After three straight quarterly losses, Ethereum faces headwinds while Solana gains traction. A major institutional nonprofit backing Ethereum launches this month.

The Ethereum Decline

Ethereum has now posted losses for three consecutive quarters. Q4 2025 saw a 28% decline, followed by 29% in Q1 2026 and 25% in Q2 2026. For a blockchain that spent most of 2021–2024 rallying on institutional adoption and development momentum, this extended downturn marks a visible sentiment shift.

Solana Gains Ground

Meanwhile, Solana has gained 20% over the past week, outpacing Ethereum's recent weakness. The performance gap is attracting attention from both retail and institutional players.

Institutional Support on the Horizon

One potential tailwind for Ethereum: a nonprofit focused on institutional Ethereum adoption is launching July 1 with relationships representing $250 trillion in assets under management. That scale of potential backing could signal confidence from traditional finance, even as spot prices struggle. The group's entry arrives at a moment when capital flows are being tested and capital is exploring alternatives.

What's Moving

Ethereum's three-quarter losing streak is documented, but so is institutional interest building across platforms. The key question: whether the new nonprofit's institutional relationships translate to actual on-chain activity or remain largely structural. Solana's recent move may reflect genuine conviction shifts or simply performance-chasing.