As projections anticipate blockchain technology to uplift the global GDP by $1.76 trillion over the next decade (source), Solana positions itself as a catalyst for this monumental growth.

While most blockchain ecosystems focus on decentralized finance (DeFi), the Solana network stands out by nurturing a community of developers focused on enhancing the technology we use in our daily lives.

As a result, the ecosystem boasts a wide range of decentralized apps (dApps) that improve cloud storage, gaming, and more.

This article will examine the areas in which Solana developers are taking technology to the next level.

Solana’s Architecture

1. Low Gas Fees and High Speed: Solana enables low-cost, sub-1-cent, transactions while having the ability to process up to 700k transactions per second (TPS). Solana also has block times of 400 milliseconds for instant settlement. Furthermore, Innovations like Local Fee Markets ensure that no one use case will inhibit the performance of the entire chain and/or spike gas costs.
2. Validator Health & Validator Client decentralization – The Solana network employs two separate validator clients (with another client in testnet), and boasts a Nakamoto Coefficient of 23, with 2,100+ validators. Moreover, no data center facilitates more than 33% of the stake. This ensures the network will remain up in times of natural disaster and the face of potential bad actors.

With a fast and reliable platform, provided by Solana, developers gain the ability to produce cutting-edge user experiences. Now, let’s explore some sectors in which the ecosystem is making strides.

Cloud Storage

The necessity for affordable cloud storage is becoming increasingly important. Particularly, companies are seeking budget-friendly solutions for data storage, and Solana has the solution.

For example, there was a 21% surge in company investments in cloud storage (source), between 2022 and 2023. This trend can be attributed to rising costs in storage as well as more cloud storage usage overall. As more businesses migrate to the cloud this trend is expected to continue. Blockchain technology holds promise in enhancing cloud storage systems by driving down costs and enhancing security through decentralization.

Cloud Storage dApps on Solana

Genesys Go & The ShdwDrive

ShdwDrive, created by the Genesys Go team, is a secure and decentralized cloud storage solution. ShdwDrive offers an S3-compatible storage system with innovative storage and organization methods.

Businesses can opt for ShdwDrive over traditional cloud storage providers like Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure to lower expenses without compromising security. For instance, ShdwDrive provides approximately 10 GB of cloud storage for a flat rate of $0.27. In contrast, Amazon AWS charges $0.25 per GB stored per month.

Furthermore, several Solana teams are using ShdwDrive to create dApps that cater to more specific use cases, including:

• Shadow Storage
• SYNX
• Blok.host

Shadow Storage

Shadow Storage stands out as one of the most commonly used front-ends for interacting with ShdwDrive. This interface supports multiple features including:

• Advanced file management
• Seamless file transfer and sharing
• Immutable and mutable storage
• Private note creation
• & more

SYNX

Synx is a private cloud storage solution accessible on Android, iOS, and desktop. This app allows users to efficiently manage real-world mobile and desktop data. Upon signing up for SYNX, users receive a Solana wallet and 2GB of storage for testing the dApp. SYNX also offers additional features, including:

• Synx Map: A map displaying the locations of non-encrypted images, showing where they were originally uploaded.
• Synx Market: A marketplace where users can upload and label their data, contributing to the enhancement of machine learning algorithms and retailer information.
• Vault Creation: Users can create a vault of any size on the desktop, enabling real-time data syncing, akin to the desktop integrations of Onedrive and Dropbox.

Blok.host Web Hosting

Blok.host provides straightforward and secure Web3 hosting. This platform empowers users to swiftly launch their websites, leveraging a decentralized Content Delivery Network (CDN) to host and serve images, text, and other assets for their websites.

Cell Phone Data

In the modern age, access to a cell phone has become a basic need. However, the affordability of cell phone data is diminishing each year. In fact, 1GB of mobile broadband data became less affordable in 2021 compared to the previous year as indicated by a study conducted by the Alliance for Affordable Internet (source).

With unlimited phone plans currently ranging from $30 to $80 a month, Solana can help cell phone data become cheaper and increase the accessibility of cell phones.

Cell Phone dApps on Solana

Helium Mobile

Helium Mobile, a decentralized phone data provider, offers a cost-efficient solution in response to rising cell phone data costs. Leveraging blockchain technology, Helium provides affordable unlimited data plans, starting at just $5 per month.

The platform introduces an innovative approach to establishing a nationwide 5G network by using decentralized physical infrastructure (DePin). Specifically, Helium allows users to purchase and operate hotspots (on sale for $299), enabling them to provide cell phone data to surrounding areas. By operating a hotspot, users are eligible to earn MOBILE incentives. Furthermore, the more individuals that connect to the internet through your hotspot, the more MOBILE rewards you earn.

Helium has also established a unique partnership with T-Mobile, allowing for the use of the T-Mobile network when Helium users enter dead zones.

Gaming

While there are a lot of excellent games in the market, the integration of blockchain technology introduces additional capabilities such as:

• Play-to-earn games
• Tokenization
• Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
• In-game marketplaces

With the number of gamers worldwide expected to increase by 14.81 percent over the next three years (source), Solana provides an opportunity to revolutionize the gaming experience for billions of users.

The network’s ability to handle 700,000 transactions per second (TPS), paired with its decentralization makes it an ideal platform to facilitate the convergence of finance, gaming, and entertainment.

Gaming dApps on Solana

Star Atlas

Star Atlas is a AAA, next-gen gaming Metaverse, prioritizing complete asset ownership and play-to-earn functionality. Within this immersive virtual universe, players can engage in thrilling spaceship races or interact with other users in a dynamic 3D environment.

Using non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the platform empowers players with total control and ownership of their in-game assets. Additionally, players gain access to DeFi features such as lending markets, yield farming, and marketplaces for selling player-created content.

Genopets

Genopets represents a groundbreaking move-to-earn NFT mobile game that translates real-world steps into in-game rewards. This creates a distinctive fusion of fitness, gaming, and cryptocurrency that encourages players to prioritize daily physical activity.

To participate, players engage in creating and evolving their “Genopets”, which are unique NFTs. By completing “quests” and “battles” players can use physical activity to earn rewards and advance in the game. Altogether, Genopets redefines mobile gaming by combining move-to-play and play-to-earn models which bring tangible value to daily actions.

Payments

In 2022, remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are estimated to have grown by 8 percent, reaching $647 billion (source). However, the global average cost of sending $200 to low- and middle-income countries was 6.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, more than twice as high as the Sustainable Development Goal target of 3 percent (source).

It’s clear that the industry needs an overhaul and the Solana blockchain stands as a viable solution as it already facilitates near-instant, cross-border payments. Furthermore, Soalana’s impressive block times of 400 milliseconds empower other teams to develop dApps that provide unique experiences for users.

Payments dApps on Solana

Solanapay

Solana Pay is a digital payment platform that empowers businesses and developers to accept payments in SOL or any SPL token without relying on intermediaries. As an open protocol, Solana Pay provides developers with standardized payment specifications to build and customize.

Additionally, the platform provides seamless integration options, including payment links, pay-now buttons, or QR codes, ensuring a user-friendly and efficient payment experience.

Tiplink

Tip Link is a dAPP that revolutionizes the process of sending cryptocurrency. Instead of requiring a cryptocurrency wallet, TipLink allows you to send crypto and NFTs using one-time links.

The link itself acts as the wallet, eliminating the necessity for recipients to have prior knowledge of cryptocurrency or manage self-custody. After receiving a link, users have the option to withdraw assets to an existing wallet, transfer to financial institutions, or establish a non-custodial wallet by logging in with Google.

This innovative distribution method extends the accessibility of digital assets beyond the conventional crypto ecosystem, allowing any individual with an internet connection to receive cryptocurrency or NFTs seamlessly.

Meso Network

Meso Network simplifies the process for apps to facilitate the onboarding and offboarding of crypto assets for users.

Through Meso Network’s Software Development Kit (SDK), platforms can enable users to offboard assets to their bank accounts or top up their wallets with crypto. This effectively enhances the overall user experience and accessibility to DeFi activities.

Elusiv Protocol

Elusiv is a zero-knowledge privacy protocol that revolutionizes the privacy aspect of transactions on the Solana blockchain. Through Elusiv, users can confidentially send and receive SOL or SPL tokens, ensuring a heightened level of privacy. The protocol incorporates crucial compliance tools, including proof-of-ownership, allowing users to maintain precise control over transaction information sharing.

Code

Code is a mobile wallet app designed for user-friendly payments. The app offers all the advantages of self-custodial cryptocurrency—openness, globality, and security—without the complexities associated with managing private keys, or gas fees.

Under the hood, Code utilizes the Code Sequencer to ensure instant payments if Solana ever experiences outages. Once a user commits to a payment, it becomes final, making the Code Sequencer instrumental for real-time transactions.

Conclusion

Altogether, Solana is emerging as the blockchain to produce apps for everyday use, which will lead to an increase in the global GDP.

With its low gas fees, rapid transaction speeds, and pioneering features such as Local Fee Markets, Solana can support a wide range of projects. But the factor that will maintain Solana’s leg up is its community of developers willing to produce dApps for distinct use cases.