Guide
The History of Solana: From Founding to Mainnet, Outages, and Recovery
Bottom line: from a 2017 vision to rapid growth, trials, and recovery
The history of Solana begins in 2017, when Anatoly Yakovenko published a white paper proposing Proof of History. Solana Labs was founded in 2018, and mainnet beta launched in March 2020. It grew rapidly on the strength of being fast and low-cost, but it also went through trials such as network outages and a crash driven by the FTX collapse, and has recovered since.
Key takeaways
2017 = Anatoly published the PoH white paper / 2018 = Solana Labs founded / March 16, 2020 = mainnet beta launch / 2021 = rapid expansion in price and ecosystem / 2022 = crash from the FTX collapse / afterward = outage countermeasures (such as Firedancer) and recovery. For the basics, see What is Solana.
Timeline (major events)
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| November 2017 | Anatoly Yakovenko published the Proof of History white paper |
| 2018 | Prototyping with Greg Fitzgerald and others; Solana Labs founded |
| March 16, 2020 | Mainnet beta launched |
| 2021 | DeFi, NFTs, and price expanded rapidly |
| November 2022 | SOL crashed amid the FTX collapse |
| 2022 onward | Network outages, prevention measures, and recovery |
Rapid growth and trials
Solana drew major attention in 2021, expanding in both price and ecosystem. But in 2022, network outages occurred multiple times, and the price plunged with the FTX collapse in November. Since then, the broad arc is one of recovery while improving stability through client diversification (such as Firedancer).
Read next
- Founder → Anatoly Yakovenko
- Crash and recovery → The FTX collapse and SOL
FAQ
Q. When was Solana created? A. Anatoly Yakovenko published a white paper in 2017, Solana Labs was founded in 2018, and mainnet beta launched on March 16, 2020.
Q. Who created it? A. Anatoly Yakovenko was the central figure, with Greg Fitzgerald, Raj Gokal, Stephen Akridge, and Eric Williams among the co-founders.
Q. Were there any major trials? A. The network outages of 2022 and the crash from the FTX collapse. Afterward, stability improved and recovery progressed.
References & sources
- Solana official: https://solana.com/
- Blockworks (Solana's origins): https://blockworks.co/news/solana-network-origins
- CNBC (SOL's 2022 decline): https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/30/solanas-accelerating-yearlong-slide-wipes-out-over-50-billion.html
Investment disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets (including SOL) carry risks such as price volatility, hacking, and network outages. Past events and prices do not guarantee the future. Make investment decisions at your own responsibility.
Sources
FAQ
- When was Solana created?
- Anatoly Yakovenko published a white paper in 2017, Solana Labs was founded in 2018, and mainnet beta launched on March 16, 2020.
- Who created Solana?
- Anatoly Yakovenko was the central figure, with Greg Fitzgerald, Raj Gokal, Stephen Akridge, and Eric Williams among the co-founders.
- Were there any major trials?
- The network outages of 2022 and the crash from the FTX collapse. Afterward, stability improved through client diversification and other measures, and recovery progressed.
This article is informational only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Prices are reference snapshots and may be outdated. Always do your own research.
