Hey there, meme coin enthusiasts and blockchain buffs! If you've been keeping an eye on the Solana ecosystem, you’ve probably noticed some exciting shifts happening. A recent tweet by Yash (@yashhsm) on July 8, 2025, dives deep into how Solana protocols are transforming into full-fledged platforms—think of it like Amazon evolving from a bookstore to a marketplace giant. Let’s break it down and see what this means for the future of DeFi and meme tokens!
Why Solana Protocols Are Leveling Up
The tweet highlights a standout example: Raydium, a popular decentralized exchange (DEX) on Solana, raked in about $1.1 million in fees in a single day, thanks to BonkFun, a launchpad built on top of it. That’s a whopping 95% of Raydium’s total fees from just one frontend wrapper! This shows how powerful it can be when protocols invest in products built on their infrastructure. Raydium even sweetened the deal with revenue sharing and rewards in RAY tokens, encouraging users to jump on the BonkFun bandwagon.
This isn’t just a one-off success. Yash points out that Solana teams should take note and double down on growing their ecosystems. By supporting launchpads and other projects, these protocols can create a thriving network effect—more users, more activity, and more value for everyone involved.
Key Players to Watch
Yash calls out several Solana protocols that could become platforms with the right strategy:
- JupiterExchange: Once just an aggregator, Jupiter is now charging 20% fees on top of its ultra APIs and even monthly charges. Projects like Adrastea are already leveraging it for juicy yields.
- DriftProtocol: The top Solana perpetual DEX, Drift could take inspiration from Hyperliquid to build a robust ecosystem.
- KaminoFinance: With the stablecoin boom, Kamino could promote USDC yield frontends to capitalize on the trend.
- Pump.fun: The go-to for meme coin launches, but Yash warns that past success might not guarantee future growth without evolution.
Other names like Orca and Metaplex also get a mention, showing the broad potential across Solana’s DeFi landscape.
How Protocols Can Support Growth
It’s not just about throwing money at projects with grants. Yash suggests protocols take bigger risks, like:
- Investing in equity or non-equity stakes, acting like venture capitalists.
- Offering significant revenue sharing to align incentives.
- Providing integrations, marketing help, and feedback loops.
- Even sacrificing their own frontends to let ecosystem teams shine.
This bold approach could turn Solana protocols into platforms that rival the likes of Uniswap v4, which marked a turning point for DeFi with its hooks feature.
The Bigger Picture
The image attached to Yash’s tweet, an excerpt from his March 2024 essay, predicts this trend under “Theme 9: Protocols Tending to Become Platforms.” It’s a call to action for builders to get in early, strategically position themselves, and ride the wave of Solana’s growing ecosystem. With over 30+ projects already developing on top of protocols like OpenBook, the potential is massive—though still in its infancy.
For meme coin lovers, this is huge! Launchpads like BonkFun could become the go-to spots for launching the next big token. And with Solana’s lightning-fast transactions, the ecosystem is ripe for innovation.
What’s Next?
Yash is open to chatting 1:1 with Solana teams, which could spark even more collaboration. If you’re a blockchain practitioner or just curious, keep an eye on meme-insider.com for the latest updates on meme tokens and DeFi trends. The Solana ecosystem is heating up, and this could be your chance to jump in!
What do you think—will your favorite Solana protocol become the next big platform? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s discuss!