NEAR Protocol (NEAR) vs Solana (SOL)

NEAR Protocol, more commonly abbreviated as Near, is a layer 1 blockchain operating on a Proof of Stake (PoS) mechanism. The technological infrastructure of Near uses an innovative sharding method called Nightshade, which enhances transaction processing capacity and network scalability. Developers can create and deploy smart contracts using familiar programming languages, and the Aurora tool allows them to have full compatibility with Ethereum.

Solana is a distributed and programmable layer 1 blockchain, part of the trend of "Ethereum Killers," which are competitors of Ethereum looking to replace it. Solana's unique design (notably through the Proof of History consensus) allows it to be optimized for scalability, with an exceptional (and theoretical) execution capacity of 60,000 transactions per second and extremely low fees. SOL is the native cryptocurrency of the Solana network, used to pay transaction fees, reward validators, and contribute to the governance of the project.