The Solana ecosystem is deepening its institutional engagement in Europe with the launch of a Swiss-based research body aimed at helping traditional financial firms address evolving crypto regulations. The Solana Research Institute (SRI), founded by former Euroclear executive Angus Scott, debuted alongside a roughly 60-page practitioner guide designed for senior financial decision-makers evaluating the network.
A bridge between public blockchains and regulated finance
SRI is positioned as a neutral resource for institutions assessing operational, risk, and market structure considerations that have historically slowed adoption of public blockchains. The initiative brings together contributors including the Solana Foundation, Jito, R3, and Figment, and has already convened closed-door sessions in London with participants from State Street and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation.
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Unlike the Solana Policy Institute, launched in Washington in 2025 to engage policymakers, SRI focuses specifically on firms that need to interpret frameworks such as Europe’s Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the United States’ GENIUS Act for stablecoins. Ben Brophy, head of institutional growth in Europe at the Solana Foundation, told Cointelegraph that the goal is to help institutions move from experimentation to deployment by bringing “credible analysis and informed dialogue to the forefront.”
Onchain metrics and the competitive field
The launch comes as Solana reports rising usage across tokenized assets and stablecoins. Network data shows $650 billion in stablecoin transfer volume in February 2026 and more than $2 billion in tokenized real-world assets in March. However, Ethereum continues to dominate in onchain liquidity, with over $165 billion in stablecoins and roughly $44 billion in total value locked across decentralized finance, compared to just over $5 billion on Solana, according to DefiLlama.
Permissioned infrastructure is also advancing. The Canton Network reports that applications on its permissioned network now account for more than $6 trillion in tokenized assets, including large repurchase agreements and securities positions, reflecting sustained demand for privacy-preserving rails among regulated institutions.
What institutions still need
For infrastructure providers, the next phase depends on execution quality and market structure. Nick Almond, head of governance at the Jito Foundation, noted a shift from viability questions to detailed requirements gathering around execution quality, pre-trade privacy, and best execution guarantees. Still, many institutions are waiting for greater maturity in custody, reporting, and venue connectivity infrastructure before committing fully to public chains.
Angus Scott described the increased institutional participation over the past 12 months as “significant,” signaling that regulatory clarity is beginning to reshape engagement patterns.
Conclusion
The Solana Research Institute represents a strategic effort to build trust and provide practical guidance for European financial institutions managing the intersection of public blockchain technology and regulatory compliance. While Solana’s onchain activity is growing, the broader institutional shift remains contingent on infrastructure maturity and continued regulatory evolution. SRI’s early engagement with major traditional finance players suggests that demand for credible, independent analysis is rising.
FAQs
Q1: What is the Solana Research Institute?
The Solana Research Institute (SRI) is a Swiss-based research body founded to help financial institutions evaluate Solana’s blockchain for regulated use cases, focusing on compliance with frameworks like MiCA.
Q2: Who is involved in the Solana Research Institute?
SRI was founded by former Euroclear executive Angus Scott and includes contributions from the Solana Foundation, Jito, R3, and Figment. It has engaged with firms such as State Street and DTCC in private sessions.
Q3: How does SRI differ from the Solana Policy Institute?
The Solana Policy Institute, launched in Washington in 2025, focuses on engaging policymakers. SRI targets financial firms directly, providing operational and regulatory guidance for adopting public blockchain infrastructure.
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