gm Solana — September 2, 2025 ☀️

Today’s episode dives deep into the state of Solana and the shifting dynamics across DeFi, NFTs, and KOL culture. Gary and JJ unpack the headlines, challenge narratives, and bring on a special guest builder pushing the ecosystem forward.

What’s Inside:

🎵 Production hiccups & setting the vibe (no more “funeral intro”)

⚠️ Quick disclaimer: markets move fast, DYOR always

📰 Headlines & Highlights:

Solana hits $77M revenue in August ($34M from Pump.fun)

$1B+ bridged to Solana, with $661M flowing in from ETH

Real-world assets on Solana cross $500M ATH

NFT movers: Okay Bears +12.6%, Degen Ape Academy +13.6%, SMB Gen 2 +5%

Nearly $5B USDC minted in August fueling ecosystem growth

🐋 KOL Controversy: $60K per post? Paid shills, tier rankings, and how to spot promos vs. authentic posts

🔥 Big Debate: What’s more bullish?

Buy & burn (Marinade)

Buy & hold (Jupiter’s “Litter Box”)

Buy & reward (Defi Tuna model)

🎙️ Guest Spotlight: Dhirk from Defi Tuna

Explains Fusion AMM (on-chain orderbook pools)

How DefiTuna pushed $2.2B volume in 30 days with just 3 pools

Why stakers earn real Solana rewards (not inflated token emissions)

Thoughts on sustainability, token supply mechanics, and building trust by “buying your own bags”

📈 Solana trading action: intraday dip to $197.45, quick rip back to $205 (+3.5%)

🎁 Community Wins: Gary Coin drops, allow list spots, and free Giraffe mint giveaways

Takeaways:

KOLs drive attention, but authenticity and disclosure matter.

Protocol revenue models are evolving—burning, holding, or rewarding—each with unique tradeoffs.

Builders like DefiTuna are proving new models work with serious traction.

Solana continues to post monster numbers across DeFi, NFTs, and stablecoin flows.

📲 Catch gm Solana live weekdays on X Spaces at 9 AM NYC time, or subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms.

If you liked today’s episode, drop a review and share it with your crew—let’s put Solana on the map together. 🦒