Solana is a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain platform for decentralized applications and cryptocurrencies. It's known for its speed and scalability; it can process up to 710,000 transactions per second.
SOL is Solana's native cryptocurrency used for transactions and staking to secure the network. Developers can build fast and efficient dApps on Solana, making it a popular choice for the DeFi and NFT sectors.