In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, predictions can make or break reputations. Back in December 2024, DeFi Monk from Synergy Capital made a bold call: Ethereum (ETH) would outperform Solana (SOL) in 2025. At the time, this statement ruffled feathers across X (formerly Twitter), drawing plenty of skepticism and backlash. Fast forward to September 2025, and Monk's insight is looking pretty spot on.

This revelation came during a lively discussion on ThreadGuy Live, a popular crypto stream hosted by @notthreadguy. The episode, titled "Ryan Watkins & MONK: State of the Market," featured Monk alongside Ryan Watkins, another Synergy Capital expert known for his sharp market analyses. The clip was shared by CounterParty TV, the home of entertainment finance, and quickly garnered attention with nearly 1,000 views.

The Prediction and Its Backlash

Monk recounted the moment: "In December 2024 I said that ETH is going to outperform Solana in 2025. I put that on twitter and got a ton of hate for it."

Why the hate? Solana had been the darling of the crypto scene, especially for its lightning-fast transactions and low fees, making it a hotspot for meme tokens and decentralized finance (DeFi) activities. Ethereum, on the other hand, has faced criticism for higher gas fees and slower speeds, even after upgrades like the Merge in 2022.

But Monk stood firm, explaining his rationale with clarity.

Why ETH? Battle-Tested and Lindy

"ETH has been around much longer than Solana or any of these tokens, it's a battle tested and lindy network, and it has good mindshare with Wallstreet investors," Monk said.

Let's break that down. "Battle-tested" means Ethereum has weathered numerous market cycles, hacks, and upgrades, proving its resilience. The "Lindy effect" is a concept suggesting that the longer something survives, the longer it's likely to keep going—think of it as street cred in the blockchain world.

And "mindshare with Wall Street"? That's about institutional adoption. Ethereum has seen massive inflows from big players, including spot ETFs that have brought billions into the ecosystem. Solana, while innovative, hasn't quite captured the same level of traditional finance interest yet.

Has the Prediction Held Up?

As of September 2025, the data backs Monk up. Ethereum started the year at around $3,337 and is now hovering near $4,615, marking a 38% gain year-to-date.[12] Solana, kicking off at $189, sits at $239—a solid 26% increase, but lagging behind ETH.[8] The SOL/ETH ratio has dipped from about 0.0567 in January to 0.0518 today, confirming ETH's relative strength.[9]

This outperformance isn't just about price; it's reflected in ecosystem metrics too. While Solana dominated DEX trading volumes earlier in the year (peaking at 52% market share in January), Ethereum reclaimed the top spot by March.[14] Both chains have faced market headwinds, but ETH's institutional appeal seems to be giving it an edge.

Implications for Meme Tokens

At Meme Insider, we're all about how these big-picture shifts affect the meme token landscape. Solana has been a meme coin powerhouse, birthing hits like Bonk and Dogwifhat thanks to its cheap and speedy transactions. But if ETH continues to surge, we might see a revival in Ethereum-based memes or cross-chain plays.

Lower ETH fees post-upgrades (like Dencun in 2024) have made it more competitive for fun, viral tokens. Plus, with Wall Street's eyes on ETH, institutional money could trickle down to quirky projects, boosting liquidity and hype. Keep an eye on Layer-2 solutions like Base or Optimism—they're making ETH memes more accessible.

Wrapping Up the Discussion

The full ThreadGuy Live episode dives deeper into market states, with insights from Watkins on broader trends. If you're into crypto podcasts, it's worth a watch for unfiltered takes from industry insiders.

Monk's prediction highlights a key lesson: in crypto, longevity and institutional buy-in can trump speed sometimes. As we head into the last quarter of 2025, will ETH keep its lead? Only time—and the market—will tell.

For the original clip, check out the tweet on X. Stay tuned to Meme Insider for more breakdowns on how crypto trends impact your favorite meme tokens.