The rapidly evolving digital asset landscape is shifting from speculation to practical utility, driven largely by the rise of payment tokenization and enterprise blockchain applications. At the recent Solana Breakpoint conference in Abu Dhabi, Stephen Hess, founder of Metaplex and former head of products at Solana, offered insights into why developers and institutions are increasingly choosing Solana for high-volume, performance-critical use cases.
Solana has distinguished itself by delivering unmatched transaction speed and predictable costs, two attributes that are essential for large-scale development. With more than $15 billion worth of stablecoins now active on its network, Solana is becoming a central force in shaping how global capital forms. Its decentralized infrastructure is designed to allow anyone with an internet connection to participate in a new financial ecosystem. This open-access model is transforming how early-stage ventures raise capital, interact with investors, and grow their platforms in a borderless digital environment.
Hess also discussed the expanding role of tokenization and stablecoins in building internet capital markets. These markets enable fully composable digital assets that interact seamlessly with foundational financial primitives. For entrepreneurs, this creates opportunities to build technology ventures that can participate directly in market dynamics as their assets trade. Stablecoins in particular are accelerating this shift by providing global access to the stability and reach of the US dollar. As a result, international markets are expanding in parallel with developments in the United States.
Regulation remains a defining factor in the digital asset sector. The passage of the GENIUS Act marks a major step forward for regulatory clarity. According to Hess, a supportive SEC that understands entrepreneurial intent can encourage the next generation of builders to innovate within the United States. Although additional clarity from Congress remains stalled, the SEC’s focus on transparency is seen as a positive force. Clearer rules will be essential as developers prepare for significant advancements expected by 2026.
A key theme of the discussion centered on the concept of infrastructure-grade Web3. For enterprises to adopt tokenization at scale, accessible and compliant tooling is critical. Metaplex has emerged as Solana’s largest tokenization platform, with more than 20 million tokens and 900 million NFTs created. Its platform enables enterprises and creators to tokenize assets without writing smart contracts or having deep technical expertise. The infrastructure is audited, battle-tested, and designed to support billions of dollars in economic value, signaling a move toward decentralized markets as a viable alternative to centralized systems.
Looking ahead, Hess highlighted that broad institutional adoption will require widespread on-chain price discovery. Liquidity and trading volume are already migrating to decentralized environments, democratizing market access and reducing the need for permissioned gateways. This trend is expected to accelerate as more participants seek transparent and efficient market structures.
Several macro trends point to significant shifts by 2026. Commodity-based tokens may become foundational to global infrastructure systems, enabling tokenized markets for essential resources. Meanwhile, competition is rising among nations to determine which will be the first to bring equity markets fully on-chain without traditional permissioning or KYC restrictions. The country that successfully adopts this model could emerge as a global leader in digital finance.
In conclusion, Solana’s infrastructure, combined with Metaplex’s tokenization advancements, signals a transformative era for blockchain and digital asset markets. As regulatory clarity improves and decentralized systems gain broader traction, the potential for innovation across finance, sustainable investing, and global economic participation continues to grow. Institutions and entrepreneurs now stand at the edge of a major shift in how capital is created, assets are tokenized, and markets operate.