 2026 | $62.16, Jun 6, 2026 |
| Days that closed higher | 175 of 365 | 173 of 365 |
| $500, one buy | $366.87 | $291.23 |
| $500, 52 weekly buys | $540.43 | $565.48 |
How closely Bitcoin and Solana moved together
Their daily moves were closely linked, with a correlation of 0.87. They closed in the same direction on 315 of the 365 days and in opposite directions on 50. On average Solana moved 1.28% for every 1% move in Bitcoin, so it amplified Bitcoin's swings.
Bitcoin had the better day more often than Solana: on 202 of the 365 days. $500 in each, bought on Oct 10, 2025 and held, ended at $366.87 in Bitcoin and $291.23 in Solana. The lead changed hands during the year: the Bitcoin holding was ahead by up to 64% on Jun 6, 2026, and behind by up to 8% on Oct 13, 2025. Bitcoin also did better in seven of the 11 full months. They differed most in August 2026, a month that went the same way for both: Bitcoin +25.1%, Solana +41.6%.
The deepest falls
Solana's maximum drawdown went 21.0 percentage points deeper: 70.2%, from $208.75 on Oct 13, 2025 to $62.16 on Jun 6, 2026. Bitcoin's worst run was 49.2%. Solana bottomed first, on Jun 6, 2026. Bitcoin kept falling for another 24 days, to Jun 30, 2026. By Oct 10, 2026, Bitcoin was 28.0% below its 12-month high and Solana 47.3% below its own.
Next to the other 17 comparisons
- Ranked by correlation, from most to least linked, this pair came third of 18.
- Ranked by how far apart the two 1-year results were, it came eighth of 18.
- By the difference in volatility between the two coins, it ranked fourth of the 18 pairs.
$500 in each: one buy or 52 weekly buys
Spreading the $500 over 52 weekly buys beat a single buy on Oct 10, 2025 for both coins: almost every weekly buy, 51 for Bitcoin and 50 for Solana, came below the starting price. Both weekly tests ended above the $500 put in, Bitcoin at $540.43 and Solana at $565.48. Solana's weekly test finished $25.05 ahead of Bitcoin's.
Bitcoin, one buy
$366.87
-26.6%
0.00442 BTC at $113,000.
Bitcoin, 52 weekly buys
$540.43
+8.1%
Average cost $76,710 per BTC.
Solana, one buy
$291.23
-41.8%
2.65 SOL at $188.84.
Solana, 52 weekly buys
$565.48
+13.1%
Average cost $97.25 per SOL.
Method: Kraken daily closes (UTC) from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026, one buy of $500 at the first close or $500 / 52 at every seventh close, both valued at the last close with no fees. Other amounts: DCA calculator.
What sets Bitcoin and Solana apart
Bitcoin is the oldest cryptocurrency, launched in 2009, and is mostly held as a store of value. Solana, live since 2020, is a proof-of-stake blockchain built for speed and low fees, used for DeFi apps, payments and a large share of new token launches. Bitcoin's supply stops at 21 million coins, while Solana has no fixed maximum and issues new SOL to stakers.
Solana's activity depends on what is being built and traded on its chain, so traders watch network usage such as transaction counts and new token launches next to the price. Bitcoin is more often discussed in terms of large holders, ETF flows and the four-year halving cycle.
Each coin's full year: Bitcoin trading simulator and Solana trading simulator.
How to compare Bitcoin and Solana in Staxo
- Step 1
Find both in the Market tab
Bitcoin and Solana are both among the 10 coins on Staxo's free plan, so you can trade them with the $500 in demo money you start with, using market orders and up to 10 trades a day.
- Step 2
Buy the same amount of each
Put $100 into each at the same moment: over the last year, the Solana position moved about 1.5x as much as the Bitcoin one.
- Step 3
Check them side by side
Open your Portfolio once a day and compare the two positions: over the last 12 months they moved the same way on 315 of 365 days.
- Step 4
Read the RSI on both charts
The coin screen shows the RSI(14) on the free plan. Over the last year Solana spent more days below 30 (24 against 22) and Bitcoin more days above 70 (15 against 13), so watch how differently the two stretch. Staxo Pro adds MACD, Bollinger Bands and candlestick charts, plus short selling and leverage at 1x, 2x and 5x.
Bitcoin vs Solana questions
Which was more volatile, Bitcoin or Solana?
Solana, at 65.7% annualized volatility against 44.3% from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026. Its worst day was -15.0%, Bitcoin's -13.9%.
Do Bitcoin and Solana move together?
Very much so. Their daily returns had a correlation of 0.87 over the 365 days to Oct 10, 2026, where 1 means they always move together. Holding both did little to spread risk.
Which did better over the last 12 months, Bitcoin or Solana?
Bitcoin lost less: -26.6% against -41.8% for Solana from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026. $500 in 52 weekly buys ended at $540.43 in Bitcoin and $565.48 in Solana. That describes the past year only and says nothing about which will do better next.
More comparisons
Trade Bitcoin and Solana with $500 in demo money.
Free download, no card. Also on Google Play.Also on the App Store.
Educational content, not investment advice. The figures describe prices from Oct 10, 2025 to Oct 10, 2026 and say nothing about which coin does better next. Staxo is a simulator: you practice with demo money, never real money.