How to buy Solana, fast, cheap, and safe
Solana is known for being fast and cheap to use on-chain, which makes it popular for everyday transactions and apps. Buying it is no different from buying Bitcoin or Ethereum. Here is the clean route, and how to hold it safely once you own it.
- Buy SOL on a reputable, regulated exchange such as Coinbase or Kraken, using the advanced screen to keep fees low.
- Solana transactions are fast and cost a fraction of a cent, which makes moving it around cheap.
- For holdings you are keeping, use self-custody. A hardware wallet supports Solana and keeps your keys offline.
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The steps
Start with a trusted exchange. Both platforms in our exchanges guide list Solana. Sign up, enable app-based two-factor authentication, verify your ID, and deposit funds by bank transfer for the lowest fees. Buy your SOL on the advanced or pro trading screen rather than the simple button, which charges a premium for the same coin.
Why Solana feels different to use
Where a Bitcoin or Ethereum transaction can cost meaningfully in fees at busy times, Solana was built for speed and very low costs, often a fraction of a cent per transaction. That is why it is popular for apps, trading, and moving funds around. It is worth knowing that this speed comes from different design tradeoffs, and Solana has had network outages in its history, so it is not risk-free.
Hold it the right way
For anything you plan to keep, move it off the exchange. A hardware wallet supports Solana and keeps your keys offline, which is the safest option. See our hardware wallet guide, and if self-custody is new to you, how wallets work covers the basics.
A word of caution
Smaller coins tend to move harder than Bitcoin in both directions. Only buy what you can afford to hold through volatility, and be wary of the hype cycles that surround fast-moving networks.