2024 has been a transformative year for Solana. With a surge in developer activity, bold innovations in DePIN, and its ambitions to become a “decentralized Nasdaq,” the ecosystem is making waves. But are these changes enough to differentiate it from competitors like Ethereum and L2 solutions such as Base?In this episode, Lily Liu, president of the Solana Foundation, and Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius, join Unchained to discuss how Solana is carving out its niche. They debate whether Base is a serious contender, why they’re not concerned about the 2025 token unlocks, and how Solana’s unique approach to MEV could shape its future. Plus, they tackle the ecosystem’s broader challenges and why they believe Solana’s vision will endure.Show highlights:Why Mert feels paranoid but also vindicated Why Lily started working on Solana after being known as a hardcore bitcoinerHow Mert’s background in Coinbase led him to found Helius and become the voice of Solana onlineWhether Solana can become a place where unique innovations are built, rather than copying EthereumWhether Solana can achieve its vision of a “decentralized Nasdaq”Why the ecosystem has attracted so many developers in 2024 Why Lily believes that Base is no competitor to SolanaWhat network extensions actually mean, according to MertHow Mert responds to the criticisms around Solana’s MEVWhy Mert and Lily are not worried about the token unlocks of 2025How the Solana mobile phone will compete with the giantsWhy DePIN showcases the real value of blockchain technologyVisit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.comThank you to our sponsors!Kelp DAORobinhood & ArbitrumPolkadotGuests:Lily Liu, President of the Solana FoundationMert Mumtaz, CEO of HeliusLinksUnchained: Pudgy Penguins See NFT Floor Price Drop Almost 50% After PENGU Launch - Pump.fun Becomes First Solana DApp to Top $100M in Monthly RevenueHow Solana Beat Out Ethereum to Nab New Crypto Developers in 2024Are Solana's 'Network Extensions' Just Like Ethereum's Layer 2s But by a Different Name?What Are DePINs in Crypto? A Beginner’s GuideTimestamps:  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices