The Solana network has experienced heavy traffic due to unexpected meme coin launches tied to President-elect Donald Trump and incoming First Lady Melania Trump. While the surge boosted Solana’s native token, SOL, it also exposed weaknesses in the network’s infrastructure. These issues sparked widespread online reactions, including comments from Charles Hoskinson, founder of competing blockchain Cardano.
Hoskinson Suggests Cardano as a Superior Alternative
Hoskinson claimed that Cardano could handle high transaction volumes better than Solana without increasing costs for app developers. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on January 20, he pointed to two key Cardano solutions—Leios and Hydra—that could prevent disruptions caused by traffic surges.
“This is why Leios and Hydra were developed. Surges like these can be handled naturally and without disruption or added cost,” Hoskinson wrote.
Leios and Hydra: Cardano’s Proposed Solutions
Leios, an upgrade to Cardano’s consensus mechanism, aims to boost network throughput by separating transaction processing from consensus activities. Hoskinson previously predicted in September 2024 that Leios could make Cardano faster than Solana.
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Meanwhile, Hydra offers a scalable solution for DApps and Layer 2 chains, enabling parallel transaction processing. Cardano recently showcased Hydra’s potential during a gaming competition that broke throughput records, highlighting its capability under pressure.
Solana Developers Respond to Infrastructure Issues
In response to complaints about transaction delays, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced plans to upgrade Solana’s infrastructure. Similarly, Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron shared his frustration over failed transactions while trying to purchase the Melania Trump meme coin through Moonpay and Jupiter, a Solana decentralized exchange.
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Despite Hoskinson’s confidence, both Leios and Hydra remain in development. The Leios prototype is still being refined, with no mainnet launch timeline. Hydra’s integration with DApps and Layer 2 chains also requires further work, even though its capabilities have already been demonstrated.
While Cardano positions itself as a robust alternative to Solana, the successful deployment of Leios and Hydra will ultimately determine its ability to meet the growing demands of blockchain users.
