The world of crypto moves at ultrafast speed and only a handful of ecosystems are able to handle it better than Solana. Known for speed and low fee, it has, in time, become a favorite among traders and developers alike. Now that the Alpenglow upgrade has rolled out, it could be a huge turning point in making Solana the most dominant platform in Web3.
The blockchain ecosystem has its own set of linguistic diversity, ‘a trilemma’ is one of them. It is the challenge of successfully balancing speed, security and decentralization in the blockchain. Solana has always been a pro when it comes to handling this trilemma and with the Alpenglow upgrade, things have gone a step further.
Why is this upgrade special?
The most highlighted feature of the upgrade is improvements in Rotor and Votor which will enhance the transaction processing, making it capable of handling thousands of transactions per second. Alpenglow is designed to improve reliability and reduce risks of periodic outages. Downtime will now be far less likely. 
This new upgrade brings improved framework and better developer tools. This way it will be easier to build dApps, DeFi protocols etc. Solana will also gain energy efficiency post this upgrade making it more sustainable. In short, Alpenglow is a technical patch and a leap forward for Solana in concerns with speed, scale and innovation.
What makes Solana special?
Outside of the price-action, Solana has carved out a powerful identity in the crypto world. Its developer ecosystem is booming, with thousands of builders working on it. Everything, from DeFi platforms and NFT marketplaces to consumer-facing apps is getting traction. Solana is particularly functional for microtransactions and the global financial use cases with extremely low transaction fees. Further reinforcing the blockchain brings in a robust community that has proven resilient during market volatility, and which continues to support upgrades and grow the ecosystem. At the same time, institutional interest is growing. Legacy finance firms are examining Solana more seriously as a platform for real-world asset tokenization further solidifying its role as a bridge between Web3 innovation and mainstream finance.
Does it make Solana risk free?
Irrespective of optimism, Solana is not risk free. Its upgrades must be able to clear tests of real-world usage as well as get an upper hand while competing with Ethereum, Avalanche and other Layer-2 solutions. However, post the upgrade, with sentiments shifting in its favor, Solana is setting the pace for a better version of itself.
