The Solana Crossroads conference took place in Istanbul on April 25-26, 2025 and brought together individuals involved in blockchain infrastructure, such as protocol teams, investors, and developers. Discussions at the event covered various topics including trading platforms, stablecoin-backed finance, and on-chain lending, highlighting what is effective and what isn't. BeInCrypto provided coverage of the significant updates from the conference.
Jupiter is developing a DeFi superapp that focuses on perpetual trading, mobile wallet support, and more. Founder Kash Dhanda discussed the challenges of managing aggregation at scale due to the continuous launch of new tokens and shifting liquidity. Jupiter's Ultra Mode, featuring real-time slippage estimation and AI-driven routing logic, aims to address these challenges and provide users with accurate transaction outcomes. The platform now includes perpetual trading, mobile wallet support, and portfolio tools with plans to introduce NFT routing.
Kamino Finance aims to simplify and enhance safety in DeFi tools. Starting as an automated liquidity product, Kamino has evolved into Solana's largest borrow/lend platform, boasting over $3 billion supplied. The upcoming Kamino Lend V2 will offer segmented lending markets with curated vaults, allowing users to select risk strategies without managing individual settings. Safety is a key focus for Kamino, with over 15 audits conducted and an emphasis on risk management.
Venture firm 1kx prioritizes product traction over funding announcements, focusing on retaining and paying users. They specialize in early-stage token ecosystems and robust distribution models, with a particular interest in Web3 gaming. The firm recognizes the value of real product adoption over hype, highlighting the success of projects like Pixels, which achieved significant scale with minimal traditional advertising.
Drift aims to cater to both active and passive users by introducing features for faster trades and easier liquidity access. The Swift upgrade enables gasless trading and quicker fills, while new vaults allow passive income generation through managed strategies. Drift's DLP token will facilitate liquidity provision without the need for direct management, expanding user access to the platform.
Huma Finance's Erbil Karaman discussed the importance of developing blockchain tools that address real-world challenges such as inflation and slow payments. Huma's PayFi network accelerates global payments through instant liquidity and stablecoin-backed infrastructure, serving purposes like cross-border payments and trade finance. The focus is on solving existing problems using blockchain technology, aiming to provide practical solutions.
The discussions at Solana Crossroads in Istanbul indicated a shift towards building solutions for tangible problems rather than chasing trends. Builders are focusing on long-term utility, whether by improving trade execution, simplifying lending processes, or integrating stablecoins into real-world transactions. The emphasis is moving away from speculation towards sustainable growth in blockchain applications.