Solana Price Prediction: $9M Whale Longs Signal Bullish Move Ahead of September 9 Upgrade

Solana price prediction is gaining fresh attention as whales open more than $9 million in long positions ahead of the September 9 network upgrade, while SOL tests a critical technical zone around $100.

Solana (SOL) is back in focus as traders prepare for a major network upgrade scheduled for September 9. At the same time, whale activity has increased, with five whale addresses reportedly opening approximately $9.11 million in SOL long positions between September 7 and September 8.

The combination of rising whale exposure and an important Solana network upgrade has strengthened the SOL price prediction narrative. However, technical indicators remain mixed, meaning SOL could face volatility in either direction.

At the time of writing, Solana is trading near the $100-$102 area after declining around 2.37% on September 8.

Solana Price Prediction: Why Whales Are Betting on SOL

Whale activity is one of the major factors attracting attention to the Solana price forecast.

Data cited from CoinGlass shows that five whale addresses on Hyperliquid have established around $9.11 million worth of long positions in SOL. These positions indicate that the traders expect Solana price to recover or move higher following the recent weakness.

However, whale long positions should not automatically be interpreted as confirmation of a bullish breakout.

The broader futures market currently shows a more cautious picture. Solana's funding rate has turned negative, while the long/short ratio remains below 1, suggesting that short positioning is still significant.

This creates an interesting setup for the SOL price prediction September 2026 outlook: large traders are betting on upside, but the wider derivatives market remains relatively bearish.

September 9 Solana Network Upgrade Could Become a Catalyst

The upcoming Solana September 9 upgrade is another major factor behind the latest SOL price discussion.

The upgrade is expected to increase Solana's transaction size from 1,232 bytes to 4,096 bytes, more than tripling the existing limit.

The change could allow multiple transactions to be bundled more efficiently and potentially remove an existing structural limitation within the network.

For investors following the Solana network upgrade, the key question is whether the technical improvement can translate into stronger network activity and renewed demand for SOL.

CoinGroww has also covered institutional demand for Solana through its Solana ETF September 2026 analysis, another important fundamental factor in the current SOL market outlook.

SOL Price Technical Analysis

From a technical perspective, Solana is currently trading inside a symmetrical triangle pattern on the four-hour chart.

A symmetrical triangle generally indicates a period of consolidation where buyers and sellers are competing for control. A breakout from the pattern could determine the next major direction for SOL.

The current technical structure provides two important price scenarios.

Bullish SOL Price Target: $124

If Solana breaks above the $107 resistance level with strong volume, the symmetrical triangle could produce a bullish breakout.

Based on the measured height of the pattern, SOL could potentially move toward the $124 price target.

A move above $107 would therefore become an important confirmation signal for the Solana price prediction.

If buying pressure increases after the September 9 upgrade and whale long positions continue to build, SOL could gain enough momentum to test the $110-$115 area before potentially targeting $124.

However, traders should watch volume closely because a breakout without strong buying activity could turn into a false breakout.

Bearish SOL Price Target: $84

The bearish scenario remains equally important.

If SOL loses the lower trendline of the symmetrical triangle and sellers gain control, the measured move could point toward approximately $84.

The psychological $100 support level is therefore critical for the short-term Solana price forecast.

A sustained move below $100 could increase selling pressure and weaken the bullish setup created by the whale long positions.

The current RSI reading around 45 also indicates that bullish momentum remains limited, while weakening momentum could leave SOL vulnerable to another downside move.

Solana Price Prediction: Key Levels to Watch

For traders watching the SOL price prediction September 2026, several technical levels could become important.

SOL Price LevelImportance$124Major bullish price target$115Intermediate resistance$107Key breakout resistance$102Current trading area$100Psychological support$84Major bearish target

A confirmed breakout above $107 could strengthen the bullish Solana price prediction, while a breakdown below $100 could increase the probability of a move toward $84.

Solana Whales vs Futures Traders

One of the most interesting parts of the current market structure is the disagreement between whale traders and the broader futures market.

While five whale addresses have accumulated around $9.11 million in SOL long positions, Solana's funding rate has turned negative.

The long/short ratio of around 0.92 also suggests that short accounts outnumber long accounts.

This divergence could create additional volatility around the September 9 upgrade.

If SOL moves higher despite negative funding, short traders could potentially face increasing pressure as the market moves against their positions.

On the other hand, if SOL fails to hold $100, whale longs could come under pressure and the bearish scenario toward $84 could become more relevant.

Solana ETF Inflows Add Another Bullish Factor

Another factor supporting the long-term Solana price prediction is institutional demand.

Recent reporting indicates that Solana ETFs have recorded ten consecutive weeks of inflows, suggesting that institutional interest has remained relatively strong even while futures activity weakened.

CoinGroww's Solana ETF September 2026 coverage also highlights growing institutional interest in SOL and the potential importance of ETF flows for the September market outlook.

If ETF inflows continue alongside stronger network activity, the combination could provide a stronger fundamental foundation for a potential SOL recovery.

What Could Push Solana Price Higher?

Several catalysts could support the next Solana rally:

• September 9 Solana network upgrade

• $9M+ whale long positions

• Continued Solana ETF inflows

• Growing institutional demand

• Breakout above the $107 resistance

• Improving crypto market sentiment

• Higher Solana network activity

• Growing DeFi and stablecoin activity

Solana remains one of the most closely watched Layer-1 blockchain networks, particularly because of its high transaction throughput and growing ecosystem.

CoinGroww's broader crypto market analysis provides additional context on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and the wider altcoin market.

What Could Trigger a SOL Price Drop?

Despite the bullish whale positioning, several risks could push Solana lower.

A failure to hold the $100 psychological support could weaken market sentiment. A break below the triangle's lower trendline could then open the path toward the $84 downside target.

Broader Bitcoin weakness could also pressure SOL because Solana remains highly correlated with the overall crypto market.

Additionally, negative funding rates and declining derivatives activity suggest that traders are not yet fully convinced about a sustained SOL rally. Recent derivatives data showed trading volume falling 16% to approximately $6.53 billion, while open interest declined around 1.21% to $6.47 billion.

Solana Price Prediction for September 2026

The Solana September 2026 price prediction remains cautiously bullish but highly dependent on the upcoming technical breakout.

The bullish case would strengthen if SOL holds above $100, breaks through $107 and gains momentum following the September 9 network upgrade.

In that scenario, $115 and $124 become the key upside levels to watch.

However, if SOL fails to maintain $100 and breaks below the symmetrical triangle structure, the market could shift toward the bearish scenario, with $84 becoming a potential downside target.

Therefore, the next major SOL move could depend less on whale positioning alone and more on how price reacts to the September 9 upgrade and the $100-$107 technical range.

Final Thoughts

The latest Solana price prediction has become increasingly interesting as whales have opened approximately $9.11 million in long positions ahead of the September 9 network upgrade.

The upgrade could improve Solana's transaction capacity, while continued ETF inflows provide an additional institutional-demand narrative.

From a technical perspective, $107 is the key bullish breakout level, while $100 remains an important support zone. A confirmed breakout could put $115 and $124 in focus, whereas a breakdown below the triangle could expose SOL to a potential move toward $84.

For traders and investors, the September 9 upgrade, whale activity, ETF flows, funding rates and Bitcoin's broader direction will be the key factors to monitor.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.