In 2025, the Federal Reserve implemented a 0.25% reduction in interest rates and brought an end to its quantitative tightening program. These actions injected approximately $72.35 billion into the global financial system, resulting in a brief 3.01% uptick in Solana’s price.
However, this momentum quickly faded. Ongoing economic challenges—including an extended U.S. government shutdown and a significant $19 billion liquidation event in October—highlighted the crypto market’s vulnerability. By November 2025, Solana’s value had dropped by 6.1% to $132, and its Total Value Locked (TVL) declined by 4.7% in a single day. These developments illustrated the unpredictable relationship between macroeconomic policy and digital asset markets.
Historically, decisions by the Federal Reserve have shaped Solana’s price movements through changes in interest rates and liquidity conditions. When the Fed adopts a more accommodative stance, as seen with the 2025 rate cut, it typically makes non-yielding assets like cryptocurrencies more attractive, driving short-term demand. Still, this benefit is often offset by underlying risks. For example, Solana’s inflation model—which is expected to limit the token supply to 445 million SOL by 2025—has contributed to a positive link between supply constraints and price performance. Yet, persistent regulatory challenges and fragmented markets continue to threaten long-term stability.
The upcoming December 2025 FOMC meeting is especially significant, with markets anticipating an 87% probability of another 25 basis point cut. Should the Fed opt for a dovish approach, risk appetite could return, potentially setting Solana on a more positive path. On the other hand, a more cautious stance could prompt further declines, as demonstrated by the 20% correction following the policy shift in October 2025. This ongoing sensitivity to Federal Reserve signals underscores how much crypto markets depend on central bank guidance, even as their fundamental value propositions remain in flux.
While increased liquidity from the Fed can offer short-term support, it also heightens systemic risks. The $19 billion liquidation in October 2025 exposed how leveraged positions in crypto can intensify volatility, especially when traditional markets react to policy changes. Meanwhile, ending quantitative tightening has not fully counteracted broader economic pressures, such as rising inflation and geopolitical uncertainty, which continue to suppress investor enthusiasm for riskier assets.
Regulatory uncertainty adds another layer of complexity. As authorities debate how to oversee and tax digital assets, Solana’s ecosystem faces foundational issues that cannot be solved by liquidity alone. The sharp TVL decline in November 2025 reflects not only caution about the macroeconomic environment but also waning confidence in Solana’s governance and security structures.
The Federal Reserve’s 2025 policy changes highlight the double-edged nature of monetary easing for cryptocurrencies. While such measures can temporarily lift prices, they also reveal deeper weaknesses in liquidity and governance. Investors must carefully consider these factors alongside evolving economic and regulatory conditions. For Solana, future success will depend on its ability to adapt to both global economic shifts and internal reforms—a balancing act that will determine its durability in a rapidly changing financial landscape.