The cryptocurrency market has undergone a massive shift throughout the first three months of the year. With regulatory changes looking to propel the industry, technological gaps are beginning to establish who could be the major players in the coming years. Indeed, that has led one expert to say Ethereum (ETH) is going the way of Nokia while Solana (SOL) is emerging as Apple.

The comparison is an interesting one, as it encapsulates the cellphone boom that took place in the early 2000s. Specifically, the shift that occurred from Nokia’s technological advancement before it was eventually lapped by the iPhone product that changed mobile phone standards.

Also Read: Solana Vs. Ethereum: Which Comes Out On Top In 2025?

Is Ethereum the Nokia of Blockchain? Here’s Why It Tracks

The digital asset industry has been on the up-and-up despite stagnating prices so far this year. Moreover, that increase in market participation and increase has begun to formulate potential market leaders. Additionally, it has driven down the status of some of its earliest key players.

That has led many to explore which assets and networks could be the face of the new wave of participants. Specifically, one analyst took to X (formerly Twitter) to call Ethereum the Nokia of blockchain, while Solana may be the Apple of the technology.

ethereum = nokia pic.twitter.com/zLJDq7OlXc

— curb (@CryptoCurb) April 10, 2025

Also Read: Ethereum: How High Will ETH Surge In April 2025?

The analysis shares two charts; the first showcases Nokia’s stock fall from 2007. The second featured Ethereum’s market cap declining from its high marks in 2021. Subsequently, Statista data shows that Nokia’s mobile market share went from 49% in 2007 to just 3% in 2013.

It was eventually driven down by the arrival of Apple’s iOS and iPhone products. That could be happening to ETH in the form of Solana. Its incredible rise has been one of the industry’s staples. Between the fall of 2023 and 2024, SOL increased from just $23 to a price of $264. Moreover, its market increased to nearly one-third of Ethereum.

Its rise is connected to its speed and cost being so much faster and more efficient than Ethereum. That distinction is a key reason why the gap will not only close, but the positions are likely to reverse in the coming years.